Modi-Yogi kites dot UP skies on 'Jamghat'

Lucknow: With elections in the air, it is only natural that festivals are also getting into the political mood.

'Jamghat' – celebrated a day after Diwali, when kites are flown as per tradition –kites with pictures of various leaders and symbols of political parties dotted the sky on Monday.

Thousands of men, youths and children could be seen flying kites in the old city areas where the skyline does not have too many high-rise buildings.

The maximum number of kites could be seen with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Dalit icon Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

Faisal, a kite seller in Khadra area, said, "Since the general elections are round the corner, there is a huge demand for Modi and Yogi kites. Even the children want these kites and this year, there was very little demand for those with cartoons."

"The business we get in this season (October to January) is exponentially more than the rest of the year," he said.

Kites are available in three main sizes, the smallest and most popular being 'majholi', the medium sized being 'adhhi' and the largest, 40 inches in size, being 'Kankaua'.

"The highest demand is for the 'majholi' kind," said Faisal.

"We get around 2000-2,5000 customers at this time and significantly less in the rest of the year."

"Any and everybody will take up a kite and head to the terrace. There would be so many kites you would barely be able to count them, and piles of broken 'manjha' (string) are left lying everywhere. We have the national tournaments in the summer, but Jamghat is for the fun of the tradition," he added.