Light shower and lack of wind affected kite flying on the second day of ONGC-MRPL International Kite Festival, organised by Team Mangalore as part of the Karavali Utsava at Tannirbhavi Beach on Sunday.
Credit: DH Photo / Fakruddin H
Mangaluru: Slow winds and light showers played spoilsport on the second day of the ONGC-MRPL International Kite Festival, organised by Team Mangalore as part of the Karavali Utsava at Tannirbhavi Beach on Sunday.
Though the day began with kite flyers taking to the sky at 2:30 pm and continued on a high note for an hour, later light showers affected the flying. Although the rain stopped after 15 minutes, the wind directions changed, which also impacted the flying, said Sarvesh Rao of Team Mangalore to DH. "Some kite flyers tried to fly low-wind kites. We also attempted to give some kite demonstrations to the visitors," he added.
Kite lovers who had gathered to watch the spectacle of international and domestic flyers were disappointed by the slow winds, which made it difficult for the flyers to showcase their colourful designs soaring high in the sky.
From gigantic kites to creative cultural depictions, Indian kite flyers had come with their colourful and vibrant kites, showcasing the diversity and craftsmanship.
Diganth Joshi from Team Vadodara, who attended the festival with his wife and daughter, brought eight to nine kites to the event. “I was inspired by the designs of kites used in the International Kite Festival in Gujarat. Attracted by their beauty, I started designing my own kites. I researched aerodynamics and kite-making details online,” Joshi said. His daughter, an architecture student in Italy, is the primary designer for their team. "Most of my kites are inflatable, while some are stick or frame kites,” he added.
Visiting Mangaluru for the second time, Joshi, a teacher by profession, also conducts workshops on kite making, rocket aero-modeling, and related fields. “Kites provide a unique and educational experience for schoolchildren,” he told DH.
The five-member Kohinoor Kite Flying Club from Hyderabad, comprising Srinivas Kotha, Ashok Kumar, Shravan Kumar, Shivashankar, and Mahesh, has been participating in the Mangaluru kite festival since 2008. “We’ve brought spinner kites in bright colours. Our team is known for a variety of unique creations, including 35-foot-tall ring kites, 3D kites, national flag kites for Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, and rokkaku kites depicting Swami Vivekananda and Bhagat Singh. One of our standout designs is a kite with a trilobite-shaped head and a 1,000-legged centipede that’s 45 feet long,” said Srinivas.
The team also created a 12x8-foot Swami Vivekananda rokkaku kite to commemorate his 150th birth anniversary. "We use Ripstop Nylon and bamboo to craft our kites,” he explained.
Rajesh Nair, founder of Kite Life Foundation, and Abinav Theyyunni showcased kites adorned with cultural motifs. “Kiting is a medium to promote India’s cultural heritage. Our foundation has developed a curriculum for kite making and flying. Making a kite is always fun, and our workshops teach participants how to create professional kites,” Nair said.
He emphasised that kite festivals and workshops are essential for raising awareness about kite flying. “I’ve created kites depicting Theyyam, Mahabali Temple, elephants, and more. When we participate in international festivals, our kites serve as ambassadors, promoting India’s ancient culture and heritage. None of my kites are made of paper—they’re crafted from Ripstop Nylon,” he added.
Flyers from Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala, along with international kite flyers, also participated in the festival.