The skies over Tannirbhavi Beach turned colourful and festive as the two-day ONGC–MRPL International Kite Festival – Season 9 commenced on January 17, as part of Karavali Utsava–2026.

Thousands of visitors gathered at Blue Bay Beach, Tannirbhavi, to witness the grand opening of the festival. The event was inaugurated by Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, U.T. Khader, who congratulated the Dakshina Kannada district administration and participating government departments for organising Karavali Utsava as a celebration of cultural harmony and unity.

The International Kite Festival features 62 renowned kite flyers, including 32 participants from India and 30 international flyers representing 15 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 attracted special attention with his impressive collection of nearly 150 kites. Several international participants, including Guilherme Linares Palau, chose to fly their kites outside the designated area to interact closely with visitors. Palau showcased creatively designed kites depicting Pinocchio, a seagull, and a daisy flower, drawing large crowds while wearing distinctive native headgear.

Due to low wind conditions, some participants such as Clare Louise Hardwick (UK) and Gheno Sandra (Canada) displayed a limited number of kites. Sandrine from France opted to fly a lightweight, heart-shaped kite instead of her heavier Nemo fish design, while Machacek Jan Helmut from Germany showcased an astronaut-shaped kite.

Team Mangalore presented their iconic cultural kite creations, including Kathakali, Yaksha Garuda, Pushpaka Vimana, and Vibhishana, along with their latest design, Ratha, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the coastal region.

The kite displays were held from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and will continue on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dignitaries including 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.