Citygritty — Pune

And the inexplicable: Why was a pub, and one of the smaller pubs of Pune at that, made a venue for a beauty contest-cum-fashion show of this magnitude? What was the sense behind coming early and bagging one of the coveted seats when the late-comers could just stroll in, stand bang in front of those seats and have the best view? What did the compere mean when he suddenly announced at the end of the show: “Now, the gentlemen can head towards the bar and the ladies towards the loo!”

Anyhow, the show that began an hour late, started with the introduction of the seven contestants. This was followed by some fashion sequences that had the sultry Diandra wowing the crowds with her stunning catwalk even as Femina Miss India-Universe Lymraina oozed charm as she weaved her way between the crowds. A much-appreciated beach wear round, two energetic dance numbers by Infiniti and it was time for the final round of the contest that ultimately saw Arzoo Govitrikar, a favourite from the start, bagging the title with Namrata and Ena as the first and second runners-up respectively.

This being the debut show by Shekhar Sable’s Ventures Entertainment, the efforts were noteworthy. But a little more organisation, a little less congestion and a great deal more of oxygen would have definitely made the show more appreciable.

The winged world
Bird-watchers (of the feathered variety, that is), it’s time to bring out those binoculars. The World Wide Fund for Nature will organise a half-day bird-watching camp near Sinhagad on July 19. “Relatively rare species of birds, like the red-whiskered bulbul, black eagles – which descend from higher altitudes during the monsoons – and serpent eagles are the highlight of this area located in Atkarwadi, a 200 m trail in the left valley near Sinhagad,” says one of the organisers of the camp. Those interested in the camp should report at 6 am at the Sarasbaug bus stop – it’s time to take flight.