Colour, fun, soaring high

By Kishani Samaraweera

As the winds of the South West Monsoon blow across our island, the month of August is known as ‘The Season’ for kite flying. It is probably the favourite month of both kite enthusiasts and kite sellers. Several kite festivals are being held annually in the country and thousands of kite lovers participate with great enthusiasm. Named as a leisure activity, kite flying is not limited to any age limit. It is in fact a part of everyday life.

Origins

It is believed that the kites were invented in China roughly 2,800 years ago. Initially they have used silk material and bamboo which is resilient, to build the frame since they were readily available. The first kites were of the shape of a rectangular. They were flat and decorated with mythological motifs and legendary figures. Around the world, kite festivals are a tradition especially in India and in European countries like Greece and Cyprus. In Sri Lanka also several kite festivals and events are being held all around the island, usually during the month of August.

Varieties and prices

The colourful kites are in different shapes. Each and every kite is unique in colour, designs, and size. Some are massive. They are in the shape of dragons, snakes, butterflies and all types of animals and birds priced from Rs.150 upwards. One particularly interesting one that caught my eye was of a sheep. (It won’t be long before somebody makes one of a flying human!)

Some kites are imported ones, which are made out of clothes with different designs and the others are simple, handmade kites. The price range is from Rs. 150 to 500. The designs of the kites and the techniques have evolved with the time. Now they have kites which are more modern and has LED lights fixed to it.

“We prepare kites with LED light only when we get orders and it usually costs Rs.700. We make those with tissue paper (oiled paper) and bamboo which are traditional materials”, says Ganga, who has been selling kites and other items at the Galle Face Green for over 15 years.

Explaining that not every day is profitable, she admitted that during the month of August, they can earn up to Rs.10, 000 per day. According to Ganga they also get a fairly good income during Vesak and school holidays as well.

Ideal sites

By this time of the year, harvesting is done and the paddy fields make ideal places for flying kites. Also perfect wind condition for kite flying is found in August. Especially since it is the school vacation, a lot of school kids are busy making kites and competing with each others’ kites. In some areas they organize small competitions as well.

In Colombo, the most popular and ideal site to fly kites is the Galle Face Green. After the sun goes down, the sky above Galle Face is filled with colourful kites. Given the spacious setting, it has become a paradise for the kite lovers. Thousands of kites flying up in the skies of The Galle Face Green are a very common sight in any day of the week. It does not necessarily have to be “The Season.”

Kite Festivals

The first ever National Kite Festival was held in 2009 in Negombo and the next was held in 2010 in Matara. Kite festivals give opportunity for kite enthusiasts and also for international competitors.

These festivals aims to provide a platform for thousands of local and foreign kite lovers from all age groups, ethnicities and economic backgrounds to enjoy kite flying. The organisers of kite festivals too have actively participated in a number of international kite festivals.

The festivals, especially The National Kite Festival is established to popularize kite-flying as a sport and they also intend promote Sri Lankan culture, arts, traditions and national heredity.

Safety

There are certain safety issues when it comes to kite-flying. The strings can tangle on electrical power lines. Recently a 14-year-old student died after getting electrocuted when the kite he was flying with copper fiber-mixed-string came into contact with a high voltage electrical cable.

Also kites with a large surface area or powerful lift can pull kite-fliers off the ground or drag them into other objects. Wet kite lines are also dangerous since those can result in electrocuting the kite-flier, especially in adverse weather conditions such as lightening and in stormy weather.