Rajkot: As the festival of Makar Sankranti is inching closer, Gujarat is all set to celebrate the occasion with full fervour and enthusiasm. Interestingly, this year the festival is set to get a political touch. The kites starring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress party president Rahul Gandhi are ready to fly high in the sky.
In tune with the current political scenario, the markets in Rajkot are decked up with kites carrying the images of political leaders including Prime Minister Modi and Congress chief Rahul. Many kites have ‘Kisme Kitna Hai Dum’ have written on them.
Prime Minister Modi is the most popular face seen on various kites. This time the kites with a message like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ and replicating the Statue of Unity are also being sold in the city. The shopkeepers are expecting a bumper sale of kites, carrying the image of Prime Minister Modi.
Photo by NOAH SEELAM / AFP
One of the kite sellers Dinesh told ANI, “Every year different kinds of kites come in the market. But this year is quite different because kites with the design of the Statue of Unity are being sold in the market. Apart from this, kites featuring political leaders are also in the market, keeping the coming polls in mind.”
Makar Sankranti is the day dedicated to Lord Surya and is celebrated by devotees by taking a holy dip in river Ganges. As per the Hindu calendar, this day is also celebrated as the festival of harvest. The calendar reads Makar Sankranti to mark the beginning of the auspicious year.
Photo by NOAH SEELAM / AFP
From surviving the cold winters to moving towards the livelier season of spring, Makar Sankranti is celebrated in various parts of India. In Punjab, a bonfire is lit with the people singing and dancing around it. From wearing new clothes to celebrating it all night, the festival not only marks the beginning of an auspicious year but also brings the family together.