IMPERIA |
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019
23
Amsterdam Dance Event
Where:
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Origin:
It you have happy feet, then prep
yourself to have a rollicking time between 16
Oct – 20 Oct 2019 at Amsterdam, a city that
is known for its nightlife.
The Amsterdam Dance Event, one of
the biggest electronic music festivals,
has over 2,500 artistes performing in 140
of Amsterdam’s top music and nightlife
venues.
Almost 400,000 fans descend in the
Dutch capital annually. The international
artistes perform at Amsterdam’s most iconic
venues, including Melkweg, Gashouder,
Paradiso, the NDSM Docklands and more.
Alongside the dance festival, there are
music seminars, exhibitions, screening of
documentaries and many more art-related
events to keep you occupied. For more
information, visit:
-
event.nl
The International Kite
Festival
Where:
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Origin:
It’s been three decades since the
International Kite Festival is celebrated in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In order to welcome
Uttarayana (falling in the month of January
when the sun in relation to the earth goes
from south to north), kite makers and flyers
from across the globe showcase their one-off
creations, and engage in a fierce competition.
The festival according to the Hindu calendar
marks the end of winter and the beginning of
summer, also known as Makar Sankranti. It’s
a festive day when one can witness colourful
kites flying high against the crisp, blue
backdrop of the sky.
But it is not as serene as it looks. The
competition between kite-flyers is intense. The
idea is to fight nearby kite-flyers and cut their
strings and bring down their kites.
The famous Patang Bazaar (Kite Bazaar)
in Ahmedabad sees furious activity since
November to prepare for the festival.
Competitors look for particular kite-makers who make resilient kite bodies with springy bamboo frames and
the kite-paper stretched to the right amount of tension. Lastly, the kites are attached to a spool of
manja
.
The kite string is coated with a special mixture of glue and glass in order to cut the strings of the rival kites.
Families and friends get up early on the day of the festival to witness the ongoing drama, and cheer the
participants.
