Kite flying has a fascinating history. Perhaps it takes its origin from man’ s inherent longing to fly. The interesting history of kite flying is depicted in the Kite Museum of Ahmedabad.

According to history, the first ever kite was flown in 200 BC by Huen Tsang of China to frighten the army of the Han dynasty. From 100 BC to AD 500, kites were used for sending signals and to measure the distance of enemy camps. In AD 930, the Japanese started referring to kites as ‘Shiroshi’ meaning ‘paper bird’ for the first time. Between AD 960 and AD 1126, kite flying became a popular sport in China. The Chinese believed that if kites were flown on the ninth day of the ninth month it could ward off evil.

In Indian literature, kites were mentioned for the first time in the work Madhumati by Manzan, and were called ‘patang’ which is the word still used today. It was in 1989 that the idea of a kite festival came into being in Ahmedabad and it was called the International Kite Festival. Participants from all over the world were invited to competitions and displays of kites and kite flying skills. A special Patang Nagar was created for the three-day festival with bazaars displaying kites in all possible shapes, sizes and colors. Craftsmen demonstrate the skills of traditional kite making.



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