Kites, bonfires, music add to Lohri spirits

The bright sunny day brought smiles to the faces of lakhs as the festival of kites—Lohri—was celebrated across the city. Loud music, a variety of eatables, colourful kites, and friends getting together was how the festival was celebrated. The most happening places, as always, remained in the interior parts of the city, including Daresi, Field Ganj, near CMM hospital, Khud Mohalla etc. A visit to these areas revealed how enthusiastic residents were about the festivities.

Gurishwar Singh Malhotra, residing near Magnet Resorts, said the family had a house in the city where each year, their friends were invited to enjoy the festival. “We have arranged for music, eatables etc. The vibe in the city area is different, and everyone enjoys being a part of this festival,” said Malhotra.

Another resident, Pratham, said he had gone to Canada but these festivals were always missed there. With the echoes of kite lovers shouting “Bo Kaata,” taking over, different types of kites were seen soaring. A resident said he had spent Rs 10,000 on buying kites and string. “We wait for the festival, and money hardly matters when enjoyment with family and friends is concerned,” he said.

Meanwhile, at Daresi grounds, hundreds of people were seen flying kites. The residents said since they lived in narrow streets and houses and it was not possible to fly kites at their homes, they turned here to keep up the spirit of the festival.

Although it wasn’t all bright, as despite the ban, kite lovers were seen using the banned Chinese string. These strings were scattered across the city, and residents found it hard to move about due to the scattered string.

Children put their lives in danger to ‘loot’ the maximum kites. On the overbridge near Pavilion Mall, kids were seen climbing on side berms to get kites. Residents lit ceremonial bonfires in the evening to warm their hearts and the city.