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If you’re on the road in January and happen to be in any of the cities mentioned below, do yourself a favour and check out these super cool festivals - be it admiring the way camels are ‘dressed up’ in Bikaner or going back home with excess baggage because you bought too many books in Kerala or even Jaipur. Here is a list of five important cultural festivals in January you might want to check out:
1. International Kite Festival, Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad has been hosting the International Kite Festival since 1989 as part of the Uttarayan celebrations. The festival sees expert kite makers and flyers from all over the world who come together to showcase their skills. In the past, master kite makers from Malaysia have brought their wau-balang kites, llayang-llayang have come from Indonesia, kite innovators from the USA have arrived with giant banner kites, and Japanese rokkaku fighting kites have shared the skies with Italian sculptural kites, Chinese flying dragons, and the latest high-tech modern wonders. A master kite maker and famous kite flyer Rasulbhai Rahimbhai of Ahmedabad who trains up to 500 kites on a single string have come to be a classic attraction. Production of kites and kite supplies can be seen on the streets of Ahmedabad beginning in November, to get ready for Uttarayan, and nowhere more so than in Patang Bazaar, the special kite market that appears in the old city. For the week preceding the festival, it is open 24 hours a day for all kite lovers to stock up for the festivities.
When: January 8-14, 2023
2. Skydiving festival, Ujjain
Organised by Madhya Pradesh tourism board, this is the second edition of the Sky Diving Festival. This festival is being conducted by the DGCA and USPA-certified organisation, "Sky-High India". Speaking about the festival, the principal secretary, tourism and culture department, Madhya Pradesh, and managing director, MP tourism board, Sheo Shekhar Shukla said, "The first edition of the skydiving festival had received a positive response. All the slots were booked. In view of this, the second edition is being organised. During this time, adventure lovers will be able to enjoy skydiving in Ujjain with the help of trained personnel with high standards. Participants will get the thrill of seeing the city of Mahakal from a height of 10,000 feet.”
When: January 5-15, 2023
3. Kerala Literature Festival, Calicut
The Kerala Literature Festival, organised by the DC Kizhakemuri Foundation, is a non-aligned platform, committed to providing an open and liberal forums for debates and discussion to foster progressive discourses. KLF brings writers, thinkers and activists closer, to people of varied backgrounds and interests. Every year, KLF hosts Nobel Laureates, Oscar winners, Booker Prize recipients and other literary luminaries. The sessions at KLF, aim to map literature through discussions on aspects of history and politics, economics, science, art, cinema and culture, technology, genomics, environment, business and health, etc.
When: January 12-15, 2023
4. Bikaner Camel Festival, Bikaner
An initiative of the department of tourism, Government of Rajasthan, the festivities at the Bikaner Camel Festival is a sight to behold. It’s a two-day festival where everything is about celebrating the camel, including breeding, training and taming. But no festival in Rajasthan is ever complete without food and music. This festival is also a showcase of local art and culture and celebration through folk music and dance, among other things.
When: January 12-13, 2023
5. Jaipur Lit Fest, Jaipur
One of the longest running literature festivals in India, the Jaipur Lit Fest is curated by writers and festival directors Namitha Gokhale and William Dalrymple, alongside producer Teamwork Arts. This five-day programme sees an eclectic lineup of speakers and writers come together to talk about anything and everything to do with arts, culture and literature - from poetry to politics.
When: January 19-23
Photo: Shutterstock; Pexel; featured events