The festival is a joint effort involving Karnataka’s Tulu, Beary, Konkani, Arebhashe (Gowda), and Kodava communities, along with contributions from Yakshagana and other folk academies. Organized with the support of the district administrations of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Madikeri, as well as the Department of Kannada and Culture, the event aims to celebrate the state’s rich cultural diversity.
The festival will feature performances from seven cultural academies, exhibitions of books, paintings, and sculptures, and a food festival called ‘Aahara Utsava’, which will highlight the cuisines of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Madikeri.
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The festivities will begin with a multicultural procession at 9 am on December 3, led by Speaker U T Khader, starting from Ambedkar Circle and moving towards Town Hall. The formal inauguration, scheduled for 11 am at Town Hall, will also see the presence of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
On December 4, a student conclave will take place, featuring an interactive session with Kannada Development Authority President Purushottama Bilimale, focusing on Karnataka’s multicultural heritage.
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Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister NS Boseraju has said that Pilikula Nisargadham in Mangaluru, a tourist attraction inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in 2018, is set to undergo a major transformation to become a world-class destination.
This vision will be discussed at the upcoming Pilikula Development Authority meeting, said the Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology.
During a review meeting with officials from the Science and Technology Department, Boseraju emphasised Pilikula’s potential to become a premier tourism hub. In a statement, Boseraju stressed that the ample space available at the Pilikula Wildlife Sanctuary makes it an ideal location for transforming into an international-level attraction.
Officials will discuss a detailed blueprint for its comprehensive development at the next meeting, Boseraju said. He also mentioned that a formal proposal would be submitted in the upcoming state budget.
With inputs from PTI
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
