International Kite Festival Takes Off at Tannirbhavi Beach

International Kite Festival Takes Off at Tannirbhavi Beach

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 18, 2026: The skies over Tannirbhavi Beach came alive with a vibrant display of kites as the two-day ONGC–MRPL International Kite Festival–Season 9 commenced on January 17, as part of Karavali Utsava–2026.

Thousands of visitors thronged Blue Bay Beach, Tannirbhavi, to witness the opening day of the festival, which was inaugurated by Legislative Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader. He congratulated the Dakshina Kannada district administration and various government departments for organising Karavali Utsava as a celebration of harmony.

A total of 62 kite flyers of international repute are participating in the festival, including 32 from India and 30 from 15 other countries. The event has been organised by Team Mangalore, a city-based group of kite-flying enthusiasts, in association with the district administration.

Veteran kite flyer Abdul Rauf Khan (76) from Mumbai drew attention with a collection of nearly 150 kites. Several international participants, including Guilherme Linares Palau, chose to fly their kites outside the designated area to interact more closely with visitors. Mr. Palau showcased kites depicting characters and forms such as Pinocchio, a seagull and a daisy flower, and attracted crowds by donning a distinctive native headgear.

Owing to low wind conditions, some participants, including Clare Louise Hardwick from the UK and Gheno Sandra from Canada, displayed only a limited number of kites. Sandrine from France opted to fly a light, heart-shaped kite instead of a heavier Nemo fish design, while Machacek Jan Helmut from Germany showcased an astronaut-shaped kite.

Team Mangalore presented their iconic creations such as Kathakali, Yaksha Garuda, Pushpaka Vimana and Vibhishana, along with their latest kite, Ratha, reflecting the region’s rich cultural heritage.

The kite display was held from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and will continue on Sunday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. MLC Ivan D’Souza, Deputy Commissioner H.V. Darshan and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Narwade Vinayak Karbhari visited the venue and viewed the displays on the opening day.