Various reports suggest that kite flying has been associated with Independence since kites with the phrase “Simon Go Back” were supposedly flown in 1927.
However, historian Sohail Hashmi said the tradition likely started soon after Independence. “The kite-flying season is typically associated with wind pattern. The Easterly winds that bring in the monsoon make it an ideal time,” he said.
Commenting on the origin of kite flying, he said, “Kites would not have flown in India at least till the 13th century. After all, paper was invented in China and no tradition linked with it can be viewed as indigenous.”
China and Afghanistan, on the other hand, do have a rich tradition of kite flying.