10-day-long Karkala Utsava to begin today

Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot to visit Utsava on March 14

Karkala Utsava will be organised from March 10 to March 20 in Karkala. The 10-day-long programme will see the participation of Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on March 14.

Several cultural programmes will be held during the Utsava.

Karkala Town Municipal Council Chief Officer Roopa Shetty said that 38 civic workers have been pressed into service to make sure that the town is kept clean for the entire duration of the event.

Helicopter rides in Karkala Utsava will be a special attraction. Many have already decided to enjoy the ride from March 10.

The health department has ramped up facilities including an emergency response team and additional standby ambulances in case of emergency during the festival.

The Utsava will be held at Gandhi Maidan from March 10 to 17, while it will be held at Swaraj Maidan from March 18 to 20.

Karkala RFO Dinesh said that the forest department has also chipped in to make the event more appealing.

Several theme-based demonstrations will be shown to children in this exhibition near Swaraj Maidan to help them understand the importance of the environment, forests, and rivers, he said.

The forest department has come out with an attractive model of a forest on account of Karkala Utsava.

The model has a nursery, model range office, school, house, village house where baskets are woven, handicraft products, paddy field, Kambala field, Navagraha vana, Rashi vana, Nagabana, waterfalls, cave, watchtower, timber depot, Gangamoola and so on.

As many as 60 labourers under the guidance of forest officials were part of creating the model of the forest.

Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar said that cleanliness and hygiene will be of the utmost importance during the 10-day event.

“Through Karkala Utsava, the uniqueness of Karkala will be introduced to the visitors of the state. The culture of the place will be comprehensively introduced to the people,” he said.

He also said that tourist spots of Karkala will be introduced to the state and at the national level.

‘‘Karkala is rich religiously and culturally. To bring back its glory, this Utsava is being organised,’’ he added.

The minister said that the objective behind the festival was to popularise the cultural, religious and architectural heritage of Karkala, along with introducing cultural forms of Karnataka.

There is a need to create awareness on several monuments that makes it historically a significant place in coastal Karnataka, said the minister.

A cultural procession with artistes from across the country will be a highlight during the Utsava on March 18.