Karwar: Preparations are underway to celebrate Karavali Utsava–2025 in a grand manner from December 22 to 28 at the Mayur Varma Stage on Ravindranath Tagore Beach in Karwar, said Fisheries, Ports, Inland Water Transport and Uttara Kannada district In-charge Minister Mankal S. Vaidya.
The Minister was speaking during a video conference meeting held on Tuesday, during which he instructed officials to ensure that all arrangements for the coastal festival are completed meticulously without any lapses.
Stating that the festival invitation card has been finalized as per protocol, Minister Vaidya directed officials to proceed with printing immediately. As there is limited time, he said he would personally invite the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and the Ministers for Tourism, Kannada and Culture by handing over the invitations. He also instructed that invitation cards be extended to all elected representatives of the district strictly following protocol, and emphasized that committee members must work in coordination to avoid any confusion.
The Minister further directed officials to make systematic arrangements for accommodation and food for dignitaries and officials attending the event. He announced that ₹1 crore grant has been sanctioned by the Coastal Development Authority, while an additional ₹5 crore will be released by the Department of Kannada and Culture for the festival. He urged all concerned officers to discharge their responsibilities with coordination to ensure the success of the event.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner K. Lakshmi Priya informed that the event management agency has finalized artists for the musical performances and shared the schedule with the district administration. As per the plan, Shankar Mahadevan will perform on December 22, Mika Singh on December 23, Sonu Nigam on December 24, Raftaar on December 25, Mohammed Danish on December 27, and Daler Mehndi’s troupe on December 28, while the artist for December 26 is yet to be finalized.
She added that several committees have already been formed under the leadership of officers to oversee different aspects of the festival, and responsibilities have been clearly assigned. Local artists will be given an opportunity to perform daily from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm, and as applications from local performers are still being received, they too will be accommodated.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Sajid Mulla said that various competitions and entertainment activities have been planned as part of the festival. On December 22, a grand procession featuring 15 to 20 district- and state-level cultural troupes, along with a fisherfolk lamp procession, will be held to welcome dignitaries at the inaugural ceremony. On December 23, photography and reels competitions will be conducted, and the selected entries will be displayed till the final day of the festival. Rangoli and cooking competitions will be held on December 24, while marathon and Karavali Run events in 3 km, 5 km, and 10 km categories will take place on December 25. On December 26, activities such as tug-of-war, children’s drawing competition, and wall painting competition are scheduled, followed by a dog show competition on December 27.
The meeting was attended by Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Dr. Dileesh Shashi, Superintendent of Police Deepan M.N., and district-level officers from various departments, among others.