Mangalore: The Kalkura Prathishtana will be organizing a national-level children’s festival in Kadri Shree Manjunatha Temple on September 5. Addressing the mediapersons, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura said that the intention behind the festival is to develop the religious and cultural awareness and to encourage the hidden talents of the children.
With an immaculate intention to develop the religious and cultural awareness and to encourage the hidden talents of the little children, the Kalkura Prathisthana has been organizing the national-level children’s festival “Shree Krishna Vesha competition” over the past three decades. This time it will be held in Kadri Shri Manjunatha temple on September 5, from 1.00 pm to 7.00 pm.
Further, he said, “The children are very pure in mind and heart. The society should see the God in children because their thoughts are very pure like God and they are very innocent. The competition will be held in 25 categories. Almost three decades ago, we had started with 8 children, and now the number has grown tremendously. All the participants will carry home an idol of Udupi Kudugolu Krishna made of Panchaloha along with books relating to the life-story of Shri Krishna, a certificate and prizes given by sponsors with an attractive cloth bag. A copy of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita will also be given to all the participants.”
The competitions will be held in 25 categories in Kadri Shri Manjunatha temple’s Abhishek Mandira, Manjushree, Shri Krishna Janma Mahothsava Smithi Vedike, Kalyana Mantap and Sri Mahaganapati Temple from 1 pm to 7 pm. A variety of cultural programmes, and literary programmes from 12 noon to 12 midnight is included in Makkala Utsav.
The competition comprises 25 categories like Kanda Krishna – for the age group below 1 year, Muddu Krishna – between 1 to 2 years of age, Tunta Krishna – 2 to 3 years, Bala Krishna – for Nursery and LKG children, Kishora Krishna – for UKG and I Std children, Shree Krishna for II, III, and IV Std children, Geetha Krishna – for students up to VII Std, Yaksha Krishna – for upto X Std students who will be attired in Tenku or Badagu Yakshagana Style, Radha Krishna (Pair) – for students upto VII Std, Yashodha Krishna – for mothers and their children and open to all, Shankanada with traditional dress – for students upto VII Std, Shankaghosha with traditional costumes – for students above VII and open to all, Devaki Krishna – for mother and child and Vasudeva Krishna – for men dressed as Vasudeva with a kid as Krishna. There will also be an episode presentation of Lord Krishna’s life by groups in the event Nanda Gokula, along with quiz competitions in two categories (Balakrishna and Sri Krishna) and drawing competitions in 6 categories.
Speaking on the occasion Navaneeth Shetty said that this competition would be open to disabled students too, and they can register through their institutions and take part in the competition. He also said that the media every year played a major role in giving wide publicity to the programme and he urged the media to continue with the same zeal.
This festival with a history of three decades has been appreciated at the national level. Kalkura Prathishtana is specially proud and happy that a number of similar competitions have come up all over the region, state and the country, and that the participants for this event will be coming from various places from in and out of the state.
Interested students can contact the below-mentioned persons to enroll their names with Kalkura Prathistana – 0824 2492239, 94481 25949, 9845083736; Kadri Navneeth Shetty – 2213061, 94481 23061, Dayanand Kateel, Sharada Vidyalaya – 2493089, 94485 45578, Sudhakar Rao Pejawar – 2214093, 2443360, Gokul K – 2214176, 94485 49456, or email can mail to Kalkuraadvt@rediffmail.com or pradeep.kalkura@gmail.com