A comely colony of houses by the waves. Gangly boys pelting stones into the sea. A small temple with balloon-sellers standing by… At first sight, Kovalam could pass off for any other coastal village. But it has a unique identity — Kovalam is a surfing hub; one that draws surfers from across the globe and produces local talent who add pride to the village. The ‘Covelong Point Classic Surf, Music & Yoga Festival’ celebrates this aspect of the village, and this year, the fourth edition, promises plenty of excitement.
Presented by the TT Group and EarthSync in association with the Surfing Federation of India, the Covelong Point Festival starts today and will be on till August 28. The three days will be packed with music, and a variety of beachside activities and competitions. This includes kayak races, volleyball and rangoli competitions, and a slackline championship.
Music has always been a big part of the festival. This year, there are three stages, featuring names such as Thaikuddam Bridge, Tanvi Shah, Mauritian blues trio Tritonik, Bemet from Israel, Oorka, violin maestros M. Lalitha and Nandini and trans global urban outfit Bombay Bassment.
The Acoustic Stage will feature performances by musician and theatre personality Abhi Tambe and Australia-based singer and songwriter Ben Goldstein.
There is also a Yoga Festival that will introduce participants to a variety of yoga and meditation techniques. Sessions include The Magic of Sound and Movement with Divya Rolla, Joshna Ramakrishnan, and Yotam Agam; Ashtanga yoga with Rinat Reina and Chakra meditation with Divya Srinivasan.
And then there’s food, lots of it. “There are several food stalls that will be put up by the families of the surfers,” says Sneha Chandrashekar of EarthSync. The Covelong Dosai Kadai, ice-cream stalls, surfer merchandise… Be there if you love music, food, and anything that has to do with the sun and the sea.
For details, visit: http://www.covelongpoint.com/
