One of the most celebrated festivals of Gujarat. In the month of January, people of Ahmedabad in numbers beyond all comprehension gather on terraces to fly kites of various colours to celebrate Makar Sanskranti or Uttrayana, the welcome to the sun after the cold winter months. The atmosphere at the festival is electrifying-glass strenghtened threads of the Indian fighter kites are matched against each other in the air, and the kite fighter who cuts the other thread is the victor.
At night, the activity does not end-kites with Chinese type lanterns are flown and held aloft, looking like bright twinkling stars. Typical food like Undiya, sugar cane juice and local sweets are served to celebrate the day. To promote the festival, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat organises a kite festival, with kite fighting matches, other competitions and exhibitions by kite flying clubs from the&nbsworld over. Local sightseeing tours for members of kite flying clubs and tourists are organised before and after the festival. A trip to the Kite museum at Paldi, which is one of the few of it's kind in the world with over 100 kites collected by Bhanu Shah is part of the festival package.
The International Kite Festival is always held at Ahmedabad on January 14, to coincide with the festival of Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti. The people of Gujarat celebrate Uttarayan with a lot of enthusiasm. It is also a celebration to mark the end of winter.
"The sky is the limit," they say, for those who wish to achieve something. And Monday was one such day for a lot of national and international kitists. As the kites soared high in the clear blue sky, the participants along with the spectators, including a large number of non-resident Gujaratis, joined in the celebrations.
It was not a breezy day in Ahmedabad but this did not deter them from displaying their kites, in all sizes and colours, till the sun descended. Beating the heat (it was a warm day today), they took time off to have snacks and then once again came out in the open on the Police Stadium Ground to delight the spectators.
One of the sidelights of the festival is the Patang Bazaar, which is open 24 hours a day in the heart of Ahmedabad during the Makar Sankranti week.
A visit to this bazaar in the middle of the night proves beyond all doubt that the entire population of the city is obsessed with patangs and they crowd the streets and buy their stocks while haggling and enjoying through the night.
People of all ages gather on terraces or rooftops and engage in kite flying. There is music in the air and traditional delicacies are especially prepared for this day.
The Gujarat State Tourism Corporation organizes an International Kite Festival every year.
Speaking on the occasion, chairman of the Essar Group S N Ruia said that the festival of Uttarayan is an ideal platform to forge greater social harmony, which is the foundation and harbinger of economic and social prosperity. Kite flying, he said, represents a deeper symbolism, meaning and social significance than just gathering together for fun and frolic.
Bhanubhai Shah of the Kite Museum was also felicitated at the function and a book on 'Strings of Timeless Tradition', written by Skyie Morrison from Canada, was released on the occasion.
Kites are flown all over Gujarat, and Ahmedabad become cities of kite-flyers. On that day everyone forgets his routiine works and enjoy Uttaraya. A different different types of kites are seen in the sky. We have bright sun shine, strong wind to carries kites. Also different different foods are also eaten on that day, specially "Udhiyu and Jalebi".
On the international kite festival day, participates are from all around the world. This gives the people of Ahmedabad the change to see the unusual kites brought by the visitors some of which are truly works of art. Visitors are very much interested to know more about kites and its arts.