Wanna be a kite runner? Wait till Dasara

BANGALORE: Don’t trip in wonder if you suddenly spot some Angry Birds and Chhota Bheems hovering above. For all you know, they might also have a Mr Bachchan and a King Khan gliding along. Bangalore’s skies, otherwise cluttered with concrete, will see some colour. After all, Dasara is nearing -- a time when the winged wonders come out with wind and weather on their side.
Bright kites will dot the city’s skyline, in colours, shapes and sizes that are much in tune with the times. And, predictably, kite-makers are out to make hay while the sun shines; with the surge in demand expected to last till Diwali, their hands are more than full.
The simple and affordable paper kites are the most sought after. The sophisticated ones, particularly the Chinese types, are exorbitant and mostly show up at competitions. From tapping on children’s fancy to drawing from Bollywood frenzy – these kites come in forms that tug at heartstrings, instantly. Angry Birds, Chhota Bheems, Amitabh Bachchans and Shahrukh Khans, the choice is totally yours.
“The demand for kites featuring Kannada and Tamil actors is more. As the production cost runs really high, no one invests much in making customized ones. The ones with Bollywood heroes and heroines are very popular nationally,” says Sabir Hussain, owner of Barkath Kite Centre, Old Market Area, Shivajinagar. Printed kites with faces of Hindi TV soap artistes also sell fast, he adds.
Sabir learnt the art of kite-making from his father Murtaza Khan, better known as Basha Bhai. The oldest kite-maker in Bangalore, Basha Bhai has his Barkath Kite Centre near Radhakrishna theatre, Rahmath Nagar. Coloured, patterned, chequered and designer kites, you name it and he has it. However, this season Basha Bhai isn’t around; he left for Mecca on Monday night. His nine children are in the business of kite-making. Though idle the rest of the year, they use the time to expand their clientele. “Corporates buy kites in bulk for their annual day events. This boosts our business,” adds Sabir.
At the shop with her granny, 10-year-old Ayesha Banu’s eyes are all lit up; she has so many options to choose from. Ask her if she’ll fly them, pat comes a reply: “No, they are for my brother.” An indulgently granny interrupts: “Ayesha isn’t the one to be left behind. The siblings fly them together.”
The only other time kites take wing is during Sankranti, when people from the Gujarati and Marwari community come out in gusto to celebrate the festival.
Inspired by movies
Sandalwood ensures kites continue to fly high. Popular flick Aapthamitra, starring Vishnuvardhan, showed 600 kites flying high in one shot. Similarly, Gaalipata with Ganesh as hero had people flying kites. The yet-to-be-released Care of Footpath 2 has some scenes of Master Kishen flying kites. Kite-makers make huge business out of movies. A package of 500 customized kites fetches them at least Rs 10,000.
Fading away
Shopkeepers admit that the passion for the once-favourite pastime is on the wane. “It’s fast fading,” rues kite-maker Sabir Hussain. Earlier, kites would be seen across the skyline but now they are restricted to old areas. Parents are wary to send their kids to open terraces to fly kites. Open playgrounds are shrinking, particularly in newly added areas where highrises abound.
Price range
No-frills kites: Rs 3 a piece
Customized ones: Up to Rs 25
Chinese variety: Anywhere between Rs 100-500
Few and far between
It’s obvious that kite-flying is getting lost in the humdrum of daily life. Parents think of it as a waste of time, something that distracts them from studies. But in reality, kite-flying is an excellent sport. It increases a child’s concentration and improves their mind-body coordination.
V Krishnoji Rao | international kite player