Kite flyers battle it out despite strong winds

Occasion was the Garden City's fourth Uttarayan Makarsankranti kite festival

Marking the day in the Hindu calendar when winter starts turning to spring and the sun enters into the zodiac sign of Makara (Capricorn), the Uttarayan Makarsankranti kite festival, organised by the city-based social organisation Indian Cultural Group (ICG) last Saturday, saw hundreds of kite flyers engaging in the fierce battle of cutting strings and bringing down each other’s kites

Mr Sandeep Sachdev, President of ICG, said, “While conditions were not ideal for kite-flying, as Canterbury was battered with strong winds throughout the day, we didn't let that dampen our spirits. It was fun overall. Some group brought their own kites and strings, and we also had an on-the-spot sale to ensure everyone got involved. Indian delicacies such as rajma chawal and panipuri were sold, too.”   

Mr Jeet Gadhavi, a member of the Christchurch-based social group Youngistan—formed three years back to promote Gujarati culture in Canterbury—quipped, “As Uttarayan celebrations are big back home, it's nice to be able to recreate that feel here as well. Around 40 of our members participated in kite-flying. And when the winds grew too strong, we switched to the another great Indian passion, cricket.”