Ahmedabad, 11 January, 2012

Presented are two videos. The first video contains Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Governor Dr. Kamla Beniwal’s speeches. Modi in his speech said that Gujarat’s Uttarayan festival has taken a place in the tourist calendar of festivities like a Kumbh mela. Governor’s speech was in discussion because she praised Gujarat government for organizing an impressive kite flying festival in her written speech.

In this second video(above) You can watch Sabarmati river front hosting the kite flying festival. You can also watch Modi flying kites standing in a jeep like every year he does on the occasion of kite flying festival.

And lastly, presented above is a video of couple of dances on the songs based on Uttarayan festival. These songs are newly created and choreographed for this occasion only.

87 kitists from 24 countries, 70 from nine other Indian states

The multi-location International Kite Festival coinciding with Makar Sankranti, was off to a flying start on the right bank of River Sabarmati here this morning with Gujarat Governor Dr Shrimati Kamlaji presiding over the function and Chief Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the show.

A clear sky, mild breeze with nip in the air provided a perfect setting for thousands of spectators to cheer 87 kitists from 24 countries, 70 from nine Indian states and the rest from Gujarat flying kites of different size and shape and myriad colours.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Kamlaji described the festival as a unique experience to watch artistic kites soar high in the sky, taking the glorious culture of Gujarat to greater heights. She said the sports going back to ancient times represents man’s experiments with imaginations and reflects man’s tastes and culture.

The Governor extended a warm welcome to the participants, who will also perform on the long beaches of Mandvi and vast wilderness of the Rann at Dhordo in Kutch. She said that kite festivals are now celebrated in Mumbai and Delhi also.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi wished that the kite festival would help us realize our lofty goals and resolutions, and also catapult Gujarat to a proud place the international tourists’ circuit.

Talking about the magnificence of Makar Sankranti, he said, the Sun’s movement from the Tropic of Capricorn to the north typifies our ancestors across the length and breadth of India invoking the solar energy for the welfare of the mankind. It is a festival to mark Man mingling with Nature.

Mr. Modi hoped the festival would help man find a solution to the bane of global warming. He said that India’s largest solar park is up and coming in Gujarat, as the state is set to become a global capital of solar energy.

Both the Governor and Chief Minister earlier extended warm greetings to the people of Gujarat on the eve of Makar Sankranti. The festival began with a colourful march past by the kitists and releasing huge bunches of colourful balloons in the sky.

About 500 children belonging to the poorest strata of the society and studying in Ahmedabad Municipal primary schools demonstrated the yogic feats like ‘Surya Namaskar

Gujarat’s Tourism Minister Jay Narayan Vyas said that nearly 300 kitists from 24 countries, besides India, are taking part in the festival this year. It had started with just five international kiters in 1989, even as it has over the years become an annual flagship event of Ahmedabad. He said that nearly 60,000 people get employment in the state generating a turnover of Rs.175-crore in the cottage industry sector.

Prominent among those who attended the function included Chhattisgarh’s Tourism Minister Amal Agrawal, Gujarat’s Ministers Anandiben Patel, Vajubhai Vala, Dilipbhai Sanghani, Fakirbhai Vaghela, Ramanlal Vora, Jitendrabhai Sukhadia, Gujarat Tourism Corporation Chairman Kamlesh Patel, Ahmedabad Mayor Asit Vora, Toursim Secretary Vipul Mitra and other senior officers.

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