Win big prize money at this weekend quiz festival in Mumbai

The second edition held at Shivaji Park

Every Sunday, a bunch of people gather at a city venue to test their general knowledge. Questions are asked, answers are given and if correct, points are distributed to teams. Welcome to the wonderful world of quizzing, where the only screens are the ones beaming out the questions and where GK is king.

Your time starts now
This weekend will see the seventh edition of the Mumbai Quiz Festival (MQF) organised by the Bombay Quiz Club. The two-day event will feature quizzes based on themes like Sports, Relatives, Travel and the origin of everything.

Illustrations/Uday Mohite

"This is an annual tradition, and the event is attended by quizzers from across India. Each edition is bigger than the previous one. This time, we have six quizzes spread across two days," says Abhinav Dasgupta, member of Bombay Quiz Club and one of the quizmasters for the MQF General Quiz on the second day.

The aim is to spread the love for quizzing among people, say the organisers. Dasgupta calls it a great mind sport and a fun way to meet new people - he even met his wife at a quiz meet-up. For Anannya Deb, quizzing was a way to have fun in college. "The best part about it is that if you are immersed in cultural activities - reading, cinema, music or art - you have enough to help you ace these quizzes. You needn't mug up facts like you do for an exam," he says. Deb, who works at a consulting firm, is one of the quizmasters for the Travel and Duniya Quiz at the MQF. "Travel is a tangential reference. We are incorporating a lot of pop culture into the questions. For instance, Murder on the Orient Express or Tintin's adventures can make for fun questions," he reveals.

Big questions, big money
The MQF brings in quizzers from across India. "Quizzing helps you keep yourself current. If you're well-read, that's enough," he says, adding that participating in different quizzes is the best way to get better at them.

This year's festival will feature four full (with different rounds) quizzes and two written quizzes for prize money of '1.3 lakh. "We are also doing a series of online quizzes. These are for people who aren't in town or can't make it to the festival," he adds. The online quizzes, which begin at 9 am, will include a set of 20 questions to be answered in 20 minutes; themes include memes, money, colours and dogs in fiction.

ON: March 4 and 5, 9.30 am to 7.30 pm
AT: Edelweiss House, CST Road, Kalina.
LOG ON TO: Bombay Quiz Club on Facebook; mevero.com for online quizzes
CALL: 22864400
ENTRY: Open to all