Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Today is 12th January - 163rd Birthday of Swami Vivekananda. Swamiji was born in Simla area of North Kolkata at his ancestral home, but later in his youth he used to spend most of his days in his maternal house at Ramtanu Bose Lane of North Kolkata . Swamiji loved to stay in the room of 1st floor of this house (as shown in this picture) and used it as his study room.

  This year, 11 January is the date when the International Kite Festival was inaugurated in Ahmedabad. Every year, ambassadors from around the world visit Gujarat to witness this kite festival. This year, ambassadors from 11 countries have come to Gujarat. Food stall and craft stall vendors earn lakhs of rupees during the festival. Moreover, over five and a half lakh people attended the International Kite Festival last year. Gujarat has gained global recognition as the state that manufactures the most kites. Ahmedabad, Nadiad, Khambhat, and Surat have become hubs for kite production. Today, Gujarat holds a 65 percent share of the country’s kite market. Kites are also exported annually from Gujarat to countries like the USA, UK, and Canada. 143 kite flyers from 47 countries and 52 kite flyers from 11 other states in India are participating in this year’s festival. Moreover, 417 kite flyers from 11 cities in Gujarat are also taking part.  International Kite Festival 2025 will fe...