NEW DELHI: In the congested lanes of Old Delhi’s Lal Quan Bazar, the eve of August 15 brings a familiar transformation. Shops that otherwise sell hardware and everyday goods suddenly fill with colour. Stacks of kites spill onto counters, bundles of thread hang from walls, and shopkeepers dust off names such as Sitara, Pari, Chap, Alpha, Patial, Tukkal, Delta, Golfarma, Tiranga and Rangeela.
For a few weeks, the old kite trade gets a second wind.
Lal Quan has more than 50 shops selling kites during the Independence Day season. Many are temporary stalls set up by traders who turn their regular businesses into seasonal kite shops for 12 to 15 days.
Today, that tradition is shrinking. But with Independence Day just a day away, nostalgia has brought it briefly back to life. At the market, a kite can cost as little as `1 or go up to ` 700, depending on its size, design and customisation.
The smallest kites are known as Manjoli, while medium-sized ones are called Poni or Adhi. The large, circular Golfarma is among the biggest varieties. Amritsari Tawa kites, brought from Punjab, are also popular, with the six-Tawa kite particularly sought after.
There are star-shaped kites, fish-cut designs priced around `80 and giant seven-foot kites costing up to `700. Newer arrivals include foldable Delta kites and a novelty called Naag, with snake-like extensions.
Among those witnessing the seasonal rush is 13-year-old Arnan Khan, a caretaker at one of the kite shops. His fingers, already bandaged from handling kite thread, are a reminder of how closely the younger generation remains involved.
“Another day is left for Independence Day, and a lot of people are coming and buying kites almost every half an hour. They are buying kites in bulk. There are some old-time customers who are sending kites to other states as well,” he said.
But behind the seasonal bustle is a sobering reality.
At Bishan Chand and Sons, one of the market’s oldest kite shops, owner Himanshu Gupta said sales have fallen sharply.
“In the past five years, the sales of kites have gone down by 60 per cent,” he said. There was a time when the shop remained packed throughout the day and night. Now, the craze is largely restricted to old-timers, families that have preserved the tradition and children who grew up watching kites from their rooftops. “Now children have mobiles in their hands, then houses now don’t have terraces,” he added.
At Haji Kite House, 72-year-old Mohammad Khalid has watched the trade change over decades. “The sale is not that good now. We still manage,” Khalid said.
His son, Ahmad, fears the profession itself may eventually disappear. “We may not continue with this profession in some years because this hobby of kite flying alone will phase completely,” he added.
At Punjabi Enterprises, owner Abul Ala, 52, said the shop keeps hundreds of varieties. His family also manufactures charkhis, sourcing plastic from Azad Market, iron from Jafrabad and rods from Badarpur.
For him, the trade may have slowed, but it has not disappeared. “Though the sale of the kites has gone down in general, there are still some old-timers who have kept this hobby alive. One doctor came from GK yesterday to buy 25 kites for Independence Day. He has some club and he organises kite flying. Similarly, many such people still come and buy kites,” he added.
The market is busiest now, with families and enthusiasts arriving to stock up for celebrations.
Kite can cost as little as `1 or go up to `700 in market
Today, that tradition is shrinking. But with Independence Day just a day away, nostalgia has brought it briefly back to life. At the market, a kite can cost as little as `1 or go up to ` 700, depending on its size, design and customisation. The smallest kites are known as Manjoli, while medium-sized ones are called Poni or Adhi. The large, circular Golfarma is among the biggest varieties. Amritsari Tawa kites, brought from Punjab, are also popular, with the six-Tawa kite sought after.