The Fair of Craftsmen-Taj Mahotsav

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Do you admire handicrafts? Are masterpieces of artisans your cup of tea? Once seen the ivory masterpiece the ‘Taj Mahal’ can never be erased till the lifelong from the memory. Calling it the most fabulous example of artisans’ outstanding expertise will not be wrong. Undeniably, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan was crazy for beautiful architecture. Many historic monuments cite how passionate for architecture he was.

Taj Mahotsav presents how conscious the government as well as people is for conserving this gifted beauty of Mughals. 1992 was the year when this consciousness got its voice for the first time. Freaky lovers of the art and crafts joined hands in hands. Thereby, the tradition of this cultural festival began. If you have booked your Agra tour packages in the month of February, never skip hitting this elegant gala eve.

When does the Taj Mahotsav take place?

This carnival goes on for ten days. The richness, vibrancy and glory of past get ten days span from 18^th February to 27^th of the same month for casting an everlasting impression on the onlookers. The artisans hit this place across the country in hunt of their admirers. The weather remains pleasant which serves the double doses of excitement.

Where does this carnival occur?

The snazzy glimpses of this heritage site inspired to call incredible artisans and craftsmen from across the country. This became a reason for their reunion at Shilpgram. It is 500 Km away from the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal. The travelers from across the globe die to hit this place again and again for witnessing this spectacular event.

What is the motto behind this festival?

Artisans and craftsmen are the only strings that are keeping the skills of past alive today. Their rare art is at the edge of extinction. Machines and gadgets have introduced pace, comfort and convenience. Why do people buy handmade fan if they have electrical fan, ACs and Air Coolers?

It is obvious if they will get no buyer then how they can earn their bread and butter. So, the government and volunteers have taken the challenge of bringing their life and art back on track. Without motivation, their art will see no direction to move on. Good earning and appreciation buy them that motivation. It is just because of their skill and expertise that have made them renowned. Their popularity has made them earn far ahead of bread butter. Like beautiful Taj Mahal, their unique art meets immortality when it takes shapes of stunning painting, dumbstruck crafts, accessories and so on.

What is the prime attraction at Taj Mahotsav?

It will be unfair to call this festival crafts-centric alone. Variant dresses, cuisines and folk dances or folk music, too, have their share in bringing this festival in buzzing. If we talk about crafts and painting, it showcases:


• Chikankari of Lucknow
• Wooden and stone carvings of Tamil Nadu
• Wooden statues of Saharanpur
• West Bengal’s Kantha stitch work
• Popular Bamboo/cane masterpieces of north east India
• Kashmiri shawls and carpets
• Khurja’s blue pottery work
• Agra’s Marble and zardori work
• Moradabad’s brass ware
• Banaras’ silk and zari work
• Paper mash art of south India
• Bhadohi’s hand-woven carpets


You can’t resist the lip smacking delicious cuisines of variety. The spectacular view of these food stalls attracts tourists from the globe. If you get chance to be present at this carnival, try these mouth-watering dishes at least once:


• Lucknawi Kebab
• Amritsari Naan
• Aloo Tikki
• Hyderabadi Biryani
• Kashmiri Tea


We must appreciate the way the government as well as several volunteers have been taking initiative to conserve this national heritage of Incredible India.

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