Three-day Kite and Sweets Festival During Sankranti

By Mira Pawar.

A Kite and Sweets Festival was held at the Parade Ground in Secunderabad, Telangana. The event was organised by the tourism department to showcase the culture, unity, tourism and the cosmopolitan nature of Telangana. The International Kite and Sweet Festival, organized by the Telangana Tourism and Culture Department, kicked off on the 13^th of January until the 15^th January, aligning with the Sankranti celebrations. The festival opened daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and entry was free for all visitors.

Passers-by were captivated by the sight of colourful kites over the skies at Parade Ground. Children and their parents were fascinated by the striking kite designs of giant gorilla, frog, airplane etc. As the day progressed, families flocked to the ground to experience the excitement of kite flying, featuring participants from various states in India and international kite enthusiasts showcasing their skills. The festival featured 50 International kite flyers and 60 local participants. There were shops selling kites of all shapes and sizes so whoever wanted to join the kite flying team could go ahead and fulfil their wish. In anticipation of Sankranti, local shops selling kites and manja (sharp string) at the event, experienced heavy demand, particularly shops from Dhoolpet and Begum Bazaar, which are renowned for their quality products. In response to safety concerns, Hyderabad police had taken measures to restrict the sale of ‘Chinese manja’ (synthetic nylon strings), known for causing serious injuries to people and wildlife alike.  

In addition to the colourful displays, visitors had the opportunity to indulge in tasting variety of sweets including traditional delicacies from Telangana that was available at food stalls throughout the venue. Visitors enjoyed the chance of buying sweets from across the country and the local delicacies also. There were cooking demonstration of local delicacies by culinary experts. These trained experts not only shared the process with enthusiasts but also gave them the chance to try their hands at certain recipes.

Cultural performances also played an important role in the event through their performance of traditional Indian music and dance. Handicraft from various states were on display and the visitors were thrilled to buy them. The Artists were enthralled with the response from the visitors, and for sure they would be returning again whenever the opportunity arises. All in all, the three-day Kite and Sweets exhibition was a huge success and it made the Sankranti festival even more delightful.