International Hot Air Ballooning And Boat Racing Festival In Varanasi
Kashi has been made the capital of cultural and tourism for one year at the summit of SCO
By Ratnesh Rai
Tourists will now be able to enjoy water sports in Uttar Vahini Ganga. The Yogi government of Uttar Pradesh is organizing the International Hot Ballooning Air Ballooning and Boat Racing Festival. Members of Shanghai Cooperation Organization will also be present in Varanasi on this occasion. Who will be able to see the rich heritage of Kashi from the sky. Kashi has been declared as the cultural and tourism capital for one year in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit because of its spiritual, religious and cultural heritage. SCO representatives have earlier participated in Ramnagar’s world famous Ramlila, Devdeepawali and Traveler Writers Conclave.
Ancient Kashi is known all over the world because of its rich heritage. The whole world has been attracted towards India’s culture, religion and spirituality. This is the reason why Kashi has been declared as the cultural and tourism capital for one year at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. Kashi will represent the country for one year from September 2022 to September 2023. Members of the SCO organization will also enjoy the International Hot Ballooning Air Ballooning and Boat Racing Festival, to be held from January 17 to 20. Along with this, we will also see the heritage of Kashi’s culture, religion and spirituality. SCO representatives have earlier participated in Ramnagar’s world famous Ramlila, Devdeepawali and Traveler Writers Conclave.
UP Deputy Director Tourism Preeti Srivastava said that the national coordination meeting of the SCO delegation is being organized in Kashi. In which representatives of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan Uzbekistan, India will be in Varanasi. While the representatives of Pakistan and China will connect through video conferencing.
Meanwhile, Kashi Balloon and Boat Festival is being organized from 17 to 20 January. The boat race will be of 3 kilometers from Dashashwamedh Ghat to Rajghat. In which the first winners will get a cash prize of 1 lakh, 50 thousand for the second, and 25 thousand for the third. 12 teams are participating in the boat race. In which there will be 5 drivers on each boat. Experts from Kerala are giving them training. The winner will be declared on the basis of points in the 4 days boat race. All the participants will be given other prizes apart from certificates and trophies.
Along with this, 10 hot air balloons will also fly for tourists, in which they will be able to fly and see the rich heritage of Kashi from the sky. One Indian and other foreign pilots will fly. Balloon will fly from 4 places. Along with this, tethered flight will also be organized. In which tourists will fly in a hot balloon to a certain height and will be able to see the glowing body of Kashi even at night. In this festival of 4 days, photography exhibition, cultural program will also be organized at Rajghat Ghat. Along with this, a series of art and painting competitions will also be organized.
In the last eight years from 2014 to 2022, the way the Modi-Yogi government has rejuvenated Kashi. Its result is that Kashi culture, religion and spirituality is becoming a new global identity.
