City of festivals lives up to billing

The city of festivals is geared for a grand climax, with a slew of cultural do’s slated for December, 2003 and January 2004. With the glitter of the Wisdom Tree Festival (WisTree Fest), barely settling down, December will see the 2nd Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), from December 5 to December 11 and the Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, from December 12 to December 14.
First up will be the big screen attraction with more than 91 films from several countries featuring at the PIFF and celebs like Lata Mangeshkar.
As soon as the curtain comes down on the PIFF, Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Pt Jasraj and Rahul Sharma will join a host of Indian classical music greats at the Sawai Gandharva. 2004 will ring in to the sound of gunghroos with the Shaniwarwada dance festival slated to be held on January 10 and 11. The dance festival will feature danseuse Illiyana Sitarisi and ballet dancer Ratan Thiam.
After the dance festival, Chandrakant Chajjed, state minister for tourism, will run his New Year Festival from January 16 to January 21, which aims to cater to local talent. With an emphasis on promoting sports, Chajjed told PT that Dhanraj Pillay will inaugurate the festival, to be held on the grounds near the Don Bosco School, Yerwada.