Pune: Rootopia 2025 to Revive India’s Heritage Games and Reconnect Children With Nature
Pune, 17th November 15, 2025: The Youth COSMO has announced Rootopia 2025: Paramparik Khel Utsav, a first-of-its-kind festival dedicated to reconnecting children and families with nature through India’s traditional games, folk rhythms and community-driven play.
Scheduled for Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the Pune International Centre, the event invites children, parents and educators for an evening of movement, music and mindful engagement. Rootopia aims to reimagine how modern families experience heritage and learning by transforming traditional play into an interactive, nature-focused experience. From ancient martial arts to traditional board games, each activity zone has been designed to help children explore how ecology and culture are deeply connected.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM IST
Venue: Pune International Centre, Panchwati — Pashan
Entry: Open to all ages (ideal for children 6+ and families)
Event Link: https://www.theyouthcosmo.org/event-details/rootopia-paramparik-khel-utsav
“Rootopia is the beginning of a movement. We want families to rediscover what it means to play together — to touch soil, move freely and embrace the joy of simplicity. India’s traditional games were lessons in agility, teamwork and sustainability long before technology shaped childhood. Rootopia revives that wisdom through movement, music and mindful play,” said Rima Bichu, Co-Founder, The Youth COSMO.
Echoing this sentiment, Satyajit Hange, Co-Founder, Two Brothers Organic Farms, said, “Everything begins with the soil — its health and vitality. What Rootopia and The Youth COSMO are doing mirrors that philosophy by nurturing a generation that values where things come from. Supporting Rootopia feels natural because it helps sow awareness, curiosity and respect for nature in young minds.”
A Celebration of India’s Living Heritage
At the heart of Rootopia 2025 is Paramparik Khel, India’s timeless tradition of native games and sports that strengthened communities through strategy, balance and resilience. These games, shaped by geography and culture, are now being reimagined to help children build a deeper connection with nature.
The festival features four immersive experience zones:
Outdoor Play Arena:
A dynamic space showcasing heritage martial arts such as Lathi-Kathi from Maharashtra and Kalaripayattu from Kerala — one of the world’s oldest martial arts inspired by animal movements and natural rhythms. Children explore how ancient communities trained for agility and harmony with their surroundings.
Traditional Board Games Lounge:
A quiet, shaded corner dedicated to classic strategy games like Pallanguzhi, Bagh Chal, Churanga and Moksha Patam (the original Snakes & Ladders). Through games such as Bagh Chal, children learn balance and resourcefulness, reflecting the delicate relationship between predator, prey and the ecosystem.
Cultural Corner – Tunes from Nature:
Led by Pune-based folk musicians and drum circle artists, this zone allows children to experience music created from natural materials like bamboo, gourds, clay and seeds — reconnecting them with India’s folk traditions.
Farmer’s Corner – Taste, Talk and Tradition:
A space linking food, soil and community. Visitors interact with local farmers, taste traditional millet- and jaggery-based snacks and hear stories of farming and native ingredients.
The open-air amphitheatre at Pune International Centre will be decorated using natural materials such as bamboo and cloth, with a strong emphasis on minimalism and sustainability. Rootopia 2025 will follow a near zero-waste, plastic-free approach, in line with The Youth COSMO’s mission to promote eco-conscious learning environments.
Rootopia 2025 is supported by Two Brothers Organic Farms, Pune International Centre, and several partner organisations aligned with The Youth COSMO’s vision of building environmentally aware, community-driven learning ecosystems.
