Kite festival, unites all communities in Gujarat

Uttarayan, the famous kite festival of Gujarat that turns the sky full of colourful kites in Ahmedabad, also serves as chord of communal harmony in Gujarat.

By Ami Sharma

Ahmedabad, Jan.3 : Uttarayan, the famous kite festival of Gujarat that turns the sky full of colourful kites in Ahmedabad, also serves as chord of communal harmony in Gujarat.

Though the State always leads the country in celebrating every traditional festival in an attractive way, the Gujaratis maintain that Uttarayan strengthens communal harmony the best.

In the Jamalpur Kite market in Ahmedabad, Muslim craftsmen have been catering to the needs of Uttarayan festival celebrated by Hindus.

Umar Bhai, a Muslim kite maker, having spent over 35 years in this trade, takes pride in being a part of the 'Uttarayan' festival.

"Uttarayan is a festival of communal harmony. We feel proud that we do make kites for our Hindu friends and brothers. Here, every Kitemaker is a Muslim. Our buyers are Hindus. There is a great deal of love and affection among us," said Umar Bhai.

Kite lovers have already started flocking to the markets. Most of the buyers feel that Muslim kite makers are more creative and innovative. For that reason, they prefer kites made by them.

"Gujarat has seen worst communal riots but we don't feel that it has affected the communal harmony. Perhaps we feel that we are more connected with each other. We are fond of festivals. I feel that 'Uttarayan' is a symbol of communal harmony in our State. All of us celebrate it with a great fervour," said Falgun Joshi, a Kite buyer.

The Kite festival also coincides with 'Makar Sakranti' falling on January 14th.

On this day, Gujarat skies would be dotted with innumerable colourful kites of various shapes and sizes.

The Kite fliers throng to the roof terraces and open spaces amidst of loud music and festive fervour.

ANI