Pune to host first Chitra Mandai national art and culture festival on November 1

Pune will host "Chitra Mandai 2026", a national festival of art, culture and self-reliance, for the first time. It aims to preserve, promote and revive traditional Indian art, folk art and modern art. It also seeks to give artists a chance to display their work, sell it directly and find employment.

The festival will run from 8 am to 8 pm on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Udyan Path on Jungli Maharaj Road in Shivajinagar. It is being organised jointly by the Samved School of Art, Music, Visualisation, Entertainment and Design at G H Raisoni International Skill Tech University, Pune, and the Pune Municipal Corporation.

The festival will exhibit and sell paintings, folk art, traditional art, sculpture, pottery and handicrafts, along with modern and computer-generated art. Art lovers can also look forward to live art-making, art performances, interactions with artists and guidance on art-related business.

According to the organisers, the main aim is to give artists their own platform to present their art. It also seeks to help them find a market, create employment through art and encourage artists to become financially self-reliant. The festival will therefore be important for painters, craftspeople, traditional artists and those working in modern art.

The festival is being organised under the guidance of Dr R D Kharadkar, Vice-Chancellor of G H Raisoni International Skill Tech University, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Vaibhav Hendre and Samved Dean Dr A D Kate.

Artists must register to take part. Registration is free and can be done until October 30. Participating artists will be given space for display. Subject to availability, they will also get a table and chair, drinking water, tea and snacks, a participation certificate and publicity through promotion.

For more information and registration, call 97669 37956 or 99607 39467.