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Jaipur's
royals give foreign visitors a flighty treat
by Lokendra Singh
Jaipur: Royals of Jaipur are playing the perfect host for dozens of foreign tourists visiting the pink city, famous for its palaces and jewels, with a special kite-flying event organised especially to give them a feel of the colourful season. Jaipur's Royal family opened its palaces to the tourists to help them learn about kites and their significance to the season, which marks the beginning of harvest across the country. The visitors were dazzled by the plethora of colours and the uniqueness and range of designs of the kites while the royals gave them an insight into the sport their ancestors have for long patronised.
A dash of traditional Rajasthan folk music, which had singers playing drums, cymbals and anklet bells, added to the aura. For the royals as well it was time of sweet memories and anecdotes and they relieved the glories of the past. "When the King used to fly kites and whenever he lost the kite and a villager brought it back he used to reward him with entire estates but obviously that tradition is not possible now but we are trying to keep alive the heritage," said Narendra Singh, the prince of the Jaipur royal family. Kite flying has traditionally been a sport of the masses in India and everyone from little children, teenagers to ageing grandfather enjoy near mastery over the elaborate art of kite flying. Rajasthan in particular has been the biggest patron of kite flying and the month of January each year see its skies clouded with thousands of colourful kites, flown from atop almost every home in the city. For most tourists the simplicity of the event, which needs little more than a dollar's worth of kites and the flying rope to celebrate, was fascinating and a return to childhood, while others basked in the splendor of meeting a real-life "Maharaja". "It is certainly a very beautiful setting. The maharaja is very gracious to come down here and spend time with people and with all of us. It is also a very pretty site to see all these colours flying around in the air," said Christian, a tourist from New York. "It is very exciting, it is like being a child again. You can enjoy doing something so simple. Wait for somebody to cut your kite and get angry or cut somebody's kite and feel clever about it. So this is new for me," added Pauline, another tourist from England.
Ahmedabad
as well is alive with the splendour of colours with an international kite
flying competition, which has contestants from over 22 countries. Though
the origin of kite flying is unknown, it is believed that kites were flown
in China 2,000 years ago and were brought to India through the silk route,
by traders. Since then however the art has taken over a completely new
style and purpose for Indians, who have incorporated them as an integral
part of festivals and celebrations. Kite flying is especially popular
during the forthcoming annual harvest festival celebrated across the country
under different names.
-Jan
13, 2006
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