Highlights
* Attractive Exhibition
* Cultural Programmes
ADVERTISEMENT
* State-level floodlight Kabaddi tournament
* Adventure sports
* Various events by state-level and national-level artists
ADVERTISEMENT
* Special cultural programmes at Kadri Park
* Beach Festival at Panambur Beach
The 10-day Dakshina Kannada Karavali Utsava showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the coastal district, also aimed at boosting tourism, kick starts here on December 23.
The festival’s colourful beginning will be marked by a procession comprising over 45 professional troupes from across the state from the Nehru Maidan to Karavali Utsava grounds here on Tuesday. While veteran cine director Sadananda Suvarna will flag off the procession at 3 p.m., the district in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai will inaugurate the festival at Utsava Ground at 5 p.m.
While cultural programmes and an exhibition with entertainment sports will be held at the Utsava Grounds, special cultural programmes are slated at Kadri Park during the 10 days of the festival. The Beach Festival, besides offering cultural events, will also witness beach volleyball, skating competition for school children, river cruise and kite flying.
Deputy Commissioner and Festival Organising Committee Chairman A.B. Ibrahim told presspersons here on Friday that various committees have been formed for the smooth conduct of the festival. The estimated expenditure for the festival is about Rs. 1.5 crore and Kannada and Culture Department has provided Rs. 50 lakh grant for the same.
The procession will feature the Clean India campaign besides various art and cultural forms of the district and the state, said Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, president of the Procession Committee. Besides cultural troupes, students representing the NSS, NCC, the Scouts and Guides etc., will participate.
Floodlight Kabaddi tournament will witness competition between six best teams at the state-level from men’s and women’s categories and two best teams each from the district between 5 pm and 10 pm on December 31 and January 1. Attractive cash prizes of Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 60,000 and Rs. 30,000 will be given away to the best three teams in each category, said Gokuldas Nayak, in-charge Commissioner, Mangaluru City Corporation, which is sponsoring the event.
Beach Festival Committee President Yatish Baikampady said there would be a documentary film competition to present the festival in its best form. Limited to 12 minutes, the documentary could either be in Kannada or English or both. Anyone can participate in the competition with prior registration and documentaries may be submitted after the festival on a date to be specified. There would also be a photography contest about the festival. Attractive cash prizes would be offered to the winners, he said.