Every year in Gujarat The International Kite Festival (Uttarayan) is one of the biggest festivals celebrated. Months beforehand, homes in Gujarat begin to manufacture special box kites for the festival.
The festival of Uttarayan marks the day when winter begins to turn into summer, according to the Indian calendar. It is the sign for farmers that the sun is back and that harvest season, Makara Sankranti/Mahasankranti, is approaching. This is considered one of the most important harvest days in India as it also marks the end of winter and the beginning of the harvest season.
In Gujarat Uttarayan is such a huge celebration that it has become a public holiday in India lasting two days. During the festival, local food such as undhiyu (a mixed vegetable including yam and beans), chikki (sesame seed brittle) and jalebi are served to the crowds. Days before the festival, the market is filled with participants buying their supplies.
The international kite event takes place in Ahmedabad (kite capital of Gujarat), which accommodates visitors from many nations. The best place to enjoy this festival is the Sabarmati Riverfront (its Sabarmati river bank has a capacity of over 500,000 people) or the Ahmedabad Police Stadium, where people lie down to see the sky filled with thousands of kites.
During the festival week the markets are flooded with kite buyers and sellers. In the heart of Ahmedabad is one of the most famous kite markets, Patang Bazaar, which during the festive week is open 24 hours a day with buyers and sellers negotiating and buying in bulk.
Many families in Ahmadabad start making kites at home and set up small shops in their own homes.
There is a Kite Museum located at Sanskar Kendra in Paldi area of Ahmedabad. Established in 1985, it contains a collection of unique kites.[12]
The symbolism of this festival is to show the awakening of the gods from their deep sleep. Through India's history, it is said that India created the tradition of kite flying due to the kings and royals, later followed by nawabs, who found the sport entertaining, and as a way to display their skills and power. Over time, as the sport became popular, it began to reach the masses. Kite flying has been a regional event in Gujarat for several years. However, the first international festival was celebrated in 1989 when people from all across the globe participated and showcased their innovative kites.
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