Makar Sankranti 2023: Ahmedabad's Kite Museum takes you back in time

The world's first kite on record was rectangular, and was flown in the second century B.C. in China. (Representational image: Agnieszka Ziomek via Unsplash)

Growing up in Hyderabad, one of the indelible memories of January has always been of seeing endless kites in the sky and how the fliers would compete to cut each other’s manja - the strong thread that allows the kite to scale such heights and still remain obedient to the skillful flier's wristy movements. With time, I saw fewer and fewer kites and it was not until a recent trip to Ahmedabad that these memories came rushing back as I visited the unique kite museum.

(Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

History Beckons

The museum is located on the ground floor of Sankar Kendra, a cultural centre on Bhattacharya Road, in a building dating back to 1954 and designed by Le Corbusier. The layout is simple, and as you enter here, it is the sheer volume of infographics that is bound to blow your mind.

Started with 125 exhibits in 1986, the kite museum was conceptualised after Bhanu Shah, an avid kite collector, donated his entire collection to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, and there have been many additions from then on.

Chronicling the history of kites from 200 BC, there is an infographic that shows how Benjamin Franklin showed that lightning is electricity by flying a kite through a thunderstorm in 1752 and how kite-flying led the Wright brothers to make the first plane in 1902.

The trivia here is interesting too. For instance, did you know that in India, efforts were made at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, to harness wind energy through kites? The project was sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology and the Institute tried to create a model which uses kites to generate electricity, grind grain and pump water.

Another interesting fact: the largest kite in the world, from Japan, is 20 meters in diameter, weighs 2,550 kg and was made with 3,000 sheets of Japanese paper.

(Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

Might of Kite

As you walk around this small but unique museum, you will be intrigued to know that kite flying is not just a tradition in India but also in other countries.

The first kite was rectangular and was flown in the second century B.C. in China.

Incidentally, the Japanese believed that the cord of a kite connects earth with heaven, and kites were linked with religious ceremonies and beliefs. In fact, they have a 'Yako' kite in the kitchen to be safe from fire.

Kite-flying was a form of prayer, especially when the fishermen wanted a good catch. On the other hand, the 'Tongari' kites were flown for a child's growth and development. The square and light Nagasaki Hata kite is a fighter kite that has excellent maneuverability.

(Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

Kites Galore

There is an extensive collection of all kinds of kites here, including the paper, bamboo, cotton, and nylon used to make them.

Do not miss the kites that have mirror work; Rokoku, the hexagonal Japanese kites, and block print kites.

There are also kites with geometric patterns as well as one with an image of Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. There are a variety of colourful kites that line the walls on either side of a large hallway displayed thematically.

There are kites with flowers, buildings, human figures, birds and more and along with a display in English, there is also text in Gujarati. There are 18 displays across the museum. along with the kites.

Exhibits like charts, sketches, drawings, and photographs, many of them in black and white are on display here. All the documentation has been done by Shah himself, who has painstakingly researched kites and all references to kites to put this museum together.

(Photo by Klara Kulikova via Unsplash)

Incidentally, kite-flying is part of the festival of Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti. Ahmedabad also hosts an annual International Kite Festival when kites are procured from places like Kalupur, Jamalpur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Agra, Mathura, Rampur, Bareilly, and Lucknow.

There are vendors who come from these cities to sell kites during the festival. The kite museum is the only one in India and is sure to take you down a very nostalgic trip down memory lane - do not miss it the next time you are in Ahmedabad.