Madhavi Kuckreja: Sanatkada is my exploration of Lucknow

Madhavi Kuckreja is widely regarded as a popular name in Lucknow, as she has added a new dimension to the city’s cultural scene with the Mahendra Sanatkada Festival. The event has emerged as a major attraction over the years, as it is synonymous with mouth-watering delicacies and several engaging programmes. Madhavi is also an activist who aims to empower women through her initiatives. Speaking exclusively to Roktim Rajpal Diaries, she opens up about her journey and the origins of Sanatkada as an organisation. 

Edited excerpts from the interview:

How did the idea of Sanatkada originate?

The concept of Sanatkada has evolved over the years. It started as a crafts shop. Back when malls were coming up in Lucknow, I saw that people could not get pure fabric in Lucknow. In some ways, Sanatkada then came up. Then around 2009, I felt that Lucknow has more than meets the eye. It was home to wonderful stories.

Activist Madhavi Kuckreja. | Credit: Madhavi Kuckreja

That is why we slowly expanded to book releases and cultural events. All in all, being an outsider, Sanatkada was my exploration of the city. 

What challenges did you face in the initial years?

It was difficult to do things initially. There were times when people were nervous. We were also not following the trend, so as to speak. At first, mainly older people came. As such, the challenge was to attract more younger people to be part of the initiative. 

To what extent has social media made the journey easier?

Social media has helped a lot. We have a young team. Most of our team members are below 30. Tasveer Hasan helped on this front. Tasveer is 31. He heads the social media team. They put out content and we grew slowly. A lot of youngsters have come in. 

Is Sanatkada a financially viable venture?

It is still a challenge, and things are difficult. We don't have 10 places at our disposal. That is a limitation. Survival is difficult. The last three years, the festival has reached break-even. We also don’t take loans for Sanatkada. 

Why haven’t you applied for loans?

Repaying the loan will be a challenge as we don’t have enough turnover. 

You are also associated with women empowerment.

I do that through my NGO Vanangana. It focuses on violence against women. We are based in Chitrakoot and Banda.

What inspired you to focus on this issue?

I grew up in a privileged home. However, even there, I felt that there were certain things that I did not get. After school, I went to Kolkata. That’s when the differences became clear. I worked with students and gave them exposure. I soon realised that for women everything was unequal. Also, many women were sexually abused during the 1984 riots. 

What is the way forward for Sanatkada?

I hope to have a permanent cultural centre. These intimate spaces decide how people look at history. It also gives them an idea of how life was during, say their grandfather’s time.