I don't remember the last time I had a super-duper-fabulous Uttrayan.. So much has been left behind ever since I left Ahmedabad. I miss that city that is so full of colours, it makes you go heady with happiness at times. Uttrayan was always my favourite. Seeing the sky dotted with thousands and thousands of kites, with the sun setting in the backdrop almost takes you close to nirvana. When the sun set on 15th, Vasi Uttrayan, a very selfish gloom would pass over me.
Did you fly kites? Wishing you a happy makar sankranti. As they say in marathi, speak sweet. :)
10 comments:
beautiful drawing...
Yeah~ Gujarat has it's own special beautiful way of celebrating Utrayan! I did fly kite when I was in Gujarat during childhood!
'til gud ghya, god god bola'!
happy uttarayan gauri!
"Seeing the sky dotted with thousands and thousands of kites..."
I can only imagine that. It's an experience to see just hundreds of kites in the air at once, as we have from time to time at the Adelaide International Kite Festival! One day we'll have travel to India at this time of year...
isn't that the most wonderful thing to say - and i sure need lots of it :)
I have seen Children in Chennai flying kites... and hoped to fly one.. I haven't got the knack of it yet :)
Siddharth-- Your comments are really precious for you appreciate the little drawings I put in. Thanks!
Darshan-- Gujarat is thee place to be on 14-15 Jan, up on a terrace, somewhere in the Usmanpura /a NAranpura, or the old city area. Lucky u have seen the kites run a havoc as a child. tht shud be some memory
Aditi-- yes! surprised u know this :) we managed with chiki this time as grandma cudn't make the til-gud
Kite Guy-- U must be there to see what I mean... Adelaide festival seems just as gorgeous. Btw, wud be grt if I can read you too. :)
Dharma-- sweetest thing to say, tough to do, with tempers flying all over, my tongue gets quite nasty.
Dileep-- In Chennai too? wow.. i didnt know they fly kites here in bengal around sarasati puja time. only goes to show how diverse the country is and how ignorant we are abt the different cultures..
btw, i never learnt how to fly a kite. out of nine girl cousins, only one cud fly. we just had a whole day party up on the terrace looking around and beating the thali everytime a kite was cut :D.
Hi,
Here in A.P. it is called Sankranti , an important festival for two days.
On the Sankranti day, 14th usually, people fly kites. When I saw pictures of kites in your blog, I wanted to share the joys of kite flying festival in Telengana.
Here kites are flown mostly for putting " painch" ( cutting other kites flying in the vicinity).
The "manjha" buying and the kite selection is an important event by iteslf. It is starts a few weeks before the festival, and the boys , young men and older guys take active part. I think people are hooked for life!
My husband has a friend who visits from USA for this festival. Though a Muslim gentleman, his enthusiasm and sportive spirit is seen to be believed. Generally for three days in the season (13,14,15) we are all in a state of tension, running up and down the terrace, helping in shouting " affaa" when other people's kites are cut! It is fun all the way!
It takes two days to get into routine.
Learnt a few thing about the festival from other parts of the country. Thanks.
Dear Vetrimagal..
Thanks for sharing in detail the way kite flying is celebrated there. It's quite similar! We celebrate on 14th and 15th, and instead of 'affaa' say 'kaade' or 'kaapyo chhe' and beat steel thalis loud each time a kite is cut. We munch on sweets made from til (sesame, mamra (puffed rice with jaggery) and lots of sugarcane and bor all day long..a quick lunch and we hurry back upstairs to join the fun while it lasts. also, in the night adept kite-fliers fly kites tied with small paper lamps in which candles are lit (these lamps are called tukkals in gujarati) Sometimes even 16-17 such lamps are tied to one single kite..
on a different note, I have been to Hyderabad for a very short time, only once, and my memory is shopping for lots of beads and pearls and visiting the jewellery museum. :) would love to know more from you and your blog..
Thanks. I will write about Hyderabad soon.
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