The International Kite Festival of Ahmedabad Flies Gracefully at Sabarmati Riverfront

The skies near Sabarmati River is covered with fascinating shape, sized and coloured kites from January 7, 2018, to January 14, 2018, as the 29th edition of International Kite Festival at River Front, Ahmedabad was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani. Out of the approximate 650 kite fliers, 150 have come from 44 different countries, and 200 kite fliers have come from 18 various states of India to showcase their talents. Spaced out from the innovative fish, birds, lizard and beer bottle shaped kites some kites are carrying peace message to Pakistan, and the life-sized ring-kite at the festivity which has been measured around 200ft, and takes more than 20 people to fly is grabbing all the eyeballs.

The visual art fraternity also became an integral part of the International Kite Festival as more than 20 artists from Indian and abroad were invited to paint live at the NID Ground on the inaugural day. The painters included veteran as well as established artists like Vrindavan Solanki, Ratilal Kansodaria, Bharat Patani, Natallia Bahushevich, Rakesh Patel and Surendra Patel.

Although there is a holistic growth of 2.5% in the kite industry as compared to the last fiscal year, the vendors could have earned more profits if the govt would have reprieved the latest 5% GST application on the unorganised sector, which employs more than 48,140 people in the state.

 Photographs : Aditya Sharma