|
Kite Festival
14
January is celebrated in India as Makar Sankranti [a Hindu festival in
India] - heralding the transition of the sun into the Northern hemisphere.
It is also a big kite day in most parts of India when children from 6 to
60 can be seen with their heads turned to the sky. In Jaipur kites
virtually blot out the sky. Everyone joins in this riotous celebration and
shouts of " Woh Kata Hai !" reverberate from rooftops to the
accompaniment of drums as adversaries’ kites are cut down. And
everyone’s an adversary! Any kite in the sky is fair game.
Activities
The three-day festival starts with an inauguration at the Polo Ground,
which is the venue for some serious kite flying and fighting for the three
days of the festival. The festival includes two kinds of celebrations. A
massive extravaganza follows, with Air Force helicopters releasing kites
from the sky, and hundreds of schoolchildren releasing balloons. Kites
that look like wasps, exquisite stained glass windows, graceful mythical
birds soar in the sky and the sky shimmers with magic.
Fighting kites beautifully choreographed by the wind look like poetry in
the skies, written by kite flyers from many nations. The three days of the
festival are divided into two sections. One is the Fighter Kite
Competition and the other is the more sober Display Flying and there are
prestigious trophies to be won in both categories. Every evening
participants are provided with dinner at an exotic location.
On the final day the venue of the festival shifts to the exquisite lawns
of the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the royal residence of the Maharaja of
Jodhpur. The finals of the Fighter Kite Competition and the final judging
of the Display Kites are followed by the prize distribution ceremony, the
valedictory function, and a farewell dinner with the Maharaja. As the
festival draws to an end, traditional Indian kite craftsmen prepare to
return to their humdrum lives, selling handcrafted aerial art for mere
pennies.
History of this Festival
Started just few years ago, this festival has got no mythological
connections or legends attached to it. Currently, this sport is witnessing
a major revival globally and India, with its ancient tradition of kite
flying, could benefit from becoming a part of the international kite
flying community.
u
Jaipur Tourist Places :-
Amber Fort
Hawa Mahal
Albert Hall
City Palace Complex
Jantar - Mantar
Central Museum
Laxmi Narayan Temple
Meditation & Yoga
Fairs & Festivals
Shopping Ideas
Art & Crafts
Entertainment
Modern Art Gallery
Sisodiya Garden
The Jaigarh Fort
The Nahargarh Fort
The Gaitor
The Galta
Sanganer & Bagru
Samode
Ramgarh
Abhaneri
Karauli
u
Hotels in Jaipur
|