<p>Of course, the bovine and the big cat were kites shaped as them, and flown by enthusiasts on the opening day of the first Belgaum International Kite Festival - 2011 here on Sunday.<br /><br />The kites, shaped as a massive Yakshagana headgear, various aircraft and one even as a student, flew in the company of the usual long-tailed one, lazily, if gloriously in the blue sky, as expert kite-fliers manoeuvred with string and spindle to outdo each other.<br /><br />The two-day international kite festival, organised by MLA Abhay Patil under the banner of Parivartan Pariwar at Nanawadi grounds here took off to a colourful start, with clear azure skies and strong winds delighting the dozens of teams vying for top honours.<br /><br />The participants, including teams from the United States, Germany, France, Britain, Canada, Holland, Lebanon and Colombia as well teams from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh displayed their skills flying huge kites in various shapes and sizes that provided visual delight to the thousands of viewers including children and women. For the people here witnessing the kite festival for the first time was an experience they would not forget. <br /><br />"We had never imagined that kites of such big shapes and size could make it to the sky,” said Rahul, a teenager who had only read about the recently concluded Ahmedabad kite festival.<br /><br />MLA Anand Singh from Vijay Nagar in Bellary inaugurated the fest. Member of Parliament Suresh Angadi, legislators Feroz Sait and Sanjay Patil spoke.</p>
<p>Of course, the bovine and the big cat were kites shaped as them, and flown by enthusiasts on the opening day of the first Belgaum International Kite Festival - 2011 here on Sunday.<br /><br />The kites, shaped as a massive Yakshagana headgear, various aircraft and one even as a student, flew in the company of the usual long-tailed one, lazily, if gloriously in the blue sky, as expert kite-fliers manoeuvred with string and spindle to outdo each other.<br /><br />The two-day international kite festival, organised by MLA Abhay Patil under the banner of Parivartan Pariwar at Nanawadi grounds here took off to a colourful start, with clear azure skies and strong winds delighting the dozens of teams vying for top honours.<br /><br />The participants, including teams from the United States, Germany, France, Britain, Canada, Holland, Lebanon and Colombia as well teams from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh displayed their skills flying huge kites in various shapes and sizes that provided visual delight to the thousands of viewers including children and women. For the people here witnessing the kite festival for the first time was an experience they would not forget. <br /><br />"We had never imagined that kites of such big shapes and size could make it to the sky,” said Rahul, a teenager who had only read about the recently concluded Ahmedabad kite festival.<br /><br />MLA Anand Singh from Vijay Nagar in Bellary inaugurated the fest. Member of Parliament Suresh Angadi, legislators Feroz Sait and Sanjay Patil spoke.</p>
