While kite festivals are being celebrated, several deaths are being reported from throats slit by barely-visible manja threads strung across roads. After two such deaths within 45 days in Indore, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has banned the sale and use of the razor-sharp ‘Chinese nylon manja’. Accidents have been reported in Karnataka, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, too. Indians have been using manja—a paste of abrasive materials like finely-crushed glass—for centuries. Even the use of nylon threads is decades old. What has changed in recent years is the explosive growth in population and two-wheelers. Charging parents with deadly negligence if nylon manja is used could be a deterrent. Beyond that, let’s enjoy the sight of soaring kites, abandon this silly ‘arms race’ and go back to simple, brittle cotton threads.