Pune: The Youth COSMO will organise Rootopia 2025: Paramparik Khel Utsav this Saturday (29th November) at the Pune International Centre. The event aims to encourage children and families to step outdoors and reconnect with nature through traditional Indian games, martial arts, folk music and hands-on learning.
Rootopia has been designed as a nature-first, intergenerational festival led by farmers, artisans, martial arts teachers, cultural practitioners and community leaders. The organisers said that these groups act as custodians of India’s living knowledge systems and will guide participants through the activities. With registrations nearing capacity, families have been advised to sign up soon.
Speaking about the initiative, Hrishikesh Bichu, co-founder of The Youth COSMO, said the event aims to rebuild children’s connection with the natural world. He said that in an increasingly digital environment, children’s instinct to learn from nature is weakening, and Rootopia intends to restore that bond by taking learning outdoors and making it sensory and experiential.
Ajinkya Hange, co-founder of Two Brothers Organic Farms, said sustainability begins when a child first touches soil and understands where food comes from. He added that Rootopia reflects the kind of grounding they want future generations to inherit.
The organisers said the festival will offer children an opportunity to understand heritage through movement, strategy, collaboration and creative play. They will get to experience traditional games such as Bagh-Chaal, Pallanguzhi, Churanga and Moksha Patam, along with martial arts sessions in Lathi-Kathi and Kalaripayattu. Folk sound workshops, toy-making sessions, rock balancing, and interactions with elders, farmers and cultural practitioners will also be part of the event.
INTACH Pune will present a display of heritage games and traditional knowledge. A special attraction will be 81-year-old heritage bearer Vilas Karandikar, who will showcase his historic bhatukli collection, once central to childhood learning in Maharashtra.
Handcrafted board games, folk and tribal musical instruments, cultural exhibits, live demonstrations, children’s literature, traditional organic food and a games marketplace are also planned. According to the organisers, Rootopia aims to reduce children’s dependence on screens by replacing it with physical play, local food and multisensory learning.
Rootopia 2025 will be held on Saturday, November 29, from 4:30 pm to 9 pm at the Pune International Centre in Pashan. It is open to children aged six and above, along with their families. Tickets are available on the Youth COSMO website.
The festival is supported by organisations that share The Youth COSMO’s vision of creating eco-conscious learning ecosystems, including Two Brothers Organic Farms, Pune International Centre and INTACH Pune.
The Youth COSMO is a Pune-based initiative focused on helping children build an emotional and meaningful connection with nature through experiential learning and nature-led play.
