Today was a kite-flying holiday all over India, celebrating the harvest and the first festival of the new year. Although not typically done among Indian Christians, we decided to indulge a bit in this experience ourselves with the help of some friends....
Seconds after the last photo was taken, a neighbor's kite swooped from behind and cut "A"'s string, sending her kite floating aimlessly to be somebody's new-found prize. Needless to say, "A" was quite distraught by this. However, this "kite-fighting" activity (known as "patang") is a totally expected and welcomed part of these festivals. Dozens of kites dotted the sky in our neighborhood, many flown from housetops by young and old, all vying to bring each other down using a special glass-covered string. "Cut" kites would litter the roads, yards, treetops, power lines, etc. This YouTube video and the earlier video captures what's involved in this annual festivity better than any video/photo I took on my own.
