International Kite Festival begins

The International Kite Festival began at Surat and Rajkot in Gujarat with kite-flyers from 31 countries set to participate in the week-long event, which will travel across the state before culminating at the Sabaramati riverfront in Ahmedabad on January 14. The festival also known as Uttarayana will be held in Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad city, Bhuj, Porbandar, Modhera and Khambhat cities, said Kamlesh Patel, Chairman of Gujarat Tourism Corporation Limited (GTCL). "As many as 98 kiting experts from 31 countries will display their skills in these cities and towns during the festival. The event is open for the general public," Patel told. According to the Indian calendar, the festival of Uttarayana marks the advent of summer. The festival will be celebrated in Vadodara, where it has been jointly organised by Vadodara Municipal Corporation and GTCL. Vadodara Municipal Commissioner H S Patel said the event will be held at the jail road ground located opposite Narmada Bhavan Housing office, city police commissionerate and several other offices of the district collectorate.