Five foreign kitemakers to participate in fest

18 January 2007

Team Mangalore, the hobby group of kite makers and flyers, will be conducting a Kite Festival on January 21 and 22 at Panambur Beach as part of the Beach Festival of Karavali Utsav.
Addressing media persons here on Wednesday, Giridhar Kamath of Team Mangalore said that though the Team has conducted kite festivals before in Mangalore, it was not of the magnitude they are planning to conduct this year.
The most important attraction of the festival this time is that, apart from the native kites of Team Mangalore depicting the traditional folklore of Dakshina Kannada and Kerala, Mangaloreans will be able to enjoy kites by five foreign kite makers. Karl Logbottom and Bob Krukshank from England, Marten Van and Frits Groenhart from Holland and Peter Stauffer from Australia will entertain the spectators with their latest kites at the festival.
The major attractions will be the 'Spirit', 'Mat- Stickman', 'Super-Stickman' (all made by Martin Lester of UK) and 'White Angel' (by Robert Brasington of Tasmania). "Spirit and White Angel will be great for night flying as they are all white," said Mr Kamath. The kites presented by Team Mangalore include 'Yakshagana', 'Kathakali', 'Bhootha Kola' and 'Durga'. In total, 86 kites will be showcased at the festival.
There will also be a kite stall in the venue from where the spectators can buy kites and fly them.
Founder of Team Mangalore Sarvesh Rao, members Yatish Bykampady, Nitin Shetty and Artist Dinesh Holla who has designed all the team's kites along with the five foreign kite flyers were present at the press meet.
PARASAILING, KITE FLYING AND MUCH MORE
Beach festival as part of Karavali utsav 2007 will be held on the shores of Panambur beach between January 19 and 21, said MCC Commissioner Krishnappa Poojary.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, he said food festival, cultural programmes and beach sports will be a part of the festival. Various food stalls will be selling mouth watering delicious Dakshina Kannada, Uudpi and South Indian dishes.
Swimming, boat race, sand sculpture, beach volleyball, beach throw ball competitions will also be held as part of the festival during these three days.
On January 20, there will be beach volleyball and beach throwball competitions (9 am), flying of kites by Team Mangalore and contestants from UK, Holland, and Australia (3 pm), Tulu cultural programme by Siri channel (6.30 pm), Konkani cultural programme (7.30 pm), Tibetan dance (8 pm) and Rasamanjari by Planet Music Orchestra.
On January 21, there will be Satsanga programme by Art of Living team (5.30 am), skating competition (8 am), swimming, traditional boat race and sand sculpture competition (10 am), flying of kites by Team Mangalore (3 pm) and musical concert by Gurukiran and Udit Narayan and team.
Parking facility
The district administration has made parking facility for the public at NMPT Stadium in Panambur on January 20 and 21. There will be a pick up from the NMPT Stadium to the beach festival venue by a KSRTC bus arranged by the district administration. Those vehicles with pass should divert their vehicle from Baikampady bridge to left to Meenakali and reach Coast Guard compound from K K Gate to park their vehicles.
Special attractions
* Parmod Patnaik’s sand sculpture. The sculpture is supposed to be the largest sand sculpture in the country.
* Parasailing facility by the Out back Adventures team of Mysore.
* Kite flying by Team Mangalore and foreigners.
* Swimming and traditional boat race for public.
The beach festival will be inaugurated by District-in-Charge Minister B Nagaraj Shetty. B K Mrithyunjaya of Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya (Mount Abu), Mayor Vijaya Arun, NMPT Chairman Tamil Vanan will participate while MLA Krishna Palemar will preside.
(mangalorean.com)