With a wide variety of festivities to dig into,Pune Unplugged 2.0 is all set to take citizens on a cultural roller coaster Come the festive season and it is not unusual to find the city all draped in the rich tapestry of cultural extravagance,with shades that are both myriad and joyous. And now,spreading the colour and energy,especially after the recently concluded Ganesh Utsav,Pune is ready once again,for a new celebration of sorts. Titled,Pune Unplugged 2.0,the festival will be conducted by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce,Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) between October 1 and October 10,bringing with it events in sports,dance,music,cookery,crafts,and fashion. Speaking about the fest,Mukesh Malhotra,President,MCCIA says, The fest will be a concoction of events,varied in style and appeal. We will have famous Indian artistes performing and also feature well-known western artists like Gary Lawyer. The event has garnered active support from the Consulate Generals of Belgium and France. About 3000 individuals participated in the last festival and this year,we expect the number of participants to rise to 5000. The celebrations will kick-off on October 1 at MCCIA,where a special event called the Belgian Night will be held at 7.30 pm. Besides providing detailed information about tourism opportunities in Belgium,it will also provide participants with a chance to taste some of the delicious Belgian sauces,chocolates and beer. The event is being hosted by the Consulate General of Belgium. Also a part of the celebrations will be,India in Motion an exhibition of photographs by Murat Ahmet Yoruk Consul General for Turkey,in Mumbai and Seniz Yoruk at the Bajaj Art Gallery situated at the ICC Trade Towers. Malhotra also says that on the festive calendar is a football match to be played by the under-15 and open categories on October 2 at t he Symbiosis Education Complex in Viman nagar from 11 am. The same day,a special Handicraft Mela will be organised between 11.30 am to 5.30 pm. Along with traditional Indian items,copper artifacts,Paithani sarees,pottery,Rangoli,Warli paintings,face masks and cane-crafts; the show will also display famous wooden Ganjifa from Sawantwadi. The other events at the festival include fashion show titled Walk for a Cause,a food festival and a showcase of various dance forms like Bharatnatyam and Kathak. The festival,which begins on October 1 and will end on October 9,will also see a Jazz performance by Gary Lawyer at the amphitheatre in Ishanya Mall. The last day of Pune Unplugged 2.0 will witness the staging of October Fest as a part of which,a derby has been planned at the Pune Race Course.
