Kite festival of Gujarat
Makar Sankranti (Uttarayan) is a major event on Gujarat’s festival calendar. People celebrate the occasion by flying colorful kites in the sky. This is such a big festival that people start making kites months in advance.
Makara Sankranti is celebrated all over India with great fervor. In Gujarat the festivities reach an altogether new high on this day.
The main highlight of the Makara Sankranti celebrations in Gujarat is the Kite Festival. Children as well as adults take part in this festival and there is palpable excitement in the air.
Millions of colorful kites adorn the serene blue sky of Gujarat on this day. Kites are flown throughout the month of January. But Makara Sankranti is a special event for kite fliers. On this day almost everyone is on their rooftop with colorful kites in their hand.
People start flying kites in the morning itself. Throughout the day the sky remains dotted with vivid splashes of colors. The festivities do not stop at night. Paper lanterns called tukkal are tied to the kite-strings and released into the sky. These lanterns are so light that they will sway even in mild winds. They present a brilliant spectacle.
Religious significance of Makara Sankranti
Makara Sankranti marks the return of Sun to the Northern Hemisphere. This is the day when sun enters the Tropic of Capricorn (Makara). That is why it is called Uttarayan (the journey towards north).
The International Kite Event in Gujarat sees the participation from kite fliers from over 40 countries. This is a 2-day event held on January 14 and 15. It coincides with Makar Sankranti, a major festival of Hindus.
Kites have religious significance. They are said to have connections with gods. According to legends, gods who have slept for six long months wake up on Makara Sankranti and throw open the doors of heaven. People believe that by flying kites on this day, they will be able to guide freshly released souls to heaven.
Tips for participating in the Kite Festival
If you are interested in participating in the Kite Festival, you need to be in Gujarat. Head to Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat or Nadiad. Kite Festival is celebrated all over Gujarat but the excitement surrounding this festival is pretty is high in these cities.
Kite flying as a sport
Kite flying is much more than a ritual or a friendly pastime. Over the years, it has become a highly competitive sport. Save your kite and bring other people’s kites down – that is the name of the game. Because of this reason, most revelers buy kites in large numbers. When one goes down, you need another one to go up in the sky.
Killer kites
The thread attached to the kite is no ordinary thread. It is called manjha in local parlor. Manjha is extremely sharp because it is coated with powdered glass. Kite fliers know this and take adequate precautions. Their fingers are heavily bandaged before they start flying the kites. There are communities that specialize in the making of manjah. The thread comes in various colors. Each color stands for a particular community.
Entire families participate in the kite festival. After breakfast everyone assembles on the rooftop or another part of the house exposed to the sky. Kite flying is a team sport. As one person flies the kite another has to roll out the manjha for him/her. Coordination between the flier and the one rolling out the thread is extremely important. These are intensely fought contests. When there are thousands of kites flying in the sky it is not easy to focus on your kite. And if you lose sight of it, there is no way you can win this battle. Also it is not easy to control the motion of a kite flying so high up in the sky.
Floating lamps
At night people release paper lamps into the sky. Watching those colorful lights floating in the sky is a surrealistic experience. You need to be present on the scene if you want to take in this spectacle.
The International Kite Flying event coincides with Makara Sankranti. It is held on the banks of Sabarmati River. This event attracts kite fliers from all over the world.