The Kite Festival

Years ago, the harassed mother would often say
to her restless son, who needed to be kept busy during
his holidays, “Why don’t you go fly a kite ?” And the
little boy would happily pick up his kite and run out
into the field.
That, of course, was in the past when the only kites
available were made of kite paper and thin wooden
frames. Kite - flying has come a long way since then
with the invention of motorised and even fibreglass
kites to compete with the old - fashioned kites. Today,
kite - flyers can be found in different parts of the world,
carrying different types of kites - waiting for the right
winds !
Kite - flying has a long history. There are many
Greek, Indian and other mythological stories which tell
us about human beings wanting to or trying to fly.
Over a period of time, this desire of humans and
their imagination probably led to the invention of kites.
And it is likely that the box - kites, designed more than
a hundred years ago, later inspired others to create
power - driven aeroplanes.
In India, however, the tradition of kite - flying has
not changed. Be it during the coming of Spring which
is celebrated as Basant or during the festival of Makar
Sankranti, people of all ages go out into the open to try
their luck with their kites. In towns and cities, where
open spaces are difficult to find, terraces and rooftops
are often used for this traditional sport.
In Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is kite - flying day.
Traditionally celebrated on January 13 or 14, it is
a holiday when people meet outdoors, ‘to cut’ each
other’s kites.
This day also coincides with the festival of
Uttarayan, when the sun is said to begin its journey
to the northern hemisphere. The people of Gujarat
celebrate Uttarayan with a lot of enthusiasm and all
business comes to a grinding halt for a couple of days.
It is also a celebration to mark the end of winter.
The kite - flying begins at dawn and continues
without a pause throughout the day. People of all ages gather on terraces or rooftops. Friends, neighbours, even
total strangers compete with one another and cries of
triumph rend the air when someone cuts the line of
a rival !
A wonderful variety of kites is seen and the fussy
buyer can choose what he wants. The more serious
players prepare special lines for their kites. There is
music in the air and traditional delicacies are specially
prepared for the day.
Held on the same day, the bigger event, however,
is the International Kite Festival, at Ahmedabad.
Organised by the Gujarat State Tourism Corporation,
it is held either at the Sardar Patel Stadium or the
Police Stadium.
This popular festival attracts international
kite - flyers, who demonstrate their skills in flying
exotic kites and local champions as well. Little Indian
paper - kites compete with those from Japan, USA, UK
and other countries. Excited spectators watch in awe
as marvellous shapes such as eagles and snakes soar
into the skies.
One of the highlights of this festival is the Patang
or Kite Bazar, in the heart of Ahmedabad, which is
open twenty - four hours a day, for a whole week. A
visit to this bazar in the middle of the night is enough
to prove that the entire city is obsessed with kites.
People crowd the streets and buy their stocks, haggling
through the night.
Skilled craftsmen demonstrate age - old kite - making
skills and how to prepare the special thread used for
kite - flying. Mixtures of glue and ground glass cover
the lines, which are dried and rolled onto reels known
as ‘firkees’. These lines are so sharp that, carelessly
used, they can cut a finger !
The excitement does not end with nightfall. Now, it
is time for illuminated box - kites, often strung on one
line, to be launched into the sky. Called tukals, they
add a grand beauty to the dark sky and compete with
the brilliance of the stars.