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Foreign
paragliders arrive for Kangra event
by Hemant Chauhan
Bir-Billing (Kangra): With less than a week left for the international paragliding competition to take place here, gliders from various parts of the world have started arriving for the nine-day event in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra. The event commences on October 19, in Kangra District's Bir Billing Valley, where fifty foreign and about 20 domestic paragliders will take part. The valley is only the third place in the country perceived as suitable place for paragliding, the other two being-Manali (Himachal Pradesh) and Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir). With Gulmarg no longer being seen as a viable option, because of the militant threat, the Bir-Billing Valley is fast emerging as a dream destination in South Asia for paragliders from all over the world. "This place is the best I have seen in the world. I liked the place and I think I want to return next year," said Alexander, a Russian paraglider. Besides foreigners, a lot of enthusiasts from various parts of the country have also converged to try out their skills. "In Pune, it is a different kind of flying. But Himachal is a big mountain fly. Probably, about 50 foreign and 10-20 Indian pilots have come here to participate in a competition which is to begin in a few days time," said Abhijeet Salve, a paraglider from Pune. The unique features of the valley's topography are complemented by suitable weather and active thermals that can bring the best out in competitors.
Although
paragliding was introduced in the country in 1995, it was in 2001 that
Himachal Pradesh decided to regularise the sport and exploit the tourist
potential in the Kangra Valley. Himachal offers a unique option for paraglider
adventurers. Sheltered by the mountains and surrounded by tea gardens,
Bir is a small village dominated by a Tibetan colony and monasteries.
Their launching (take-off) destination 'Billing', is a little meadow at
2,400meter (8500 feet) on the Dhauladhar ranges, 14- kilometer up from
Bir. This meadow, one of the wonders of nature, perfectly designed as
a launch pad, has become a legend on the international paragliding circuits
and a destination for World Champion Paraglider pilots. In 2003, the three-day
pre-world cup was successfully organised Bir-Billing from October 28 to
November1. Paragliding (known in some countries as parapenting) is a recreational
and competitive flying sport. A paraglider is a free-flying, foot-launched
aircraft. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing, whose
shape is formed by the pressure of air entering vents in the front of
the wing.
-Oct
14, 2006
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