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kite festival
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Gujarat, IndiaUttarayan is a major festival celebrated across the different regions and states of India by names such as Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Uttarayan to mark the conclusion of long winter nights and cold breezes. Uttarayan festival is celebrated extensively in the state of Gujarat; the sky becomes a colorful canvas painted the different hues of rainbow by the numerous kites that fly high in the sky. Various kites can be seen lingering in the sky, playing hide and seek with one another, hiding behind clouds adding an animation to the skies that lights up the atmosphere with the swift wind of summery happiness, marking a uniquely celebrated geographical change in the form of Kite Festival, Gujarat.
Gujarat witnesses a closure of all business and people ascend from the monotonous ground life to the rooftops and collectively indulge in flying kites as if to give wings to their own mortal bodies. The Kite Festival, Gujarat essentially, a shift in the movement of the earth is celebrated with the gusto and vigor that leaves the minds and health of everyone across the state in a happy frenzy quite indescribable in simple words. The skies are adorned with innumerable kites since before the daylight strikes the sky, till after dusk. Kites of different sizes, shapes, patterns and colors are flown and a fun filled competition of cutting the strings of other nearby kites is a tradition that invokes the child inside of every person.
Children and elders are all excited alike to celebrate the festival of Uttarayan in the special Gujarati style. The state awakens to a highly energized spirit that enlivens all things living and adds exhilaration to them. The locals of the state are invigorated with the zeal of the festival and the Kite Festival, Gujarat is celebrated in a joyous and high spirited environment. The major places that see festivities of the Kite Festival, Gujarat are Surat, Vadodara, Rjkot, Nadiad and most importantly the city of Ahmedabad that conducts the International Kite Festival annually.
The Kite Festival, Gujarat has for decades retained its feelings of joy and delight. The bliss and exultation that natives of Gujarat feel, while indulging in the friendly competition of kite flying cannot be bargained for, and has a important place in the list of celebrations that accompany the festival of Uttarayan. For people of all ages this is the time to let loose the child inside and revel in the simple joys of life. The beauteous skies, happy faces and homes lighted with radiance of togetherness and rejoicing are the features that make The Kite Festival, Gujarat such a pleasant occurrence.
Ahmedabad the capital city of Gujarat has witnessed an ever growing International Kite Festival since its inception in the year 1989. The annual festival is part of the official Uttarayan celebrations that make for a splendid view in the sky. The yearly fest conducted in the city of Ahmedabad is a celebration like no other. The streets of Ahmedabad can be seen full of kite since the month of November and the kite suppliers begin preparing for the festival a month or two in advance. Patang Bazaar a market in the old city of Ahmedabad deals specifically in the production and selling of numerous kites of good quality. Preceding the huge international kite festival the market is open 24/7 for the people to stock up on different styles of kites made for the purpose of the special festival.
The International Kite flying festivities call upon famous many famous kite flying masters from the different parts of the world. The numerous talented kite- makers and flyers all assemble in the city of Ahmedabad for the International Kite festival and attract huge crowds by the display of uniquely created kites and make various demonstrations for people with their distinct kites and create an atmosphere of awe. Highly unusual kites, representing the individual styles of the participating nations lure the public and garner interest of the general masses.
The Ahmedabad International Kite Festival has seen an increase in the participation of other nations every year, with Malaysia bringing in wau- baling kites, llayang- llayanghave kites specific to Indonesia, the kite flyers from USA bring huge banner kites, Japanese rokkakukites, Italian sculptural kites, World- famous Chinese dragon kites are among the others that make for an array of interesting, shapes and colors in the sky. A special feature of the festival is the train kite comprising of almost 500 kites on a single string flown across the sky by the great master kite flyer Rasulbhai Rahimbhai of Ahmedabad famed for his unusual kite making and flying technique.
While the beginning of the summer days is marked by festivals celebrated across the nation with different names the feeling of joy, happiness and unity remains same. Uttarayan is rigorously celebrated in all parts of the world with great spirit and feeling but the Kite Festival, Gujarat remains unparalleled in terms of exuberance, animation and grandeur.
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