A land of distinctive fairs and festivals, kite flying used to be a favorite pastime and beloved traditional sport of teenage boys in India. Now, the country boasts of two International Kite Festivals – one at
Jodhpur and the other at Ahmedabad. The
International Kite Festival at Ahmedabad is a one-day affair and is celebrated on 14th January, also celebrated as Makar Sankranti in Gujarat to mark the end of winter and the beginning of the harvest season. The traditional kite flying where families competed with each other to scale the skies has now turned into an international rage where motorized and fiberglass kites in enormous sizes and attractive shapes have taken the center stage. Kite fliers from all over the world come with their creative and innovative kites to display their amazing skills.
International Kite Festival at Jodhpur is a three-day affair and is also celebrated in mid-January. It started just a few years ago and yet, the popularity of desert Kite Festival rivals the most reputed sport events worldwide. International Kite Festival Jodhpur is inaugurated at the Polo Ground. Air Force helicopters release pretty kites covering the sky and school children release balloons that flow up to meet the kites and create a colorful spectacle. Cutting down the kites of the adversary is a part of the game and fancy kites often find it difficult to hold on among the battle hell raised by fighter kites. Thus, there are two kinds of competitions held at Jodhpur – Fighter Kite Competition, and Display Flying Competition. The finals of the competitions are held on the beautiful lawns of the
Umaid Bhawan Palace. The Maharaja of Jodhpur distributes prizes and offers a farewell dinner to all the participants.
At Ahmedabad, International Kite Festival is held at the Sardar Patel Stadium or the Police Stadium. Local champions fight it out with international kit fliers. Traditionally, families come to rooftops and terraces at dawn and music and delicacies add to the pleasantness and positivism of the day. Illuminated kites called tukals look amazing in the night. You may also want to visit the Patang Bazaar or Kite Market of Ahmedabad that offers attractive deals for the whole week of festival celebrations. Even at night, you can find thousands of people crowding the market to buy best kinds they can find to win their local competitions. The Kite Museum is another attraction at Ahmedabad these days.
