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 India,
the land of fairs and festivals adds another jewel to its
crown with the International Kite Festival, coinciding with
Makar Sankranti. Nomad Travels and the Nomad Heritage Trust
in coordination with Pidilite the makers of Fevicol and the
sponsors of the event have flagged off this event. Being organised
for the last five years, this travelling festival hit the
skies of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra and Lucknow. January 2003 also
saw the festival soar to Goa as the first Goa Kite Carnival
which took place on the 18-19 January.
Pidilites by-line, ‘Jud Jayen tyohaar pe’ of bonding
and joining together for festivals perfectly complemented
the concept of the event which was ‘One Sky One World’.
The other supporters of the festival were, Indian Airlines,
South African Airways, UP Tourism, Tourism Guild of Agra,
Rajasthan Tourism RTDC, Maharaj Gaj Singh of Jodhpur, The
Welcome Group of Hotels and Goa Tourism.
Ajay Prakash, the chief organizer of the festival and CEO
of Nomad Travels and the managing Trustee of the Nomad Heritage
Trust has chosen the theme of ‘One Sky One World’
reportedly to convey a vital social message. “In these
troubled times, a festival like this represents no boundaries
of caste, creed, colour, religion, nationality, social status
or language. All barriers drop when you look up to the sky
with a kite line in your hands.” International kite fliers
from U.S.A., France, Holland, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Philippines
and South Africa participated in this mega event. A ‘Mela’
or Carnival like atmosphere was created to provide fun and
games for the whole family. Local musicians, dancers, puppeteers,
magic shows, food and beverage stalls for eats and drinks
augmented the entertainment. The Goa kite carnival was highlighted
by performances by Sivamani and local musicians along with
some Dutch and German artists’ live performances.
Says Ajay prakash, “What is the most appealing thing
of this festival is that the tourists are not mere passive
observes but active participants. Special days were set aside
for shopping and sight-seeing for international participants.
Post the September 11 mishap, festivals like these are vital
for boosting the domestic and inbound tourism industry in
all ways possible.”
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