Bhojpal Kite Fest paints Bhopal sky with melange of colours on Makar Sankranti

Bhopal: On the ocassion of Makar Sankranti, the Bhojpal festival committee hosted the Bhojpal Kite Festival at Jamboree Ground, BHEL locality in Bhopal, drawing large crowds and turning the open field into a vivid celebration of color and community.Under a clear winter sky, hundreds of kites rose and swirled, creating a moving canopy that reflected the season's themes of harvest, hope, and togetherness.
The festivities ran from morning to evening, with excitement building as more participants joined in. "Children, many flying kites for the first time, held their spools tightly and watched in awe as their kites climbed higher, guided by parents who helped steady the line and teach the basics," Ashok Pradhan, a retired bank employee and kote flying enthusiast.Their delight set the tone for the day, as the ground filled with laughter, cheers, and constant motion.Young adults brought a competitive edge through spirited kite battles. With quick hands and sharp focus, they maneuvered for position, testing angles and tension as they tried to cut opponents' lines. When a string snapped, kites drifted down in dramatic spirals, prompting playful shouts and friendly rivalry rather than hard feelings.Families used the festival as a chance to spend time together, coordinating launches and flying in tandem to form striking patterns overhead. Women stood out as some of the most enthusiastic participants, confidently taking charge of the spools and flying with skill and energy, adding momentum to a tradition often seen as male-dominated.To ensure everyone could participate, free kites were distributed to all attendees, making the event welcoming across ages and backgrounds. By the end of the day, the sky filled with multi-colored kites had become a shared symbol of joy, competition, and collective celebration.