A cheery atmosphere, competitive vibe, colourful kites in the sky and delicious food – that’s what makes the International Kite Festival one of the best celebrations that you can be a part of. The Kite Festival or Uttarayan is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in Gujarat. Months before the arrival of this festival, homes in Gujarat commence the manufacturing of kites that are used for the celebration. In the month of January, people gather together to fly kites and celebrate the festival of Uttarayan.
A lot of preparations are made for this week-long celebration, and in all these years, the kite festival has become so big that people from all across the globe fly down to the venue to take part in it. The popularity of the festival is such that in 2012, the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat cited that the International Kite Festival in Gujarat was endeavouring to enter the Guinness World Records book. That year, the participation count was 42 countries. And now, after two years of battling with Covid, the festival is back in town. Let’s get to know everything about the festival of Uttarayan.
International Kite Festival: Significance, dates, participation & more
Why is the festival celebrated?
The festival marks the day when winter slowly starts to turn into summer. According to the Indian calendar, it is a sign that the sun is back. Farmers celebrate the commencement of harvest season, also known as Makara Sankranti/Mahasankranti, which begins after the festival of Uttarayan. It is considered as one of the most important harvest days in India. To commemorate the beginning of summer, many cities in Gujarat organise kite competitions among their citizens. Uttarayan is such a huge celebration that it is a public holiday in India.
Where is the Kite Festival taking place?
Apart from Gujarat, the states of Telangana and Rajasthan are also big on celebrating this festival. Cities including Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Hyderabad, Nadiad, and Dakor take part in the festivities. The international kite flying event is taking place in Ahmedabad. It is known as the kite capital of Gujarat. This year, the festival is taking place between 8-14 January and many visitors from different nations have arrived in Ahmedabad to take part in it. Kite flying starts as early as 5 am everyday and goes on until late at night.
The best place to enjoy this festival is the Sabarmati Riverfront, which accommodates over 500,000 people. For those who don’t fly kites, the Ahmedabad Police Stadium is the perfect place to be to lie down and witness the sky filled with thousands of kites. In Delhi, the festivities take place on 15 August and in most of Bihar’s districts on 14 April.
Where can you buy the best kites?
Markets in Ahmedabad are mobbed with kite buyers and sellers during this time of the festival. One of the most famous kite markets, Patang Bazaar, is even operational 24 hours a day with buyers and sellers bargaining and purchasing kites in bulk. Many people even make kites at home and set up small shops in their own homes to sell the kites.
Who all are participating in this festival?
Approximately 8-10 million people participate in the international festival every year. Many visitors have arrived from around the world including countries like Japan, Italy, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, the US, Malaysia, Singapore, France, and China. You might also spot famous dancers, singers, celebrities and politicians at the event.
The theme of this year’s festival
The theme for this year’s kite festival has been decided to be the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence and India’s hosting of the G-20. As the country is hosting the G-20 Summit for the first time, many facets of it will be visible at the Kite Festival.
The yummy food you can eat
During the festival, local food such as undhiyu (a mix of vegetables including yam and beans), chikki (sesame seed brittle) and jalebi are served to the public. After offering prayers, people eat sattu (made from new crop wheat) and new baby mangoes.
Hero & Feature Image: Courtesy Unspalsh
Cinema has always fascinated Ananya, so much that she got a degree in media to know more about it. She has worked for magazines like Man's World India and CineBlitz as an entertainment writer. When not writing about films and celebrities, she likes to travel to new places or try new cuisines. Travel and Food are her latest interests and she is looking forward to explore these further.
Most Popular
