Adding hues to sky: Kites soar high at International Kite Fest (Pics)

New Delhi/Mumbai/Ahmedabad, Jan 9: This week, the skies in India's major cities just got brighter and more colourful. And tigers, penguins and even Kareena Kapoor grew wings and flew in the vast blueness!

Organised by the Gujarat government, the 26th Annual International Kite Festival is scheduled from 7th Jan till 14th Jan at various places in the state and other metro cities.

Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad celebrated the kite festival on Tuesday with kites in striking shapes and delightful colours. There were tiger-shaped, penguin-shaped, Modi-shaped and Kareena-shaped kites. In Delhi, the festival hosted 40 professional kite flyers from France, Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia, Vietnam and Estonia-besides Indian masters.

Gujarat tourism minister Saurabh Patel has said that Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat, will inaugurate a special theme pavilion on 12 January at Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad. National and international kite masters will fly their kites on January 12 at Sabarmati river front.

In Mumbai, the festival venues were Priyadarshini Park and Sports Complex, Malabar Hills. There were more than 40 international kitists from countries like France, Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia and Estonia.

The festival also had many domestic kitists. One India Kite Team, a professional kite flying team from Kerala and the winners of the Weifang International Kite Festival in China were present with their 110 feet gigantic inflatable kite, sporting the face of a Kathakali artist.

In Hyderabad

The stalls in Hyderabad display kites in myriad colours and shapes

In Hyderabad

A Mickey Mouse kite on display !

In Hyderabad

Kites are available on different colours and shapes

In Hyderabad

A Superman kite on display

In Hyderabad

Modi says Hi ! NaMo-shaped kite is a big hit in the market

In Hyderabad

When fishes grew wings and flew !

In Delhi

In Delhi, the festivalhosted 40 professional kite flyers from France, Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia, Vietnam and Estonia-besides Indian masters.

In Delhi

This is the third time the annual festival is held in Delhi and Mumbai.

In Delhi

The festival is organised by Gujarat state government

In Hyderabad

Akshay Kumar-kite is an instant hit !

In Hyderabad

Bharat mata is all set to fly !

In Hyderabad

Cartoons on the air !

In Hyderabad

A tiger-faced kite all set to take the leap

In Hyderabad

Kites come in myriad colours and shapes, adding glitter to the festival

In Hyderabad

Many kite stores have been opened across the city with sellers looking forward to cash-in on the festival spirit

In Hyderabad

Love is in the air !

In Hyderabad

'Dragon kites' on display

In Hyderabad

The kite festival is a hit among kids as well as adults who actively join the festival crowd, flying kites

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