The much awaited Karavali Utsav will be held between December 22 and February 4, said Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao.

Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday, he said the entrance gate of the Karavali exhibition ground will be designed on the model of White House. The Karavali Utsav will be inaugurated by Zilla Panchayat President Sucharitha Shetty while Kannada and Culture, Information and Tourism department Secretary I M Vittala Murthy will inaugurate the exhibition and MP D V Sadananda Gowda will preside.

Mr Rao said that of the income earned from the Karavali Utsav, Rs 5 lakh will be utilised to provide incentives for the athletes (only for Olympic events).

The two major attraction to the Karavali Utsav will be ‘hot air ballon’ show and ‘museum on wheels.’

Hot air balloons

People of this Coastal district will have a rare opportunity to have a bird’s eye view of their own City in a ride in hot air balloons. Hot air balloon show will be held at Nehru Maidan between December 22 and December 26. 

Two balloons and one carrier will arrive at Mangalore from New Delhi. One balloon will fly at a time. One ride will last for 20 minutes and in a day, it can fly 15 times. Only 250 persons will be allowed to fly in five days.

Preferences will be given for those who register first. For details contact: Nisarga Publicity, Krishna Complex, MG Road. Phone: 4289414/4259663.   Mr Rao informed that school children from the government schools and ashrama schools will also be selected to fly in the hot air balloons. The show will be held between 6.30 am and 11 am, and 4 pm to 6 pm depending on the weather conditions.

Museum on wheels

Another attraction of the Utsav will be exhibition on freedom movement in Azad Express on the railway tracks near Old Port. The exhibition will be inaugurated by DC M Maheshwar Rao.   The exhibition will highlight the important events during the freedom struggle. The Azad Express will have 12 coaches.

Entry fee

There will be no entry fee for the cultural programmes to be held in Karavali Utsav grounds, Town Hall and Raveendra Kala Bhavan.

A minimum entry fee will be collected from the public at the exhibition.

Mr Rao informed as part of the Karavali Utsav, cultural programmes will be held at Karavali Utsav ground, Town Hall, Raveendra Kala Bhavana. Cultural programmes will be staged by the local talents and wellknown artists. 

Some of the programmes by well-known artists include: dance ballet by Sridhar and Anuradha Sridhar at Karavali Utsav grounds on December 22; Sitar jugalbandhi by Ustad Usman Khan and Utsad Chote Rehmath Khan on December 25; Dasavani by Puttur Narasimha Nayak on December 28; Hindustani classic music and Santhavani by Sanjeeva Abhiyankar on December 29; Violin by N Rajam on January 4; Karnataka Thalavadya by Sukhanya Ramagopal on January 5; Carnatic classical music by M N Sheela on January 11; Bharathnatyam by Sijith Krishna Kalakshethra on January 20; Saxophone-Bansuri jugal bandhi by Kadri Gopalnath and Praveen Godkhindi on January 23; folk songs on January 25; Yakshagana by Sri Perduru mela on January 26 and folk dance by well known artists on January 27.