Mangaluru: A national-level children’s festival and Sri Krishna fancy dress competition will be held at the premises of Kadri Sri Manjunatha Temple in Mangaluru on September 4. The event is being organised by Kalkura Prathishtana in association with Kadri Sri Manjunatha Temple.
According to Kalkura Prathishtana president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, the festival aims to foster spiritual awareness among children while providing them with a platform to showcase and develop their talents.
44th edition of children’s festival
Speaking at a press conference, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura said the children’s festival has been organised continuously for the past 44 years.
This year, the Sri Krishna fancy dress competition will be conducted in 44 categories, offering children an opportunity to dress up as different forms and characters associated with Lord Krishna.
A large number of cultural and literary competitions have been planned as part of the celebrations. Various competitions will be conducted simultaneously across 12 stages, with programmes scheduled to continue until midnight.
The organisers said children and families can participate in the different activities and competitions planned throughout the day.
Programme begins at 9 am
The day’s programmes will begin at 9 am with Sri Krishna Varna Vaibhava.
A traditional programme involving women will be held at 10.30 am. Participants will churn curd using a traditional wooden churner to extract butter while singing traditional songs.
The programme is intended to showcase traditional practices and cultural heritage to children and families attending the festival.
Various cultural programmes will follow from noon, with literary, artistic and cultural activities scheduled throughout the day.
Janmashtami celebrations at Nandagokula stage
The Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations will be inaugurated at 1 pm at the Nandagokula stage.
The inauguration will take place by lighting a traditional lamp in the presence of dignitaries, children dressed as little Krishnas and their mothers.
A special traditional cradle ceremony will also be organised for babies below six months as part of the Janmashtami celebrations.
Women will participate in the ceremony by singing traditional lullabies, adding a cultural and devotional element to the programme.
The organisers said the event would provide children and families with an opportunity to experience various traditional customs associated with Sri Krishna Janmashtami.
Competitions to continue until midnight
A range of literary and cultural programmes will be organised from noon to midnight.
With competitions being held across 12 stages, participants will have opportunities to take part in different activities throughout the day.
The Sri Krishna fancy dress competition remains one of the key attractions of the festival, with 44 categories planned this year. The organisers have invited children to participate and showcase their creativity and talent.
Pradeep Kumar Kalkura said participants can register their names at the venue itself to take part in the competitions.
The organisers expect the festival to bring together children and families for a day of cultural, literary and spiritual activities while providing a platform for young participants to display their abilities.
Registration and contact details
Participants who wish to take part in the competitions can register at the venue on the day of the event.
For additional information, the organisers can be contacted at the Kalkura Prathishtana office on 0824-2492239, 9448125949 or 9845083736.
The festival is being organised with the support of Kadri Sri Manjunatha Temple and is expected to feature a combination of traditional programmes, competitions and cultural activities.
Organisers Kadri Navaneeth Shetty, Dr Prabhakar Joshi, Sudhakar Rao Pejawar, Dayananda Kateel, Vijayalakshmi Shetty and Manjula Shetty were present at the press conference.
The 44th edition of the children’s festival is expected to provide a vibrant platform for children to participate in cultural and literary activities while learning about traditional customs and spiritual values associated with Sri Krishna Janmashtami.