A season of patangbazi and jalebis

However,Yusuf Mian,a shopkeeper at Lal Kuan,the main kite market in the city,doesn’t agree. “No one has time for traditional sports—be it patangbazi or kabootarbazi. The younger generation has other avenues of entertainment. Besides,there are now Chinese kites available in the market,some of which are more colourful and cheaper than our kites and claim to fly even if there’s no wind.”

Mahendra counters,“The Chinese ones are not half as good as ours,they can’t fight. They only serve decorative purpose.”

Rain may be playing spoilsport this year,nevertheless,the friendly matches of patangbazi continue in Daryaganj,at least among few neighbours,throughout the month of Sravan. The Mathur family is one of the enthusiasts. “We buy kites in bulk. Ours is a joint family, Saturday and Sunday afternoons are entirely devoted to kite-flying. I just hope that there’s no rain on August 15,as I have invited friends for a jalebi and kite-flying party,” says Nilesh Mathur,a bank executive,adding that while he has bought tricolour kites especially for the Independence Day,the younger generation prefers Spiderman and Batman kites.

Yusuf,however,says the most popular ones are Munni and Sheila kites. “Last year,Dhoni kites were very popular,but with the team losing matches in England,they have no takers,” he says.

The Delhi government is organising a kite-flying festival on India Gate lawns on August 25. “But that’s hardly enough to rejuvenate the dying art of kite-making and flying,” says Yusuf.

Despite the city having nearly 300 informal and formal kite-flying clubs,mostly in Old Delhi and trans-Yamuna areas,the number of matches has come down. “There’s no prize money,but then those with a passion for patangbazi don’t mind,” says Mahendra who had won the All India championship in Gwalior in 1998.

—Alokparna Das