Fair and Festivals in Gwalior

          Gwalior celebrates all Indian festivals.  However, it is widely known for the Tansen Music Festival it hosts every year.  Tansen, one of the respected singers in the court of Akbar was buried in Gwalior.  He is accredited with cult fame. He is one of the pioneers of the Hindisthani classical music tradition in India. Legends say that he used to bring rains by singing ‘Megh Malhar’ rag.  In the memory of this great singer, the Gwalior city hosts a music festival that would be usually held in the months of November and December. The function would be held at the tomb of Tansen. 

       This Sangeet Sammelan (Music festival) lasts for five nights. Eminent vocalists would take part in this festival and every year the Tansen Samman (award) would be bestowed upon one of the greatest achievers in the field of music. This is a prestigious award given by the Government of Madhya Pradesh for classical singers. Ajay Pohankar, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Ustad Abdul Haleem Jafar Khan and Vani Jayaram are some of them who have received this award.   The festival would comprise of seminars, workshops followed by musical concerts in the night. 

Gwalior also hosts an International Trade Fair that lasts for about a month in the city. This is known as Asia’s second largest trade fair. Industrialists from all across the country, and even foreign companies benefit from this fair. For farmers and small scale entrepreneurs it is an opportunity to display their production. This fair will be held in the month of December usually and lasts for about a month.