A pristine lake, two stages and a mashup of art are only some of the reasons that you should book your tickets to Naukuchiatal in Uttarakhand next weekend. The Escape Festival of Art and Music 2013 is turning out to be a mega event as well as a launchpad for raw talent.
All in one
Speaking about Escape, which saw its first edition in 2009, festival director Lalrinawma Tochhawng tells us it’s more than just a run-of-the-mill musical affair. “Escape is an absolute creative retreat that’s home to several forms of art. Besides a music festival that promotes a melange of genres, such as jazz, blues, folk, sufi and rock, it also features artists, writers, photographers, painters, graffiti artists, performance artistes, tattoo artists and potters,” he tells us, adding, “Here, we give more impetus to the sense of artistry or musicianship, be it known artistes or unknown.”
Plus, your travel experience could be organised by offbeat travel specialists White Collar Hippie (WCH), and you’ve got yourself a rather good deal. “The camping experience is being initiated by WCH this year. The campsite is located only five minutes (drive) away from the festival and lies by a brook in a forest, where one can sleep under a tree, unwind in the leisure zone or play some board games,” elaborates Tochhawng. You could also opt for paragliding or kayaking at the lake.
Opposites attract
Two stages, namely The Soul Garden and The Magic Forest Stage, are where you can catch your favourite acts. The first has the lake as its scenic backdrop, with mellow genres like jazz, blues, folk, plus rock, taking centrestage. The second is an EDM set-up, with drum‘n’bass, dubstep and psychedelic music. Expect to see bands like Thermal And A Quarter, The Ska Vengers and Faridkot on the first, while the latter will see tracks being spun out by Dirty Saffi, Loopbaba and Technical Hitch. Among the upcoming acts are “Alobo Naga & the Band (Nagaland), Toshanbor Singh Nongbet (Meghalaya) and Run it’s the Kid (New Delhi),” says Tochhawng.
The festival is set to take place from May 24-26 at The Lake Resort, Naukuchiatal. Passes from `1,000 to `2,500. Details: escapefestival.in