International Kite festival



In the year 1989, a new festival was born in India. Called the International Kite Festival, this event sought to take kite flying to the tourist by inviting participants from all over the world to competitions and displays of kites and kite-flying skills. January 13 was the day of the inauguration of the first International Kite Festival. A special Patang Nagar was created for the three-day festival and the 'city of kites' opened its doors to bazaars displaying hundreds of thousands of kites and 'reels' of infinite variety. Gifted craftsmen demonstrated age-old kite-making skills and how to prepare the thread used for kite flying. Little red paper-kites vied with those of the masters from Japan, USA, UK and other countries. As participants tied threads to their 'toys', excited spectators watched shapes such as eagles and snakes soar into the skies. Cloth, paper, fiberglass et al, are now being used to make kites.

For those who needed food for sustenance, delectable dishes such as surati jaman, udhiyu, kathiawadi bhanu and others, typical of Gujarat, were served. Garba, a famous dance was also performed. The musicians and dancers regaled the winners of competitions and uplifted the spirits of those who had lost.

A LEGEND

The harassed mother said "go fly a kite" to an over-energetic son who needed to be kept occupied during the holidays. And the little boy happily picked up his guddi and ran out into the field.

That of course, was many years ago. Kite flying has come a long way since then with the invention of motorized and even fiberglass kites-to compete with kite-paper, which was universally accepted as the only material that could fly. However, the tradition of kite flying in India has not changed. Be it during Basant or Makar Sankranti, people of all ages go out into the open to try their luck with their patangs. In towns and cities, where fields are difficult to find, terraces and rooftops are often used for this traditional sport.