(From top) Artistes perform at the 3rd state-level kite flying festival in Bhubaneswar. (PTI) People participate in various events festival in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee and Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 14: Youngsters as well as adults were spotted on terraces and the Mahandi river bank with their kite reels and kites in Cuttack, while in the capital it was the Capital High School playground that was thronged by kite lovers. The occasion of Makar Sankranti was observed with fanfare in the twin cities with kite flying holding the centre of attraction.

Colourful paper kites, transparent polythene kites, Chinese kites and sharp threads wound around huge or small kite reel winders were seen in the hands of college students, businessmen and professionals from different fields and varying ages.

“Though the winds were not very co-operative, we had a blast trying to get into a kite-fight,” said Prabhudatta Mishra, a college student and resident of Cuttack who enjoyed kite-flying with his friends at the Mahandi bank.

The kite and kite-flying accessories sellers also had a good day of business. “The sales exceeded that of the past few weeks with children as well as adults going for a number of kites for the Makar Sankranti festival,” said Bipin Behera, a kite seller in Cuttack. The annual kite-flying competition at Ganesh Ghat will be held on January 23, in the city.

In the capital, the third edition of the Bhubaneswar Kite Festival began with much zeal at the Capital High School playground. Organised by the Bhubaneswar Kite Lovers and Flyer’s Association (BKLFA) in association with Orissa Tourism and Sand Pebbles event organisers, the festival was inaugurated by Governor M.C. Bhandare.

The three-day festival includes activities like kite-flying for fun, kite-cutting contest where kite-fights will be observed by the BKLFA members and the flyer chopping of maximum number of kites will be awarded the Kite King. Creative fancy kites on different themes with interesting shapes and decoration will be selected as Kite Queen and Kite Prince. Close to 150 participants registered for the event on its inaugural day on Friday.

“We are just in the third year and the response has been higher compared to the first two years,” said Niranjan Behera, member of BKLFA. A number of stalls selling kites and accessories for kite-flying are also installed at the event. Among other highlights, the kite festival also holds cultural events.

“It is good to see that Narayan Prasad Singh, the lyricist of the immortal Akshay Mohanty song Udi Udi on kite-flying, was felicitated at this festival,” said Sudhir Mohanty, a participant.

“I was missing flying kites that I enjoyed in Cuttack and Balasore as a youngster. So, I’m participating in all the events here for my love of kite-flying,” said B K Das, who teaches law at the University Law College.

The event will be on until January 16.