Butterfly train, kathakali, cat kites to soar in Mangaluru sky during international kite festival

The 74-year-old Abdul Rauf’s butterfly and batman train kites, Team Mangalore’s Kathakali, and Cat Kite team’s inflatable kites on cats and other animals will be among the kites that will soar during the two-day ONGC MRPL International Kite Festival, at Tannirbhavi beach here on February 10 and 11, Saturday and Sunday.

The 74-year-old Abdul Rauf’s butterfly and batman train kites, Team Mangalore’s Kathakali, and Cat Kite team’s inflatable kites on cats and other animals will be among the kites that will soar during the two-day ONGC MRPL International Kite Festival, at Tannirbhavi beach here on February 10 and 11, Saturday and Sunday.

Mr. Rauf from Mumbai, who is known in kite flying circles as ‘train kite’ specialist, told reporters in Mangaluru on Friday, that his team will display ‘101 butterfly’ train kite. He will also display his ‘70 batman’ and ‘35 star train’ kites. A special thread will hold the 101 butterfly train kite and it will be worn around the waist of a member of our group, said Mr. Rauf, a veteran in the international kite festival circuit

Prashanth Upadhya, a member of Team Mangalore, said the team will display its oldest and biggest kathakali kite, which was recently recreated. The team will also display its other art kites namely Yaksha, Gajendra, Bhoota Kola, Garuda, Pushpaka Vimana and Vibhishana.

Alex of Ukraine and Nee from Thailand from Cat Kites said they have brought 3m and a 6m inflatable kites that feature cats. They will also showcase their popular flat cat kite and 10 other kites featuring different animals.

Police officer Fadzil Ali from Malaysia said he has brought a set of six kites using reflective material that features popular comic character ‘Incredible Hulk’, a leopard and few other characters.

Sarvesh Rao, the founder member of Team Mangalore, the organiser of the event, said a total of 40 kite flyers, including 13 from eight foreign countries, will take part in the event that will start at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday. A formal inauguration of the event will be held at 5 p.m. There will night flying of kites between 6.30 p.m. and 8 p.m. There will be post noon flying of kites on Sunday when there will be no night flying. No ‘Manja’ kites will be allowed to fly in the event, Mr. Rao specified.