International kite festival kickstarts in Ahmedabad after an hiatus of two years

Erez Somech, 46, from Israel who was waiting for proper wind to fly his 25-inch kites, said, “We have more than 50 handmade kites… I was here for the kite festival in 2016 as well. However, this time it is hard as there is no wind.” Somech said that in his country, people fly kites, but there is no traditional festival or state-sponsored festival.

For Elena Styleva, 35, from Russia, this was her first time at a kite festival. “In Russia we fly kites during summers and springs, but there is no traditional festival as such… Our group goes to different places and many of them have been here earlier…,” said Styleva, holding her white delta kite, which was about six feet in size.

“Kite is a symbol of progress, development and flight. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat’s kite of development is achieving new heights. The local festival of Gujarat has become an international attraction. With 53 countries and 14 states participating in the event, all the previous records are going to break,” said the CM who inaugurated the festival along with Tourism Minister Mulu Bera.

Patel added that the annual turnover of kite manufacturing in Gujarat has increased from Rs 10 crore to Rs 625 crore in two decades, providing employment to 1.30 lakh people. “This is the first time that India is presiding over the G20 countries, and Gujarat will hold at least 15 such meetings,” he said.

Ambassadors from several countries were also seen trying their hands at flying kites. Ambassador of Syria Arab Republic Dr, Basaam Seifeddin Alkhatib, said, “We have sent 400 of our students to Gujarat to study. We expect Syria to be at such an event next year.”

The event also had participants from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Palestine, Oman, Iraq, Lebanon and Tunisia. Dr Mazin Al-Masoudi, head of the League of Arab States Mission, hoped for a full participation of all the Arab league nations next year. “I have not seen such a large event before, though I have attended one in the Netherlands. But such events are a good platform for cultural exchange,” said Al- Masoudi.

“Egypt has a tradition of kite flying, especially during the springs, and we make hexagonal kites,” said Meram Amira, 22, one of the first-time participants from Egypt. She added that Indian kites are known in her country and are popular at the beaches.

Spain also has kite-flying traditions, especially in the Gandia hosted by the Valencian community during Easter and springs, according to Pascual Perez, 65, who represents Milotxes Club of Spain kitists. “The kites are made of different shapes… The one we have here has elephants printed on it. They are quite different from the Indian kites that are small and made of paper,” said Perez.

While Mexico also has traditional kite-flying festivals, they are mostly celerbated by the Chinese population there, said Oscar Huerta, 46, a Mexican kitist who was on his first visit to India. “It is more of their tradition in Mexico. The kites are rectangular in shape and made of nylon,” he said.

There were countries such as Canada with no tradition of kite flying. “The only kite festival I have attended was in Washington DC in the USA. But this is the first time I am seeing a festival at such a large scale. I have got two kites, which I got as a gift from the last festival I attended in the USA. These are very different from the ones in India,” said Canadian kitist Robert Gillcash, 65.