The Kartik Cultural Festival is an annual festival that is celebrated at Nahar Singh Mahal in Ballabgarh town in Faridabad District of Haryana, India. The celebration runs for three days in November.
It is organized with the collaboration and contribution of several authorities such as the Ministry of Tourism and Department of Culture, Government of India, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Department of Cultural Affairs, Haryana, Development Commissioner Handlooms and Handicrafts, North Central Cultural Center, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, and Ballabgarh Development and Beautification Society.
Every year these organizations take initiatives to promote almost-extinct forms of arts in India. It gives life to the martial arts and any other folk arts of the nation which are now slowly getting forgotten by people.
Kartik cultural festival is widely known for showcasing talents in those forms. Also, the location of this festival is a treat to explore. The Mahal in Ballabgarh, where this festival is celebrated, has excellent architecture for the public to see. Also, several singers and dancers from classical to contemporary, get a chance to explore their talent on this huge platform.
History of Kartik Cultural Festival
The Kartik Cultural Festival is the result of the continuous effort of the Haryana Government. The motive was to keep alive the art and heritage of India. The festival is organized at Nahar Mahal which was once the residence of Raja Nahar Singh (ascended throne in 1829) who ruled Ballabgarh Town under the reign of the last Mughal King Bahadur Shah Zafar. It was built around 1739 AD by the forefathers of King Nahar.
Beautification of Nahar Mahal
The deterioration of the Nahar Mahal was at its peak a few years ago. But then, the Government of Haryana stepped in and decided to restore the beauty of Nahar Mahal. It hired Francis Nacziarg and the Aman Team for further beautification of the palace which restored its beauty with aligned cupola and miners.
Major Attractions of Kartik Cultural Festival
1. Folk Dance and Music
It not only showcases the folk dance and music of Haryana but also welcomes other folk dance forms across India. One can see the charm of India and understand the country’s rich heritage through traditional dance performances in Kartik cultural festival.
2. Classical Dance and Music
Different classical dance performances such as Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Orisi are performed by renowned dancers. When it comes to classical music performance, you will love to listen to Thumri, Dadra, Bhaul, etc.
3. Performing Arts
At this festival, people get to see amazing martial arts and folk arts that are on the verge of extinction. It is a fun and nostalgic experience to watch our cultural art forms being performed by talented artists from all around the country.
How to Reach
Ballabhgarh is a Faridabad town and is a part of NCR (National Capital Region) as well. It is connected to southeast Delhi and Faridabad by the Delhi Metro. The town is located at a distance of 36, 2,093, 1,427, 1,463 km from Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kolkata respectively. Here are the three main transport modes by which you can reach the festival.
By Air
The nearest airport to Ballabhgarh is Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. The airport is located about 34 km away from the town. From the airport, you can easily take public transport to reach the venue of the Kartik cultural festival.
The airport has been named after the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Since 2009, it has been the busiest airport in the country if we consider passenger traffic. Indian Air Force used to operate it but later the control was transferred to the Airports Authority of India.
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Chennai - Board Spicejet, Air India, Vistara, AirAsia, IndiGo from Chennai International Airport. The airfares start from Rs.8,000
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Mumbai - Board Air India, Go Air, IndiGo, AirAsia, Spicejet from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The airfares start from Rs.5,000
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Kolkata - Board Spicejet, Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, Go Air flights from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. The airfares start from Rs.6,000
By Train
Ballabhgarh has its own railway station, the Ballabgarh Railway station. Direct trains can be found from the major cities in India to this town. This modern railway station is equipped with all modern facilities such as vending machines, information kiosks, ATM machines, TV advertising panels, and internet cafes.
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Delhi - Board Intercity-Express from New Delhi Railway Station and deboard at the Ballabgarh Railway Station
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Mumbai - Board Dehradun Express from Bandra Terminus and deboard at the Ballabgarh Railway Station
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Hyderabad - Board Telangana Express from HYDERABAD DECAN and deboard at the Ballabgarh Railway Station
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Kolkata - Board U Abhatoofan Express from Howrah Junction and deboard at the Ballabgarh Railway Station
By Road
If you happen to live nearby Ballabhgarh, you can very well take the road route. A number of buses run between Ballabhgarh and nearby cities with various options such as sleeper coach, regular, and luxury, etc.
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From New Delhi, the bus fares start from Rs.350
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From Noida, the bus fares start from Rs.400
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From Sikandrabad, the bus fares start from Rs.500
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From Coimbatore, the bus fares start from Rs.350
If you have your own vehicle or want to hire a cab, you can take the following routes:
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New Delhi - 38 km via Chennai - Delhi Hwy/Mathura Rd
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Gurgaon - 49 km via Faridabad - Gurgaon Rd
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Noida - 36 km via Chennai - Delhi Hwy/Mathura Rd
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Ghaziabad - 54 km via Chennai - Delhi Hwy/Mathura Rd
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here
