Runs, dance, music: I-Day action in Gurgaon

Independence Day is not a sit-at-home-and-watch-TV day in Gurgaon – condos, societies and others are organizing performances, runs, kite flying, nature walks and even cleanliness drives today
If you are one of those who haven’t made plans for the Independence Day weekend, there are a whole lot of activities happening at various places across Gurgaon.Apart from various condominiums and housing societies organizing flag-hoisting and kite flying, there are many places across the city that are hosting various activities so that Gurgaonwallahs don’t have to stay at home today.
Nature Walk: Sachin Bansal from India City Walks is organising a Nature Walk in Biodiversity Park. “We will have an expert who will tell people about the flora and fauna and how green buildings are the need of the hour. There will be a plantation drive that will be done. The walk will begin at 7am,” he says. Apart from this, there will be a flag-hoisting ceremony and also a nukkad natak staged on the occasion by a city-based theatre group.
Kite flying festival: Kite flying is an integral part of the day, and keeping this in mind, the Heritage Transport Museum will be hosting a kite flying festival for visitors to the museum that’ll go on for three days.
A whole day extravaganza: Epicentre is hosting a day-long event that will see various activities throughout the day. A representative from Epicentre told us, “We have invited Bhai Miyan, a Limca Book Of Records Holder, who flies 150 kites on a single string. Also, the winner of India’s Got Talent, the Prince Dance Group, will showcase their talent on the occasion of Independence Day by colouring their entire body with different colours and creating beautiful postures. The carnival will be a mix of a storytelling session, kid’s activities, dance choreography by school students, a musical concert by kids, magic show, stand-up comedy etc. Apart from the above mentioned activities, we are also putting up stalls offering various kinds of Indian street food.” Stand-up comedians Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath will be performing at the event in the evening.
A run for freedom: For fitness enthusiasts and avid runners, DLF Club 5 is hosting a freedom run on the occasion of Independence Day for the residents of the various condominiums in DLF and their guests. Last year, there were around 1,200 people who participated in the event. There will also be a flag-hoisting ceremony and there will be professional kite flyers from Gujarat who will help people in fly their kites.
Cleanliness drive: Gurgaon Rising is organizing a cleanliness drive in Sector 56. “We actually carry out this activity, called spot-fixing, every week, but this time we decided to do it on the occasion of Independence Day on a bigger scale. It’s actually a little bit of cleaning and maintenance. We clean the place and this time, we are planning to even rope in the shopkeepers of the area as volunteers to clean the area. This Independence Day, we start our initiative to free the Sector 56 park of all the rubbish, make it look beautiful and green and help the authorities open it to the public again. The drive will start at 4pm,” a representative of Gurgaon Rising told us.
What the condominiums are doing -Hamilton court, DLF Phase 4 will have a flag hoisting followed by a performance by kids and a patriotic song Antakshari for adults. -In Nirvana Country, their Domestic Help Committee, which comprises residents and works for the welfare of domestic helps in the area, will invite all part-timers (cooks, drivers, car cleaners), who have a valid pass to enter the society, to come and celebrate the occasion. They will be given simple health tips and there will be a cultural performance for their entertainment. There will be a kite flying event attended by the residents and the part-timers. This is being done to make these people feel like a part of community. -Park Place will also have Independence Day celebrations, where there will be various competitions held for kids and adults. n The Central Park II RWA will also have a flag hoisting, followed by some cultural performances by kids. There will also be kite flying followed, by a pool party for residents and kids.