It was around 3o clock when I saw a photo of my friend and I asked her the reason why she looked so tired. She said she’s been dancing the whole night and the party is not over yet. I was amazed, but intrigued as well watching her excitement slather all around my mind. Now my mind had all heart to make me aware of this fest and I started interrogating her when I met her next.
Ranked among the CNN top ten festival lists, it occurred in Goa the year she told me about. Sunburn festivals, not being a misnomer to its name are held ubiquitous but Goa has been one of the best destinations for its upheaval and heating. The biggest music festival of Asia is not just a music festival. Just like a heart throbbing tune, it has with itself all the innocuous elements in itself.
There’s music and there’s food, adding to the flavours and spices with its spice is dancing and along with it are the unflinching bags of shopping. As if the exotic beaches of Goa weren’t trendy enough, the festival added fest to the state from the world.
The venue has now shifted to the hills of Kesnand, Pune. The festival undoubtedly has covered a long and high journey, straight from the wavy beaches to the flying mountains.
The festival type is EDM (electronic dance music) and even though parties and DJ were nothing new to the age-old seas of Goa, the beaches were taken up by the adrenaline and endorphins fever with the arrival of EDMs like sunburn. The first sizzling cool Sunburn event was organized by Nikhil Chinapa, a man with as much oomph factor as his intellect. The performances were from the ace DJ and travelers across the globe hosted by Nikhil himself along with Rohit Barker.
The beginning itself marked an era of never looking back. The year that followed was a huge disturbance to all of us, the Mumbai terrorist attacks, many lives were taken, but that of many stirred from those blasts. Despite the huge pain in country’s mass, the show went on. These burns were in no mood of bringing the glow of Sunburn down. In 2009, there was a significant rise in the number of the audience and so rose the diligence and destiny of Sunburn, events such as rock climbing wall and Thai foot masseurs were added paving way for the adrenaline raises and securing a beat in their throbs.
Not just the sands and shells of Goa witnessed the Sunburn, but college campuses also had the moments of experiencing them. Not just IITs but AIIMS too had concerts of Sunburn, the walls and campus electrified with the beats of many Indian and international sensations. Bits Goa, one of the sister branches of my college was the first ever to host the sunburn on campus. It had it feet stepped in many prestigious universities after that. November20, 2015 was yet another milestone of gold for the event when people of about forty-two countries bought the tickets on the viagogo platform.
The event lasts from 27 December to 30 December and has a special place in the bucket list of many people. My school friends were crazy about it and finally this year they’re going to pump their spirits up with the excitement they’re filling day by day. Not only the sound feels all glazing and shimmering but the visuals are a treat too, the tapping sounds and the laser lights create a wonderful sensation and you can’t read it in words limited by the imagination barrier.
Not only you travel, but also meet like-minded people from all around the globe, all there to indulge themselves in the rush of this out of the world sound. The love for the sunburn’s atmosphere is fulfilled by camp outs at the location, providing a real feeling of escaping into another world made of all the highs and lows of culture, fashion, indulgence and memories. Not only these, if you’ve ever dreamt of chancing yourself in adventures, be here and taste the clouds while you dive through the endless sky, come and splash yourself in bungee jumping, ride a helicopter or a hot balloon. Everything you’ve ever fantasized for is here. The chance of living your fantasies and dancing your realities.
The Sunburn 2017 is going to have artists like DJ snake and Martin Garrix, and along with them an unending list of events. But what it has more, is a rebellious tradition which is well maintained and coordinated. An event which continued to be celebrated despite the pain and problems that hit its lands, a symbol of progressiveness and victory of the courage and mental strength of people.
Long live the festival, longer live the festivities and longest live the glory of lands who host.
