The 7th International Kites and Sweets Festival is on in Hyderabad till 15 January.
Published Jan 15, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 15, 2025 | 8:00 AM
Kites are taking over the sky at the International Kite and Sweet Festival this Sankranthi
Kite flying is a cultural symbol of Sankranthi; kite-flying marks celebrations in a special way in Hyderabad.
Whether in the movies or television shows, the sight of people across ages flying kites and attempting to cut the manja of other kites is one way to depict Sankranthi. This year, Hyderabad scaled up that cultural practice.
The 7th Edition of the International Kites and Sweets Festival is ongoing, and massive kites are taking over the sunny blue skies. With cultural shows, great food, and great fervour, the festive season allows spectators to watch as a blue skyscape turns into an ever changing painting.
Bringing together kite flyers from across the world, the occasion offers residents of the city a chance to witness kite flying cultures of Australia and Sri Lanka; there is also a kite enthusiast from Japan, who told South First that kite-flying is not much of a cultural practice in his country.
Sandesh Kaddi with his diamond train kite.
“My grandmother told me that I flew my first kite when I was three,” Sandesh Kaddi recalled. An industrialist from Belgaum, he has been a serious kite flyer since 2011.
“Since I began seriously, I’ve had the opportunity to travel across the country. This is my fourth time at the Hyderabad festival,” he told South First.
Sandesh made his kite, researching the materials and the shape. “It took me two weeks to make. Yet, it’s been covered in the media for the last four years,” he joked.
At 52, he is a part of a kite flyers club by the name ‘High Flyers’.
“Youngsters are often reluctant to pick up kite flying. I’ve noticed the kids are eager to learn,” he noted. He deems it his responsibility to keep the culture alive.
At the festival, there are multiple stalls in a closed section for those participating in the Kite Festival.
Vicky with the Bluey and Bingo kites.
Each stall is for a different participant country. Australia and Canada are represented, alongside European countries like Italy and Poland.
There were numerous Asian countries — Sri Lanka, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia, for instance.
“I’ve rarely had to pay for my trips across the world. I have kite flyer friends there, or the organisers arrange it,” Jo Baker said.
A resident of Melbourne, Australia, she’s been flying kites for the last 35 years.
“I had to pick up kite flying in six weeks when a person on my husband’s team fell ill. I debuted as an amateur and we placed fourth in Australia,” she recounted.
Vicky Baker, Jo’s 63-year-old husband, learned to fly kites from his father.
“We started an organisation called Kites 4 Kids. Jo and I thought we already fly kites at festivals, so why not teach kids in Australia as well,” he said. This year, Vicky and Jo are flying a special kite, Bluey and Bingo, two popular characters from the hit cartoon show Bluey.
They made the kite along with their 31-year-old son.
“He prepares the material and cuts it while Vicky and I stitched it together,” Jo reported.
Just like Sandesh and his team, the Baker family also spent two weeks making the kite. “This year marks Bingo’s first flight worldwide,” she said gleefully.
Akio Takeda is a 53-year-old from Tokyo. “This is my second time in Hyderabad, third time in India for a kite festival,” he said.
Akio Takeda and his Samurai kite.
“I’ve been to Ahmedabad once as well,” he said, adding that he liked Hyderabad better.
“It is so much fun to come here and fly kites with all these people around the world. It is equally interesting to learn about the kite-flying culture in India,” he said.
Akio took over kite flying from his now 83-year-old father. “He taught me how to fly it. We traditionally fly kites at New Year’s,” he said.
This year, Akio is flying a Samurai kite and a Geisha kite.
“Apart from the dyeing of the cloth, I made the entire kite from scratch. It took me two whole months to complete it. “Unlike India, Japan doesn’t have a kite-fighting culture,” he said.
The 7th International Kites and Sweets Festival is on in Hyderabad until Wednesday, 15 January.
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas).
