Do you like flying kites? Have you ever wondered who invented a kite and when!
Let’s learn more about K for Kite Flying.
Kites were invented in Asia and kite flying and kite fighting are both good hobby ideas. There are many benefits in kite flying, one of them being, we get to spend more time outdoors!
A girl learning to fly a kite
Usually, the kites with a long flowy tail is used for kite flying. But if you want to win in a kite fight, you need a kite, who has no tail and whose control line is abrasive (called manja), so that it can cut the control lines of other kites.
Manja and kites for kite flying
The above said kite fighting takes place mostly during Makar Sankranthi, as most Telugites know! (Sometimes, there is also music in the background, snacks overflowing on the terrace, when two gangs from opposite terraces have their kite fights, trying to cut each other’s kites off. Youngest in the gang will generally be the chemcha, carrying the Manja reel around, for the main kite flier)
Makar Sankranthi – A kite flier’s dream festival!
There are many different kinds of kites. The octagonal Bermuda Kite, bow shaped Bowed kite, box kites which can also be used as flying lanterns and man- lifting kites.
Types of Kites
Man lifting kites are the ones mostly used during para gliding and para sailing.
Para gliding and Para sailing
What are you waiting for? Go ahead, get into some kite fights during the festival season. If not, go to a tourist location and use the man lifting kites and enjoy para gliding and para sailing!
P.S:
- During our January 2018 trip to Gujarat, a kite festival was underway at Ahmedabad. The two wheeler drivers had special contraption on their vehicles to stop the manja kites from getting their necks! At first we didn’t understand its usage. But then the cab driver enlightened us of its uses and that is one hell of a jugaad technique!
Avoid Manja – Jugaad
Manja of the fighter kite tend to cut deep and cause severe injury and in rare cases, death. The contraption is a brilliant add on for the two wheelers.
2. Though Hot Air Balloon rides don’t come under kite flying, it is still a pleasant experience. Mr.Bee and I flew in gas balloons twice. Once at Pigeon Forge,USA and our second was at Hunter valley, Australia, when we flew above valley full of Kangaroos.
3. The other hobbies starting with K are Kayaking, Karate, Karaoking and Kick Boxing. Till the next post, cheerio!
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