In India, kites are usually flown during the Makar Sankranti in January. Thousands of colourful kites dot the blue skies and lend an air of celebration to the festival.
Recently, Puducherry in south India held a kite festival. Enthusiasts from various parts of the country were present with their unique and colourful kites. This festival was organised by the Tourism Department and the Kite Life Foundation, Kochi.
It was a spectacular sight to see the many different shapes, sizes and colours decorate the azure blue sky.
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A kite workshop was also held in Puducherry, where kids were taught how to make kites.
Kites were invented in China. They used silk fabric for sail material, strong silk thread for flying and resilient bamboo for a strong, lightweight framework. It is believed to have been discovered in 5th century B.C. by Chinese philosophers Mozi and Lu Ban. In China, kites were used to measure distances, testing the wind, communication and more.
Beginning in China, the idea of flying kites spread far and wide – to New Zealand, India, Asia, Japan, Malaysia and further afield.
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Over the years, new designs have been developed like the tail-less diamond kite, the tetrahedral kite, the flexible kite, the sled kite and so on. There are designs that look like insects, birds, animals and even mythical beasts.