Pune: Last Happy Streets in Kharadi a rousing success as residents enjoy Zumba, karaoke

PUNE : The last Happy Streets event in Kharadi on Sunday received a joyous response as residents thronged the carnival from across the city and made the most of the holiday. Children showed up in large numbers, some with their skateboards and a few with bicycles, to enjoy the vehicle-free roads.
Some families also brought their pets to Happy Streets, organised by the Times of India and Maharashtra Times.The karaoke section also attracted many citizens, who wanted to express themselves with retro melodies on an open platform. Vishwesh Bharat, a senior citizen who sang ‘Pyar deewana hota hai, mastana hota hai’, was excited that he also found some eager listeners. “There are not many occasions when one can sing freely, especially in front of an audience.
When I took the microphone in hand and sang the first few lines, I saw some participants gathering to listen to me. I was happy and motivated. My performance also inspired others, who sang after me,” said Bharat.
Zumba was, once again, the crowd magnet, and participants did not hesitate to move to the tunes of Bollywood and Western numbers with the twist of fitness. Mandar Bramhe, who was at the Zumba zone for two hours, said, “This is my favourite zone, and I have attended all three Sundays of Happy Streets in Kharadi till now. While I am a resident of Kalyaninagar, I came all the way to Kharadi because I really enjoy Zumba, especially amid this energetic atmosphere. "