Out of Covid shadow, Uttarayan sets spirits soaring in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: With Uttarayan freeing itself from Covid shadow after two long years, revellers are planning to make the most of the much-awaited festival. Markets in Walled City, that sell kites, jalebis, chikkis, undhiyu and laddoos, were doing brisk business till late in the night. With the festival coinciding with the weekend, offices across the city wore a deserted look with many employees working from home or opting for half-day leave to sink into the mood, run errands and clean up their terraces.
“Though Uttarayan is a two-day festival, our preparations begin almost a week in advance. Cleaning the terrace, repairing old kites, buying new ones and tying the anchor threads, begin ahead of the festival. I make sure I take two full days off work to enjoy the festivities,” said Bhargav K, a professional.
Many have travelled from other cities to their hometowns in the state to be able to enjoy festivities. “I came down from Bangalore and opted for work from home to be able to enjoy the festivities of Uttarayan. You can’t miss the fervour and enthusiasm on the terrace,” said Jignesh Desai, another professional.
Kite prices have significantly increased this year by an estimated 25% compared to last year. The paper available for making kites has become costlier, according to kite makers.
Salim Rasoolbhai, an Ahmedabad-based kite manufacturer and wholesaler, said, “The prices of kites have gone up this year due to inflation since the cost of the paper has increased. Earlier, we used to get a ream of 450 kite papers for about Rs 900 per ream. But the cost has gone up by 45% now. So, kite makers are left with no choice but to raise costs.”
At present, white and coloured cheel kites are available for Rs 100 per kodi (a set of 20 kites); printed cheel kites for Rs 120 per kodi and dhaal kites for Rs 200 per kodi. The kites for kids, which are printed with popular anime characters, cost Rs 60. “This year, kites with the image of PM Narendra Modi releasing the cheetahs are quite popular,” Salimbhai added.