CHENNAI: With different colours seamlessly woven against the backdrop of the blue sky, gifting a piece of nostalgia to all the adults assembling at the beach and a new spectacle of curiosity to all the kids hanging around with their parents, the Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival (TNIKF) last year, was a one-of-a-kind event. In the second edition of the festival, the organisers from Global Media Box and the Department of Tourism Tamil Nadu are extending their hope and presenting an extravaganza with more than 200 kites from seven different countries.
“This kite festival is unlike any other kite festival because it is completely a spectator event. People can watch the teams flying different kites. Last year there was a misunderstanding that it was a festival of flying regular kites that goes to greater heights. Here, the kites are inflatable ranging from sizes five ft to 40 ft. They are also available in different shapes and colours,” says Benedict Savio, organiser and director of Global Media Box.
Participants from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, France, India, and Malaysia will be adorning the sky at Mahabalipuram. The theme of this year is ‘Wings of Waves: Save Marine Life, Save Mother Earth’. “Honouring the theme, most of the kites are aquatic animals, dolphins, whales and so on. There will also be cartoon characters, dragons, gecko kites, etc. One unique feature of this year is the wind garden. If the wind is low then the kites will not be flying properly and that will make the audience disappointed. With the wind garden, we are providing an immersive experience for the audience that combines music and wind elements,” shares Benedict.
Sticking to the theme, a huge inflatable mother earth is also an attraction of this year. “The Earth will be inside the wind garden placed in the middle of hundreds of wind spinners and chimes. The installation will serve as a focal point, inviting visitors of all ages to click photos and have fun,” says Benedict, adding that they are also sending a powerful message of environmental conservation.
The four-day festival will feature kites from 2 pm onwards till sunset. The nights are packed with musical performances by different bands. “Last time the crowd was approximately 35 to 40,000 people for three days of the festival. This year, we expect a little more than that. We started our promotions earlier and those who visited last year will now have an idea about what the festival is going to be. We have already sold more than 5,000 tickets. For kids under the age of 12, the entry is free,” signs off Benedict.
Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival 2023 (TNIKF) will be held from August 12-15, 2023 at TTDC Ocean View, Mahabalipuram.
For details, visit www.tnikf.com or @tnkitefestival on Instagram.