Let's go fly a kite

With your feet on the ground, you're a bird in flight,
With your fist holding tight, to the string of your kite!
- Let's Go Fly a Kite, Mary Poppins

These lyrics sung by George Banks, in the Disney classic, sum up what kite flying is all about the world over. Kite-flying, particularly the battles, is an engaging sport that can bring out the best, and sometimes the worst in professional kite flyers.
The festival is celebrated with much gusto in SoBo, particularly in Shivaji Park, Azad Maidan, Gateway of India and Girgaum Chowpatty. Children are usually seen at the forefront; kites are either purchased from the local vendor or made at home by true-blue kite lovers who work on the quality of paper, the stick used and the manjha (the string). The most notable aspect of the festival is the kite battle, which is typically seen between housing societies, kite clubs and even friends. The wager is usually the loser's kite.

However, Indian kites are not the only ones seen during the festival. Ask Babulnath residents Dilip and Deepak Kapadia. This father-son duo, who founded Golden Kites Club, hold an international event wherein kite fliers from across the world come down to compete. "I grew up in South-Central Mumbai in an area where kite-flying is a passion. We would fly kites every day between Diwali and Makar Sankrant. Flying kites came naturally to me and the hobby soon turned into a passion. I've been flying kites ever since and the club has done a lot to increase the popularity of the sport," says Dilip, the older Kapadia.

This year, the Kapadias have planned two events—one in Mumbai and the other in Ahmedabad. "The one in Gujarat is the International Kite Flying Festival, which will be held between January 9 and 13. This event is an interesting one because we do not fly Indian kites or use manjha," shares Dilip. Elaborating on the absence of Indian kites, he says that "the Indian manjha can easily cut through nylon—the material used to make the kites. This particular type of nylon is used to make parachutes. We have employed security to ensure that kite-fliers do not use traditional manjha," declares the kite enthusiast.
This year, Ludvig Petit, a renowned kite-flier from France, will participate in the celebrations at Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Speaking to dna, Petit, who has been flying kites for the past 35 years, admits that he loves the passion with which Indians fly kites. "They are some of the best in the world. I have visited India over 15 times; it's a wonderful place to have such competitions," he adds.

The key to a great kite battle is none other than the infamous manjha. If your string is of poor quality, you might as well concede defeat before the kite soars into the sky. The best quality kites and manjha are usually made by Muslim traders, who start their preparations months before the competition is slated to begin. The bamboo that makes the thaddha, or the spine of the kite, is ordered from West Bengal and the manjha from Bareilly, Rajasthan. Once the material reaches the workshop, only the ustaad is allowed to cut the paper; his subordinates only attach the thadda and the poonch (tail). Later, hordes of kites make their way to various temples as offerings during the festival of Makar Sankrant, held in January every year. "A kite made by Muslims is offered in a Hindu temple. This festival transcends all religions and classes," says the senior Kapadia.

-If you're riding a two-wheeler, ensure that you cover your head with a helmet and your neck with a cloth, to avoid getting strangled by the manjha.
-Refrain from speeding as you may get injured by the sharp edges of the manjha.l If you see an injured animal or bird, dial 101

jayadev.calamur@dnaindia.net