E-Paper
Uncertainty grips Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav due to pandemic
The outbreak of Covid-19 has cast clouds of uncertainty over the prestigious Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahostav this year.
The outbreak of Covid-19 has cast clouds of uncertainty over the prestigious Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahostav this year.
Started by late Bharat Ratna awardee Bhimsen Joshi, this would be 68th year of Sawai Gandharva Mahotstav which attract connoisseurs of classical music from across India. The five-day classical music festival that sees performances from well-known classical musicians, singers, and dancers, has its organisers still undecided about its fate.
Usually held in the second week of December, this prestigious music festival which is held annually attracts lakhs of music lovers to Pune.
Shrinivas Joshi, president, Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal, organisers of Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahostav, said, “As of now we have no plan in place and we are waiting for the government to announce their decision over holding big events with protocols in place. Until any notification is out, we are going to wait and watch.”
“We are waiting for their permission, only then can we look at December dates realistically. In normal circumstances, we would be ready with our event calendar of artistes’ performances. In fact, the artistes will be eager to perform this year has been bad for everyone in the performing arts,” he said.
Joshi further added if the government does not give permission, organisers will look at postponing instead of holding it online.
Meanwhile, the organisers of Pulostav, the week-long cultural festival held to celebrate writer and humorist Purshottam Laxman Deshpande’s birth anniversary have also postponed the festival.
“This year would have been the 101 birth anniversary of the multifaceted Pu La Deshpande, but instead of holding it online, we would rather postpone it to next year and hold a multi-city event,” said Satish Jakatdar, director, Aashay Film and Sanskrutik Club, which organises the festival every year.
“We will be holding it between June 12 and November 8, 2021, in 15 cities. Last year, a travelling festival was organised in 20 cities across India and 30 cities across the world to mark the birth centenary of Deshpande,” he said.
