Baansera Park Provides Perfect Setting for Delhi's Kite Festival
New Delhi witnessed a vibrant celebration of kite culture this weekend. Baansera Park in Sarai Kale Khan served as the ideal venue for the city's three-day kite festival, which began on Friday. The park's collection of nearly 30,000 bamboo plants created a meaningful connection to the event, since bamboo remains essential for crafting traditional kites.
International Artists Fill the Sky with Color
The festival's third edition brought together twenty-eight kite artists from multiple countries. Participants traveled from India, Nigeria, Syria, Zimbabwe, Congo and several other nations. Even before the official inauguration, the sky above the park displayed large, colorful kites in various shapes and designs. Many artists personally handcrafted their kites using different fabrics, adding unique artistic touches.
Bright sunshine and the park's expansive green spaces attracted substantial crowds throughout the day. Visitors enjoyed watching the skilled artists demonstrate their kite-flying techniques against the clear blue sky.
Government Leaders Emphasize Cultural Significance
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the festival with enthusiastic remarks. He stressed the importance of expanding the event's scale and proposed forming a special committee. This committee would include Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena as members, focusing on increasing participation and popularity.
"Let Delhi become the centre for promoting kite festivals," Shah declared during his address. He recalled historical moments when kites carried political messages during India's freedom movement, specifically mentioning the "Simon Go Back" protest on Makar Sankranti.
Shah also referenced the recent Somnath Swabhiman Parv, noting how the temple survived multiple attacks over centuries. "The strength of those who build is far greater than those who destroy," he emphasized, drawing parallels to cultural preservation.
Gujarat's Kite Industry Success Story
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena shared insights about kite industry development in Gujarat. He explained how former Chief Minister Narendra Modi's promotion transformed the sector. The industry expanded from approximately 10-20 crore rupees to nearly 600 crore rupees under focused initiatives.
"About 1.5 lakh artists are associated with kite-making in Gujarat, with seventy percent being women," Saxena revealed. "Today, sixty-five percent of India's kites are manufactured in Gujarat."
Recalling his tenure as chairman of Khadi Industries, Saxena described an initiative to plant 10,000 bamboo trees along the Narmada River. These trees have now grown to around thirty feet tall and will soon provide raw material for kite structures. He expressed plans to replicate this successful model in Delhi using bamboo grown at Baansera Park.
Artists Share Their Passion and Experiences
Syrian kite artist Jamal Ismail flew a spectacular rainbow-colored kite during the festival. "I loved flying kites since childhood," he shared enthusiastically. "I hope to see more participants and even a kite fight in future editions." Ismail immediately accepted his invitation after receiving it through a kite-flying community.
Nigerian artist Kelvin Marcus focused intently on sending his kite to maximum height. "Despite receiving the invitation at the last moment, I managed to complete all preparations, including making my kites," he explained while carefully managing his kite string.
Stalls Showcase Artistic and Historical Elements
The festival featured numerous stalls selling designer kites, strings and related materials. One particularly eye-catching stall displayed giant kites measuring up to six feet long. These kites depicted faces of popular Bollywood stars from the 1980s and 1990s, including Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai and Divya Bharti.
Javed Ahmed, who operates the stall from the Jama Masjid area, explained that his late father created these artistic kites. "Though we are in the jewellery business, kite-making and flying was his passion," Ahmed revealed emotionally.
His brother Jamaluddin recalled a memorable incident involving one of their father's kites featuring actress Madhuri Dixit. A French artist noticed the kite at the Craft Museum in Pragati Maidan and received it as a gift. Though not originally for sale, the kite eventually found a place in a museum abroad.
A special corridor at the venue educated visitors about kite origins and how the tradition traveled to India. This historical display added educational value to the festive atmosphere.
Cultural Performances and Food Festival Enhance Experience
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations organized cultural performances throughout the event. A total of 148 artistes from eight countries across Asia, Africa and Europe participated in these performances, adding international flavor to the celebrations.
Entry to the festival remained free for all visitors until 3 PM daily. A concurrent food festival offered delicacies from different regions, further enriching the visitor experience with diverse culinary options.
The combination of artistic kites, cultural performances and regional foods created a truly immersive celebration of kite-flying traditions in the heart of Delhi.
