Mango Festival in Chandigarh

The city of Chandigarh annually hosts a festival perfect for those who harbour a love for mangoes which is famously called as the Mango Festival or Mango Mela. It is held at the Pinjore Gardens of Chandigarh. The Haryana tourism department along with the Horticulture department jointly host this event, a two-day affair, where people come together to experience several (reportedly, over 4000) variants of excellent quality mangoes and how they are grown by different producers, along with other cultural festivities.

Mango Festival Chandigarh - Dates

July ( dates yet to be announced)

Mango Festival Chandigarh - Venue & Entry Fee

The festival is held in Yadvindra Garden in Pinjore. The vast garden is perfect for the festivities and the number of people it attracts every year. The entry fee for the Yadvindra Garden is INR 20 per head. Entry is free for children below the age of 3, and senior citizens.

About the Mango Festival

The students of the Agriculture Universities also help in organising certain aspects of the festival. It is quite an enriching experience for its visitors as it educates them on how their favourite fruit is grown under different conditions. An educative seminar is conducted for farmers so they can be better informed about mango cultivation along with newer and improved agriculture methods, which is done by leading agriculture scientists. A special counter is also set up where one can purchase excellent quality mango plants. 

Other Activities & Events at the Mango Festival

The most enticing attribute of the festival is the fact that it has several other activities that are unrelated to the fruit, even though it is what brings everyone together. The other activities that the festival offers include cultural music programs, folk dance programs, several competitions for children which include rangoli making, fancy dress up, drawing, also a quiz competition which offers cash rewards.

A mango eating competition is also conducted where one can enjoy free mangoes while they compete in the contest. There is a food court available as well. A crafts bazaar is also set up where assorted handicrafts are available for purchase. The mango festival gives an opportunity for its visitors to experience first hand over 4000 variants of incredible mangoes being made into jams, pickles, etc. The festival conducted in 2018, which was the 27th edition of the same, was a grand success as well garnering several visitors in its short duration.

It apparently had the general attraction events such as the seminar and the showcase of the different types of mangoes, but also had several other competitions for children, dance performances and art competitions by students, a face painting competition, a quiz with cash rewards, and cultural performances by Padmjeet Sehrawat and Dr. Radhika Chopra. These factors made the festival a success and an absolute crowd-puller. There are several activities available at the festival, and they range from competitions for children to cultural programs. There are fancy dress, rangoli making, drawing or painting, face painting, singing, dancing competitions. There is a quiz competition conducted where cash rewards are given out up to INR 20,000. Music and folk dance cultural programs are held where renowned artists come to perform. A food court is also present, along with a crafts bazaar thus attracting a good amount of people to the mela. Festivities regarding mangoes include a seminar for farmers conducted by leading agricultural scientists, a mango eating competition, and a special counter for the sale of high-quality mango plants.

How To Reach

To reach the venue for the festival which is Yadvindra Garden, one has to reach the city of Chandigarh. The closest airport is Chandigarh airport, and the venue is about 19 km away. The nearest railway stations are Kalka railway station (Haryana, Panchkula, Pinjore) which is 5 km away, and Dhulkot railway station (Haryana, Ambala, Ambala-I) which is 52 km away.
The mango festival truly is a haven for those who love mangoes and would love an enriching experience about the production of mangoes and how several variants of mango related products such as jam and pickles are created. The best part is, they may also purchase these items straight from the festival itself, thus getting the high-quality products from the most authentic source. The other activities available would make the mela more of a crowd puller if the main focus was not already enough. Thus, the mango festival of Chandigarh is an absolute must-visit event that lovers of mangoes should not miss, along with those who may not be as devoted to the summer fruit but may learn something new and exciting.