The Sawai Gandharva Music Festival that was postponed owing to swine flu scare will be held now between January 7 and 10.

In the 57 years’ history of the much-acclaimed festival, it is the fifth time it had to be postponed due to unavoidable circumstances, though it had never been cancelled.

The preparations for the festival, which is generally held in the second week of December, starts almost six months in advance, and around 35 artistes from across the country come to the city to showcase their talent.

Although the festival has been postponed, it will live up to its reputation, stated a press note by Shrinivas Joshi and Shrikant Deshpande of Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal, which organises the festival. Further details of the schedule will be released soon, the press note added.

The swine flu epidemic was at its peak when the preparations were on for the festival.

The organisers had then held discussions with district collector Chandrakant Dalvi and PMC commissioner Mahesh Zagade about the situation and the possibility of revival of the epidemic. Finally the organisers had decided on October 25 to postpone the festival but had not decided on the date.