Created by Monieka Khanna, Neha Sarna, and Jasbir Saini, the Gurugram debut brought Indian games, schoolyard fun, and 90s nostalgia to life, with plans to take the concept across the country
Families in Gurugram recently stepped into a space that felt both new and deeply familiar as Back to Baalpan opened its gates for the first time. Marketed as India’s first nostalgia-powered carnival, the event recreated the joys of childhood for adults while offering a discovery of traditional play for children who have grown up in a digital-first world.
Conceptualised by Monieka Khanna, Neha Sarna, and Jasbir Saini, the carnival aimed to blend innocence, fun, and togetherness. The team explained that the event was designed to revive a time before screens dominated leisure, when games like stapoo, marbles, and gilli danda defined afternoons, and when friendships were built over simple shared joys.
The Gurugram edition featured curated zones where children and parents could play traditional Indian games, re-live schoolyard activities, and enjoy music and food inspired by the 90s. Parents described the event as a reminder of their own carefree days, while children found novelty in games they had only heard about from grandparents.
The organisers said the success of the debut has encouraged them to take Back to Baalpan to more cities, beginning with a nationwide tour slated for November. Their vision is to make it a recurring experience that reconnects families with simple joys across India, one carnival at a time.
For Gurugram’s families, the weekend was more than entertainment, it was an invitation to rediscover play, memory, and connection, reminding everyone that some of the best parts of growing up never truly leave us.
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