Kites, sweets, balloons and drones to paint Telangana’s cultural canvas
Hyderabad: Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Wednesday said Telangana’s vibrant culture will be showcased through a Kite and Sweet Festival, along with hot air balloon displays and a drone show, scheduled for next week.
The Minister was addressing a curtain-raiser press conference for the Kite and Sweet Festival being organised by the Department of Tourism from January 13 to 15 at Parade Grounds, Secunderabad. Participants from 19 countries will display their skills by flying colourful and uniquely designed kites.
Kite flyers from countries, including Indonesia, Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Portugal, Vietnam, Malaysia, Italy, Switzerland, Algeria, Singapore, Russia, Ukraine and France will take part. In total, 40 international and 55 national kite flyers from 15 states will participate. A special night-flying event is scheduled on January 13, 14 and 15.
The Minister said kites of various types and massive sizes would be flown during the festival. Cultural programmes depicting Telangana’s traditional heritage will also be organised to promote the state’s local culture. Around 100 handloom and handicraft stalls and 60 food courts serving Telangana and other cuisines will be set up at the venue. In addition, an International Sweets Festival will be organised in association with Culture Language Indian Connections (CLIC). More than 1,200 varieties of sweets prepared in homes by Hyderabadi residents, who originally hail from other states and countries, will be showcased during the festival.
The Minister further said the Department of Tourism will organise a hot air balloon festival from January 16 to 18, featuring 15 international-standard balloons arriving from European countries. The event will be held on the outskirts of Hyderabad during morning sessions and at Parade Grounds in the evenings, with Night Glow balloon displays.
A special drone show is also being organised on January 16 and 17 at Gachibowli Stadium. The show will feature high-tech drones with multi-colour LED lights and aerial manoeuvres, representing India’s leap from cultural heritage to modern innovation in aerial sports.
The event will include a fully LED-lit racecourse across the stadium field, FPV (First Person View) video feeds on giant screens for immersive viewing, soccer played by drones, and aerial displays showcasing Telangana’s tourist destinations.
Kite festivals will also be organised at lakes restored under the HYDRAA drive, including Bathukamma Kunta at Amberpet, Nalla Cheruvu at Kukatpally, Thammidikunta at Madhapur and Bum-Rukn-ud-Daula Lake near the National Police Academy at Rajendranagar.
Stating that the tourism sector is being strengthened through a new tourism policy, the Minister said incentives are being extended to attract private investment, with development being pursued through a public-private partnership model. TGTDC Managing Director Kranthi Valluri said comprehensive arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the events. She appealed to the public to avoid using hazardous Chinese manja and to use only cotton thread for kite flying.
