The Most Colorful Festival in the World, India’s Kite Festival
Watch the skies come alive with an array of kites in a kaleidoscope of colors and a variety of shapes and sizes. The International Kite Festival is a festival of professional kite flyers (also known as “kitists”), and is held in the city of Ahmedabad in mid January to coincide with the Festival of Uttarayan. Organized by Gujurat Tourism, the International Kite Festival recently celebrated its 26th year. The city of Ahmedabad has hosted this festival since 1989. One of the most adored festivals of its kind, it has evolved to become an integral part of the vivid and vibrant culture of the state of Gujarat. The inauguration ceremony for the Kite Festival is marked by a joyous celebration including the release of thousands of balloons in the sky, representing colors of the Indian flag in vivid orange, green and white. Approximately 200 school age youngsters perform Aditya Stuti, a set of hymns to pay respect to the sun deity and a beautifully choreographed dance to mark the occasion. Around the World with Kites – The International Kite Festival Professional kitists are invited from all over the world to show off their kiting skills. In any given year over 40 countries participate, including Lebanon, Curacao, Bulgaria, Ethopia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brazil, France, Switzerland and Italy, to name a few. The venue for the celebration is a stadium on the banks of the Sabarmati River in the city of Ahmedabad. The professional kitists arrive at the event with kites that resemble works of art. They create magic in the sky. Kites in the shape of a hundred foot long flying dragon, high-tech kites complete with illuminated flashing lights for night vision, and donut shaped kites that need five people on the ground each holding a separate string, just to name a few. The wacky shapes, designs and colors rule the sky. The crowds could hardly contain their excitement Everyone in Gujurat Flies a Kite / A Local Festival The day following the International Kite Festival marks a very special local festival for the people of Gujurat, called the Festival of Uttarayan. This special day has Hindu roots, yet is celebrated by all regardless of social class, religion, caste or wealth. January 14th of each year marks the days in the Hindu calendar when winter begins turning to summer and the wind changes direction indicating winter’s retreat. Some believe that the gods, who hibernate throughout winter, awake at this time. The Competition on the Rooftops Throughout the state of Gujurat, businesses and schools shut down and people of all ages take to the rooftops to fly kites and to have a friendly competition with their neighbors. The competition involves cutting one another’s kites through a collision of strings. Kites are made from bamboo frames. Strings are coated with a paste of rice, glue and finely ground glass. This paste forms a sharp coating over the strings thus allowing for a kite to cut another’s strings while in flight. With so many kites in the sky it is next to impossible to figure out whose kite cut your string - which helps to create a “friendly” competition. Once your string is cut and your kite falls to the street below, you simply start again with a new kite. Most avid participants will go through dozens of kites before the day is over. Construction of kites starts 3 months in advance and can be seen on the streets of Ahmedabad. Many families create their own kites in the weeks prior to the celebration. In the old city, the Patang Bazaar is dedicated to kites and is open around the clock in the week leading up to the festival. The bazaar is bustling with activity around the clock. The entire population is obsessed with kites. For a festival with heart the annual kite festival is an unforgettable experience.
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