Spirit to fly blind at Uttarayan

“People around me say the sky is blue and kites make it colourful on Uttarayan. But for me the sky is always black as I cannot figure out anything but a vast expanse of darkness—” said Ramesh Sodha,a student of Blind People’s Association. He will take part in India’s first kite flying competition for the blind at the forthcoming International Kite Festival beginning January 10 in Ahmedabad.

Sodha (17) had run away from his Kapadvanj (Kheda) home for better education about a month ago. He can fly kites a bit and will undergo training along with others under the guidance of Pavan Solanki,who has been to several kite festivals abroad. Vira Shankarbhai Damor (19) from Mulkhakhra in Panchmahals is another BPA inmate who will fly kites at the festival. Damor said the movement of the string tells him which way the kite is going. “When I feel some weight on the string,I realise someone is trying to cut my kite. If it becomes very light,I know I have lost it. And if the weight becomes normal,I know I have won,” said Damor.

Rakesh Gohil ( 22) of Ambareli village near Dholka could see with one eye till he was 17,after which he lost it. His favourite colour is blue,of which he only has memories. “There is no joy like chasing and catching a kite. But those days are gone. Now I can catch a kite only if its string falls on me,”he said.

State tourism officials hope the event will be a big crowd-puller. Bhushan Punani,BPA Director,said the competition will be a major confidence booster for these differently-abled children.