Uttarayan Festival in Gujarat is observed on the Makar Sankranti and Pongal day. Uttarayan Festival date is January 14. Vaasi Uttarayan is on January 15. The word Uttarayan comes from the two different Sanskrit words ‘Uttar’ (North) and ‘ayan’ (movement towards). Thus it celebrates the northern movement of sun – the arrival of spring and the end of the winter. Today, Uttarayan festival in Gujarat is more popular as kite flying festival and the skies during the period are dotted with thousands of colorful kites. |
| |
Uttarayan is a two-day festival in Gujarat and an international Kite festival is held during the period in Ahmedabad. Kite flying enthusiasts from different parts of the world arrive at Ahmedabad to take part in the international competition. The festival has become so popular that there is an entire market named after kites – Patang Bazaar in Ahmedabad. |
| |
Grains from the new harvest are used to cook a dish known as ‘khichdo.’ Another important ritual is the exchanging of mixture of sesame seed and jaggery by friends, relatives and neighbors. The exchange of sesame and jaggery symbolically suggests people to forget and forgive all past ill will and fights and to start afresh on Uttarayan. |
| |
| Special sweets and delicacies like laddoos, undhyu, Tal-sankadi, chiki, surati jamun are prepared during the festival. |
| |
Uttarayan is essentially nature worship and Surya or Sun God is worshipped on the day. Cows, ox and other domesticated animals are also given a bath and fed sweets and fresh grass. Special pujas are done for the well being of domesticated animals and plants as man’s existence depends on them. |
| |
But how kite flying got attached to the Uttarayan festival is a mystery. Kite flying is part of Uttarayan festival for more than 1000 years. The kites are believed to have arrived in Gujarat through Muslim traders. |
| |
The International Kite Festival |
Every year, the extraordinary fanfare associated with the paper works of art called kite brings people together from far and wide - be it from Japan, Australia, Malaysia, USA, Brazil, Canada and European Countries - to participate in the International Kite Festival. |
| |
| Some Specially Designed Kites |
|
| |
|
| |
| Material Required |
| |
| Plain White kite , Paper Ribbons , Kite papers of various colours, Plain thread, Gum stick, Scissors |
| |
| How to cut paper in simple, safer and quickest way ? |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Put kite Paper on floor |
Fold paper in desired size and press |
Open the paper and put thread on it |
Fold it again |
|
| |
 |
 |
| Hold the loose ends of papers and pull the thread from both ends |
Isn't it fast, safe, and simple ? |
|
| |
| Now go step-by-step |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Paste desired coloures |
Fold paper from end |
Leave some space intact |
Cut till folded part |
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Release it |
Repeat on other side |
This has four tails... |
And it goes up to the sky... |
|
| |
| Sample 1 : |
 |
 |
 |
| Another design |
Put a tail and go... |
See, how it's moving in the sky. |
|
| |
| Sample 2 : |
 |
 |
 |
| One more design |
WowwwWWW |
Now it's in the sky. |
|
| |
| Sample 3 : |
|
