| The fading charm of flying paper kites |
30th Aug 2014
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Vinod Kumar Sharma at his shop in Burail
id you know that the kite was invented around 5th-century BC? But then again, who really cares about it's origin? The Patang is more than mere a piece of paper, it has remained a symbol of freedom and celebration since its inception in India over 2,500 years ago. We vividly recall the prime minister of our country, Narendra Modi, taking part in a kite flying event where even the dabbang star, Salman Khan, showcased his kite flying skills. There is no denying that the future of kite flying in India is here to stay for generations to come. However, this cannot be said about Chandigarh.
"In the past, thousands of kites would make a stupendous spectacle on the sky every year, especially on festivals such as Makar Sankranti, Basant Panchmi, Lohri and the Independence Day which has drastically dwindled over the years," says Sanjay Jain, who has been selling kites in the city in sector-22 for more than 20 years now.
He promptly adds, "We, being the wholesalers in kite-making industry, used to sell enough kites to make 1.5 to 2 lakh in a single season, which has nosedived to a mere 50 to 60 thousand now. We cannot do away with the age-old family trade. My father Dharamveer Jain kick started the kite making business 50 years ago, a legacy that we have been carrying forward. Though we have been doing our best to keep it going, the future seems unpredictable, given the fast vanishing number of keen kite clientele."
There were times when the freedom celebrations especially the Independence Day and the Republic Day were incomplete without kite flying events, but, today, it seems the paper with a string is losing out its charm in the hi-tech world.
54-year old Vinod Kumar Sharma, another kite seller in Burail Village (Chandigarh) said, "I have been selling kites for the past 30 years and the prices of kites have increased more than 5 times in the last decade, whereas the sales have gone plummeted. In the fast-moving life people have gone frugal, considering kite flying to be a mere waste of money and time. Kids, too, are more curious in playing video games and hardly evince keenness in kite flying. Waise bhi sirf kagaz ke noto ka mol hai kagaz ki patang ka nahi (Afterall, the paper notes made of paper are valuable not the kites made of paper)."
The kite that was available at paltry 50 paisa a decade ago is now priced at Rs 8 today, no shocker though, tomatoes and onions too have shot up to Rs 80 and 40 a Kg.
Bhushan Gulati, another shop owner and kite seller in sector 45 said, "A decade ago, kite flying used to be a showcase of talent, strength and skills as youngsters would fly kites for hours together, but now they do not have time to spend on these simple pleasures. We used to sell kites throughout the year but with the dipping sales there were no option other than switching to another business."
This is not just the case with Gulati only. There are many shopkeepers in the city who have either done away with selliing kites or have started selling other goods, or migrated off to other cities for better business prospects in the same line.
Kite whole seller Sanjay Jain minces no words while interacting with Guardian 20, "Kites were easy to spot all over the sky some years back, especially on the Independence Day but it is passé now. Kite flying has never been a craze in the city but these special days were much colourful than what they are today. We had retailers coming in from all over the city to buy kites in bulk whereas now, there are a mere 10-15 kite sellers available in selected sectors, that too in the colonies. Parents too can't force their kids to fly kites against their demands of video games, play stations and xbox."
The charm of kite flying is gradually fading, which is evident from the number of kites sold. Rakesh Rawat, another seller in Babu Dham Colony says, "Five years back, we would sell around 10,000 kites on the Independence Day, which has dropped to a few hundred. There may be reasons behind the dwindling sales, safety being the most common as there have been instances of kids falling off the rooftops while flying kites. Nowadays, people prefer stay glued to their TV sets at home, watching live coverage from Delhi and other cultural programmes on the eve of Independence Day."
There were people who made their own kites and string years ago. Hemant Rana an, avid kite flyer told Guardian20, "I have been flying kites since I was a kid, and will make sure I continue the same till I grow old. I feel emotionally connected to it. I used to make my own kites earlier but today due to professional responsibilities I don't get the time for the same. Now, I buy kites and Manjaa to enjoy the Independence Day."
http://www.sunday-guardian.com/young-restless/the-fading-charm-of-flying-paper-kites
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