MUMBAI: The current scenario of the music festivals in the country has created divided opinions, and while some applaud the organisers' efforts and initiatives, others point out the flaws that arise with repeated concepts and similar line-ups. In all fairness, neither outweighs another, however, the founder of 'The Lost Party' - Bhuvan Narang - hopes to change that.

The inception of the festival came through a set of reasons - and the desire to create a festival like 'Burning Man' for the enthusiasts in India was one of them. Although, the festival shifted its base unlike Burning Man, the desire to make it 'one-of-its-kind' festival in the country continues to drive Narang towards reshaping and re-modelling the structure of the festival. "It surely would not be easy for the first couple of years, and we understand that," said Narang. The co-founder and owner acknowledges the responsibility that arrives with hosting and curating a music festival at beautiful-yet-usually-secluded locations. From Lavasa, the festival moves to the foothills of Sahyadris in Lonavala, and the Saltar Lake provides an ideal picturesque appeal to the 2016 edition.

Narang emphasises on another aspect that led to the festival's inception - an opportunity to discover oneself. "Find yourself at The Lost Party", a statement Narang loves to repeat, emphasising on the essence of the festival. Adds Narang, "Festivals let you meet new people, connect with them and help grow something special. But how often does that happen? The structure of The Lost Party, the soul of the festival and the atmosphere sets about a vibe essential for an ideal 'festival experience'.

"You can create your own sun glasses, make the most of the 15 feet galloping horse attached to a cycle, you can paint, create your own art, assist on the first day with the setting up of the festival, contribute in several ways towards its execution, if you wish to," said Narang, describing the activities that the attendees can opt for at the venue.

With tickets priced at Rs. 1,818 for one day, and Rs. 2,929 for the season pass, Narang justifies the rates for a festival set in an isolated rural location, with the line-up that celebrates artists from diverse genres. "The Lost Party bridges the genres, and it's a festival for everybody. From our experience at the first edition, we observed good live music will be appreciated regardless of the genre, provided the atmosphere you create for the fans is ideal. And that is where our major focus lies - a memorable experience for the fans and the artists alike," assures Narang. The line-up of the second edition includes Indian artists like Donn Bhat, Karsh Kale, Aswekeepsearching, Karajimo, FuzzCulture, Kabir's Cafe + Swanand Kirkire, and the international acts like Canadian funk/soul duo 'The Funk Hunters', German electronica act 'Moglebaum' and Persian beatmaker 'dEbruit'. Speaking about the line-up, Narang points out an interesting aspect - "If you take a look, we have released the line-up, but not the schedule. For us, every artist is equally important. We do not want fans to arrive for a particular act or set. Providing the schedule beats the entire idea behind the festivals."

Artists and the fans are not the only set of people The Lost Party organisers focus to satisfy. "However, it is equal important to ensure the local villagers are happy. In this case, we have let the locals contribute to the festival in the ways they can. Constant supplies of bamboos, security and the locals voluntarily participate - which always helps. For the first edition, the locals around Lavasa assisted us in more ways than one. As responsible guests, we donated Rs. 50,000 to the school in Lavasa. As I mentioned, the satisfaction for everyone involved is the key aspect," emphasises Narang.

The festival will also allow the attendees relish the experience that goes 'beyond music' with the screening of fiction and documentaries, curated by IndiEarth, called 'Indie Talkies'.

On how the team plans to execute the pre-event logistics, Narang replies, "Any music festival in India usually approaches the few fixed vendors who have provided amazing assistance throughout the years. And we stuck to the plan that we executed during the first edition."

The young owner's entrepreneurship is commendable and while Narang left no stone unturned for the marketing of the event, the relentless promotions through social media, creative videos, the 'Little Boss' at The Little Door (Pune & Mumbai) has ensured the second edition creates the necessary buzz that the festival deserves. The success of the first edition saw the return of Saavn as the streaming service partners for the event.

The Lost Party will be held from 26 February to 28 February at Saltar Lake, Lonavala.