5 days ago
Team Mangaluru to fly its new ‘Tulunadu chariot', ‘water is life' kites at Dieppe International Kite Festival
Team Mangaluru, a group of kite flyers, will showcase its new kites – 'Tulunadu chariot' and 'water is life' – at the Dieppe International Kite Festival to be held in France from September 13 to 21.
The chariot kite will be 18 ft. high and 10 ft. wide.
Senior artist and international kite flyer Dinesh Holla, who has designed both the kites, said that they will be a applique or collage works.
'Tulunadu chariot' is unique to the Tulu-speaking coastal belt. The colourful chariot will be a new attraction at the festival in which people from 50 countries are expected to participate.
Mr. Holla said that the 'water is life' kite has been designed in such a way to communicate the message to treat water like God. Hence, in the design, a pot of water is placed inside the 'pallakki' (palanquin) used to carry idols in temples. In addition, the design shows the sky and greenery (on the tile part).
'This kite highlights the importance of both nature and culture and the need to protect them. It communicates that if nature is protected there will be no dearth of water,' Mr. Holla, who took part in the Dieppe festival seven times, said.
He said that a five-member team of kite flyers from Mangaluru will head to France on September 10. Team Mangaluru will participate in the Dieppe festival for the ninth time.
Mr. Holla said that Team Mangaluru, led by Sarvesh Rao, has been showcasing Indian culture, particularly related to the coastal belt of Karnataka, at international kite festivals.
The team has been participating in the kite festivals of 12 countries.
He said kite flyers – Mr. Rao, Pranesh Kudroli, Satish Rao, and Arun – are now preparing the two new kites.
