International Kite Day

They're pretty, they're colourful, and they flutter and float in the air….what could they be? Well, they are kites, of course! Who could imagine a better way to spend time than with a variety of other people, every person with his or her own beautifully decorated kite? For those people who are avid fans of such happy, vibrant occasions, International Kite Day is not a holiday they will want to miss.

Kite flying in India seems to be more recent, happening approximately 500 years ago as recorded in paintings from the Mogul Period. One theme related to this period was the use of a kite for a young man to drop messages to the young woman he loved who was being held in seclusion away from him.

Many people aren't aware of the fact that International Kite Day originated in India, in the state of Gujarat, which is famous for the amount of festivals taking place there every year. The inhabitants of Gujarat begin manufacturing the kites months in advance so they can be sure to have enough, as millions of people visit Gujarat during it.

The kite festival, called Uttarayan in Hindi, celebrates the day that winter ends and summer begins, as well as the upcoming harvest season. In addition, the kites are meant to symbolise the spirits of the gods that are awaking from their deep winter sleep.

In the past, kite-flying in India had been a sport practiced by royalty and the very wealthy, but in more recent years it has become a festival for all the people who come from all over the country (and even the world!) to take part in. This might include people from Japan, Italy, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, the USA, Malaysia, Singapore, France, and China.