ENARADA, Hubli, September 27, 2013:
By C D SOUZA
Photos by KIRAN BAKALE
After a rather lengthy rainy season we are now in the festival season with an array of festivals lined in till the year end. The country is now gearing up to celebrate one of the biggest Hindu festivals – Dussera which is celebrated with great zeal, energy and reverence in many parts of the country. Kite flying which was an ancient hobby is still a popular among people in many countries including India. India being a land of festivals flying kites during festival is the favorite indulgence of people in many parts of the country.
During Dussera kite flying is a common sport in many parts of Karnataka such as Doddaballapur, Mysore, Hubli, Mangalore, Mandya and many other places. Being a popular hobby, kite festivals are organized by many cities of Karnataka to draw more and more people to this interesting, highly enjoyable and exciting hobby. One can see brightly coloured kites donning the sky these days which is also relaxing and enjoyable for the kite watchers to enjoy the spectacle of colours in the sky.
There are many individuals who indulge in kite flying with gusto so much so they spend their valuable time and money in it. They make use of imported material in preparing kites of different size, shape, color and texture. It is quite an expensive hobby considering that some of the kites coast anything between 8000/- and above.
Every year in Hubli more and more people are taking to flying kite as an instrument of enjoyment, fun and frolic. It is believed that the crucial and most important skill in kite flying in threading. The tail of the kite is also important and is the pride of the kite, as it helps in balancing the kite. With some practice and with sharpened skills people can master the art of keeping their kites airborne for a longer time as compared to their competitors.
China made kites flood markets
As is the case always, with the demand for kites soaring, the market is flooded with thousands of kites in varied shapes, sizes, colours and designs. In Gujarath kite flying is a common hobby and kites made in Ahmedabad and Delhi have also flooded the markets giving a wide variety of choices for kite lovers to buy from. Spiderman, Batman, Shaktiman, butterfly, eagle and other bird shaped and animal shaped are some of the kites available in the market. The cost of the kites depends on the size and price ranges from Rs 100 and above. Some of the designer kites cost as much as Rs. 750/- while some special kites are beyond the reach of the common people.
It is good to see that kite flying as a hobby is fast catching up with people. Kite flying needs empty space so that the threads of kites of different people don’t get entangled causing its fall. With a cluster of concrete jungle in the form of high-rise buildings and towers occupying almost all the prime places in all the cities of Karnataka, there is hardly any open place left for people to indulge in kite flying without any hindrance. This has forced people to climb to the terrace of their houses in search of some open space, which is quite risky and fraught with danger.
Keep away from Terraces
However, kite flying in open terraces is like inviting a much bigger trouble. As the mind of the kite-flier is usually concentrated in flying the kite, there are instances of people losing their balance and falling off from their terraces and this is true especially of children. Just last year many such incidents of people falling of their terraces while busy flying kites were reported. The manja (thread used in flying kite) which is quite sharp can cut off the fingers of the fliers, if the flier is careless.
Kite flying is a hobby meant for enjoying, relaxing and entertaining and therefore it is necessary for people to tread carefully. Parents of young children should be extra careful to ensure that their children don’t go to the terrace for kite flying as it is dangerous to do so. In the excitement of flying kite children may forget where they are and that might prove fatal. It is always better to prevent a disaster than to repent in leisure.
