Free helicopter ride for 10 students and five progressive farmers at Budanur fest, says Mandya MLA

Free helicopter rides will be offered to ten students from Government schools and colleges and five progressive farmers as part of the chopper rides to be organized during the annual Budanur festival scheduled to be held this month.

This was announced by Mandya MLA P Ravikumar in Budanur on Saturday (February 14, 2026).

The free chopper rides will be given to the ten students from government schools and colleges and five progressive farmers on February 20 ahead of the Budanur festival scheduled for February 21 and 22.

The Budanur festival is an annual religious and cultural celebration centered around the 12-13th century Hoysala-era Ananthapadmanabha temple and Kashi Vishwanatha Temple, which draw large crowds to Budanur situated close to Mandya town.

Deputy Commissioner of Mandya Kumar has already announced that the tickets for the helicopter rides had been priced at ₹3,800 per head. Children below 5 years will not be allowed on the seven-minute-long chopper rides, which will provide an aerial view of Budanur festivities.

Mr. Ravikumar said Minister for Agriculture N Cheluvarayaswamy, who is also the Minister in charge of Mandya district, will inaugurate the festival on February 21.

Several events to complement the festival will be organized, he said. Among them will be a painting competition for school and college students to be held on February 17. Special prizes will be awarded to winners, and consolation prizes will be given to all participants.

Rangoli competitions will be held on February 18 and 19 for women across 30 villages in the region under the theme “One Rangoli per Home, One Guarantee per Home,” and prizes will be distributed to all participants.

On February 18, the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports will organize ten different sports events, including tug of war, lemon and spoon race, kabaddi, and kho-kho at Vishwamanava School in Mandya.

On February 20, a food festival will be held in the premises of the New Budanur Temple, followed by a fire-fighting demonstration in the evening. 

Mr. Ravikumar also said that a procession as part of the Budanur festival will also be taken out from Old Budanur, and villagers called upon the people in the village to actively participate and make the festival grand.

On February 21 evening, cultural programs will be presented by Gurukiran and his troupe, while the valedictory ceremony on February 22 will feature cultural performances by Rajesh Krishnan’s team and Alok R, he said.

He added that the Budanur festival is being organized to attract tourists, and the public has been urged to promote the event widely on social media and help spread awareness about the history and significance of Budanur temples among domestic and international tourists.