Kites Calling!

Come winter and one can see the sky decked up with colourful kites soaring high in the air.
The kite shops in the Pink City have put on display interesting kites this season that have pictures of actors, politicians, international figures and even caricatures drawn on them. Some have tiny lights attached to them, some are several feet long while some are as small as one���s palm.There are nearly 600 shops in the city that do brisk business during winter.
There has been a tradition of kite flying in Rajasthan. ���There are many folk songs spun around kites. Even the royalty has been fond of the sport. Sawai Ram Singh, the Maharaja of Jaipur, is known to have passion for kites. He built up a kite factory in the 16th century,��� says kite trader Ekhlaakh Qureshi. Though the traders are doing well, the art of kite making has failed to catch the attention of the government and the artisans are living in pitiable conditions.
Ajay Prakash, trustee Nomad Heritage Trust, who has been engaged in helping people rediscover the art of flying kites says, ���Kite flying is a traditional art. It must be promoted on a mega scale or else it will face extinction. The government has done nothing to help kite makers. It is still an unorganised industry. We need more workshops and festivals to generate the interest of the young generation.��� Prakash used to organise the Desert Kite Flying Festival in Jaipur and Jodhpur every year but says he was put off by the lack of encouragement from the government.
Agrees kite seller Irfan Ahmed, whose family has been selling kites for the last 50 years, ���There are about a lakh artisans in the cities who are engaged in kite making which includes men, women and small children. They are living in sad conditions. Since the prices of kites have not gone up, it is difficult for them to survive on the meagre money they earn. The process of kite making is tough and time taking. Artisans often cut their fingers while making the manjha (thread used for flying) which is coated with glass powder. It���s sad their art is not getting the appreciation it deserves.���
Ahmed feels that the advertising industry can contribute to the welfare of kite makers by using kite for promotional purposes. ���It���s the most economical means to advertise and can be utilised in many innovative ways. If advertisers start using kites for promotional purposes, it can change the fate of kite makers,��� says Ahmed.
The ray of hope does come from youngsters who are taking keen interest in kite flying. Devendra Singh, a young kite enthusiast says, ���For me kite flying is a very exciting sport. It brings friends and family together. We do lots of funky stuff with kites like writing down naughty slogans or mobile numbers of our friends.��� His friend Amarjeet says, ���It is an excellent way of exercising. It tones up your body and is very good for the eyes. It helps increase your concentration power.���
There are also some highly skilled karigars in the city like internationally acclaimed Babu Khan who has travelled to Canada, France, Japan and China to organise kite making workshops in India and abroad. His intricate, decorative kites have earned him lots of awards. He specialises in appliqu�� work, draws pictures of Gods and Goddesses, portraits and intriguing geometric designs. Says Khan, ���I can���t deny that the art is facing neglect due to lack of patronage but there are kite lovers who will not let the art vanish. Recently I was invited by a school in Jaipur to teach kite making and kite flying to youngsters. It���s heartening that young people are taking interest in the art.���