Korean dancers stage a performance and (below) visitors queue up for a hot air balloon ride at the 17th International Puri Beach Festival. Pictures by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 28: As little Anya hummed on the hit-song of Carpenters – I am on top of the world, looking down on creation – she meant it – literally. Standing 200m above the ground, Anya got a bird’s view of the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal and the entire coastal town of Puri. As the five minute hot air balloon ride came to an end, the 11-year-old insisted for another up-in-the-air moment.

The hot air balloon ride has been one of the major attractions of the weeklong International Puri Beach Festival. The carnival that marked its 17th anniversary this year is also packed with host of entertaining shows and amusements.

A quaint Meena Bazar at one corner of the beach amused both children and adults. Shell-bags, Pipli handicrafts, palm leaf decors and miniatures of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra sold like hot cakes at the festival.

Starting from the inaugural day, the event has been featuring dance shows every evening. Apart from recitals of classical dance forms such as kathak, Odissi, Bharatnatyam, participants from various countries such as Korea and Nepal enthralled the audience with their traditional dances.

Traditional chhau, gotipua and gaudiya dance also regaled the audience. To add to the aesthetic ambience of the beach side programme, paintings by well known artists as well as young painters from a national art camp held in the city, have been exhibited at the venue.

In an effort to promote tourism and culture of Odisha, the organisers, Hotel Association of Puri, have arranged for an interesting mix and match of programmes to woo audience of every age and interest.

The thrilling regatta or boat race among the forty nolias pulled in hundreds of people from both the city and abroad. Camel and horse rides co-ordinated by expert jockeys attracted the youngsters, who were seen having a gala time at the festival.

“This is my first visit to Puri beach festival and I am amazed at the grandeur of the event. I watched the dance performance from Korean participants. It was a delightful watch,” said Ajay Maharana, a visitor from Sambalpur.

The sand art competition, a ritual event of the festival, has once again managed to pull in crowd. Sand artistes displayed their beautiful and skillful works made of golden sand at the Puri beach. The artists have sculpted figurines of mermaids, deities and sensitive environmental issues of global warming and pollution.

Satisfied with the good response from the visitors and good sale of food and handicraft products, president of the organising committee Ramakrushna Das Mohapatra said: “The festival has been a success. Our main aim of attracting good crowd at the festival is fulfilled. Participation from our foreigner friends has added glamour to the show.”