DUBAI: Thousands of Pakistanis are participating in the two-day kite flying festival Basant Bahar 2020 which started in Al-Ain on Thursday to mark the advent of spring.
Also known as the festival of color – from the colorful kites and brightly dressed ladies and children – the event is held by Al-Ghurair Exchange.
This is the second edition of the festival. “Last year, the event was attended by 3,000 people,” Ali Hassan, the organizer of Basant Bahar, told Arab News. “This year, I expect 6,000 people.”
Kite flying competitions are part of Pakistani culture and the event is held to entertain and bring diaspora members together, Hassan said.
Years ago, with fewer towering buildings and more empty land, it was easier to fly kites in the UAE. Today, the event is held in Al-Ain, in the middle of the desert, where the wind can help the kites soar.
“It’s different in Pakistan because it is part of the culture,” said Sargodha-born Imran, who came all the way from Fujairah along with his cousins to enjoy the festival. “There we battle it out over rooftops day and night amid search lights.”
Maha Jamil for the first time participate the Bahar Basant in Al-Ain on Jan. 30, 2020. (AN photo by Asma Zain Ali)
Maha Jamil, originally from Karachi, said she was thrilled to attend the event. “This is my first time to attend any kite festival since this does not happen much in Karachi and I am enjoying the vibes here,” she said.
The Al-Ain festival is also held during the day time and at night. Colorful kites of all sizes dot the skies in the morning, while white ones are flown after sunset. Kites, also known as “patangs” or “guddas,“are made from splices of bamboo and crisp tissue paper. The “dor” or the string is covered with powdered glass to make it sharp enough to cut the kites of opponents in midair encounters.
The rules of the game are simple. Let your kite soar, drop its string on the nearest kite and then pull it. If your technique is good, the rival’s kite will fall to the ground, where horde of snatchers are waiting to catch it. The lilting sound of Punjabi numerals – since the festival is particularly popular among the Punjabis – and loud hoots will announce the catch.
Kites and dors sell like hot cakes during the Al-Ain festival, ranging from Dh2 to Dh200 for the biggest “gudda.” The tickets were priced at Dh12 per person.
