Kite-flying marks Uttarayan celebrations in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD - Coloured specks dotted the sky across Ahmedabad as people, like elsewhere in the state, flew multi-hued kites in celebration of the Uttarayan festival Thursday.

The festival, which marks the Sun’s movement towards the equator from the Tropic of Capricorn, is celebrated as Makar Sankranti in the north. The harvest festivals - Sankranti in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, Paush Sakranti in West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Bhogali Bihu in Assam, coinciding with it - were also celebrated with fervour and excitement, bringing together families, friends and relatives.

A range of food items like undhiyu, jalebis, laddoos and chikki were prepared in homes and feasted upon by the revellers.

However, the highlight of the festival in Gujarat was the flying of kites, which starts around a week before the main day.

State Tourism Secretary Vipul Mitra said in Ahmedabad: “Uttarayan is celebrated across the state, cutting across all barriers of castes and creed. In Ahmedabad, the population is around six million, and the number of kites in the sky on this day will be at least four million!”

Special kite markets which spurt up across the city a good two weeks before the festival do brisk business on the occasion. Selling a range of kites - of different sizes and colours - the markets see kite makers from across the country like Delhi and Madhya Pradesh come here during the festival.

Cashing in on the popularity of the festival and using it to promote the state’s tourism, the Gujarat government started celebrating the international kite festival Jan 10-14 every year. This year it was the 20th edition of the festival.