The International Kite and Sweet Festival at Parade Grounds kicked off on a breezy note, with the skies over Hyderabad coming alive with colour, creativity and culture. From mythical creatures to cartoon characters, the festival featured an array of stunning kites flown by participants from India and other countries like Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, France, Italy, and Russia, among the rest.
Adding a strong cultural flavour to the event, folk artists from Telangana performed traditional dances that captivated visitors and set the celebratory tone. The kite flyers were visibly enthusiastic. Jo, who travelled all the way from Australia, flew cartoon characters Bluey and Bingo kites, designed by her son. “I love the festival, and this is my first visit to Hyderabad,” she shared.
Kite flyers from Malaysia showcased elegant moon-shaped kites. Nikaif, one of the participants, explained, “These kites are made using kite paper and bamboo. We draw the motifs by hand and then colour them. It feels wonderful to be here.”
India’s veteran kite flyer VK Rao from Bengaluru, also drew attention as he flew a spectacular 200-metre-long kite, with nearly 200 smaller kites tied in a single row. “I feel proud and happy. I’ve had the opportunity to fly kites with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about 10 times, and now I’m enjoying the festival here in Hyderabad,” he said. Hyderabad was proudly represented by local flyers Shiva, Ashok and their team. “Like other kite flyers, we are passionate about this art. I’ve made a dragon-shaped kite that I flew today,” said Ashok.
International participants added further charm — Stan from Russia flew a turtle-shaped kite, while an alien-shaped kite from Italy turned heads. Yosi from Indonesia was seen prepping himself to fly the dragon-shapped kite. Young kite flyers from Mumbai and Odisha also joined in, and Ashwini from Hyderabad was seen thoroughly enjoying the experience.
With participants from over 18 countries, the festival truly lived up to its theme, ‘Celebrate the Sky’. Complementing the visual spectacle was a wide variety of traditional Indian sweets that delighted visitors.
So Hyderabad, grab your sunglasses and caps, and head to the Parade Grounds to soak in the colours, flavours and joy of the International Kite and Sweet Festival.