Ahmedabad, 12 Jan.2019: The sky of Gujarat have been painted with vibrant colours as kite enthusiasts flew their kites at the 2019 International Kite Festival in front of the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad.
The festival, organised by the Gujarat government tourism department, kicked off on January 6 and will conclude on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14.
Participants from 17 different countries came near the Statue of Unity and participated in the International Kite Festival against the backdrop of the world’s tallest statue.
A number of kite artists from across the globe have participated in the festival to showcase their skills. Kites of all shapes and sizes took over the sky as part of the friendly competition.
The kite festival marks the days in the Hindu calendar when winter starts turning to summer, known as Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti.
The festival is being organised in the state since 1989 as part of the official celebrations for Uttarayan festival. Kite festival is being organised across Gujarat in towns such as Vadodara, Saputara, Rajkot, Surat, Songadh, Kevadia, Dwarka, Jetpurand Dorado over the nine days culminating in Ahmedabad on Makar Sankranti.
Prasanta Patnaik