Mangaluru to host two-day multicultural festival from Dec 3

Mangaluru: Mangaluru will host a two-day multicultural festival on December 3 and 4, as part of the ongoing celebrations, commemorating 50 years of Karnataka’s statehood.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the event, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner MP Mullai Muhilan announced on Thursday.

The festival is a collaborative initiative featuring Karnataka’s Tulu, Beary, Konkani, Arebhashe (Gowda), and Kodava communities, along with Yakshagana and other folk academies.

Organised with support from the district administrations of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Madikeri, and the Department of Kannada and Culture, the event aims to celebrate the state’s rich cultural diversity.

Highlights include performances by troupes from seven cultural academies, exhibitions of books, paintings, and sculptures, and a food festival ‘Aahara Utsava’, showcasing the cuisines of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Madikeri.

The festival will kick off with a multicultural procession, led by Speaker U T Khader, from Ambedkar Circle to Town Hall at 9 am on December 3. The formal inauguration, set for 11 am at Town Hall, will also see Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, in attendance.

On December 4, a student conclave will feature an interactive session with Kannada Development Authority President Purushottama Bilimale, focusing on Karnataka’s multicultural heritage.