The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Chinese kites set to soar this Sankranti

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Sunday, Jan 04, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Chinese kites set to soar this Sankranti

Abhijit Dev Kumar

Shops in the old city stock loads of Chinese kites and ‘Tangoos manja’

Chinese kites are made of nylon parachute cloth ‘Manja’ imported from China and Taiwan in demand

PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

FLYING TIME: Youngsters shop for Chinese manja and kites at Gulzar Houz near Charminar.

HYDERABAD: In less than a fortnight, the skies of the twin cities will be dotted with beautifully designed and colourful kites as it happens every year during ‘Sankranti’. Yet, this time don’t be surprised if most of them are of Chinese make.

A tour of the bustling bylanes of the old city shows shops gearing up for the festival by stocking loads of Chinese kites and ‘Tangoos manja’, an imported manja that has gained popularity since last year. Unlike paper kites, the Chinese ones are made of nylon parachute cloth to withstand strong breeze in open areas.

Priced between Rs. 50 and Rs. 400, they come in various colours, shaped like aeroplanes, fighter jets, birds and superheroes - what not! Unlike paper kites, the frame of the Chinese kites are held by plastic rods and a reel of plastic twine is used to fly them.

Can be preserved

“Such kites can be preserved for a whole year and can be flown anytime. Apart from regular kites, most kite enthusiasts buy these to fly them during the ‘off’ season,” says Akram Khan, a kite vendor at Hussaini Alam.

Moreover, waterproof-plastic kites are what sellers are recommending to buyers. “They are available between Rs. 20 and Rs. 70,” says Mahbub Aziz, a kite-seller at Gulzar Houz.

But this is not all. Here in the flight of kites, fights are an integral part. And for anyone flying his kite, the strength depends not only on his flying prowess, but also the strength of ‘manja’.

The imported ‘manja’ from China and Taiwan have already made their way into the markets and are selling like hot cakes for Rs.100 to Rs. 150, depending on the size of the reel. Most of the sellers urge customers to go for imported, thicker thread.

“I bought this ‘manja’ the last time too and it was good although I had to protect my fingers from deep cuts. Most of my friends too have bought this ‘manja’ too,” says Saleem, an avid kite enthusiast.

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