City markets flooded with colourful kites

Tribune News Service
Bathinda, January 15

City markets are flooded with kites of different shapes, sizes and colours ahead of Basant Panchmi.

Though kites of different shapes, presenting characters such as Doraemon, Angry Birds, Mickey Mouse and Bollywood stars are available, the new trend which is attracting youths and children is kites having WhatsApp emoticons and those designed with birds or eagle shapes.

On an average, a kite can be purchased for Rs 10. However, kites up to Rs 200 and more are also available in the market.

Even Chinese kites have taken the market by storm. Colourful kites in the shapes of eagle, dragon, butterfly, birds, fish and beetles can be seen flying in the sky these days.

Subhash, owner of a shop, said, “The trend of buying kites has survived through this age of electronic gadgets. The craze of flying kites will always be there. Earlier, these were available for Rs 5, but now cost Rs 10 per unit. The only thing that has affected the kite sale is the Chinese string as due to this, parents don’t encourage children to fly kites.”

Another new trend for the season is miniature plastic kites, especially designed for children.

“This year, these miniature kites available in sizes ranging from six inches to 1.5 ft by 1.5 ft are selling big. Being supplied from Jaipur, these kites come in different shapes of popular cartoon characters and leaders like Obama and Narendra Modi,” said Sanjiv Kumar, a kite seller.

Another kite seller Manish Kumar said, “We have kites in different shapes and sizes ranging from Rs 90 to Rs 160 per 20 kites. Colourful kites in the shapes of eagle, dragon, butterfly, birds, fish and beetles can be seen flying in the sky these days. Likewise, we have ‘manjhas’ varying from Rs 350 to Rs 400 for 3,000 metre and Rs 600 to Rs 750 for 6,000 metre.”

New trend

• Though kites of different shapes, presenting characters such as Doraemon, Angry Birds, Mickey Mouse and Bollywood stars are available, the new trend which is attracting youths and children is kites having WhatsApp emoticons and those designed with bird or eagle shapes.