Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Sankranti is the first festival of the year. The sky will be freckled with the kites of different colours, design and shape. The citizens will enjoy seeing ‘patangbaazi’ of traditional kites prepared by the local artisans and the designer kites prepared by the artisans from Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
Gujarat’s Garuda
The giant size kite ‘Garuda’ from Gujarat is available in the local market. These kites are not made of paper material, but of the parachute material. A skeleton of bamboo dowels (wooden dowels) has been replaced with fibre and aluminium. These kites are sold in the range of Rs 80 to Rs 500.
Local Brand
The kites prepared by Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar artisans have become a brand. They can fly high in the sky in low wind pressure. These kites are made by artisans involved in the craft since their forefathers. The paper material is used and the bamboo dowels are brought from Tulsipur. The artisans put in their skill. These kites are available in the range of Rs 5 to Rs 80.
Stock of 40L kites
Syed Aminoddin (Kite Wholesaler) said, “The festival is round the corner. The local artisans had prepared a quantity of 50 lakh kites during the whole year. There are 15 wholesalers in the city. The buyers in bulk from Jalna, Parbhani, Beed, Dharashiv, Nanded and Nizamabad have turned their backs. Besides, the sale of kites has reduced due to the cloudy atmosphere. The price of kites have increased by 5 per cent compared to last year and it has impacted on the sale. Meanwhile, a stock of 40 lakh kites of different types like Dugga, Pauna and Dhacha are available. The artisans and sellers are worried over the present situation.”
One family makes 500 kites daily
According to an artisan Anil Rajput, “ Six people in our family prepare 500 kites daily. This year, the kites from Gujarat are also available for sale in the city. The kites are now being sold in the shopping mall as well. This has impacted on the direct sale of the kites.”
Attraction of designer kites
The traditional types of kite will be facing a challenge in the market. The designer kites from Ahmedabad are attracting the buyers. The parachute material is used to prepare these kites. These ‘hatke’ kites made with gelatin and rainbow colour are getting response in the market, said Rahul Gugle, Wholesaler.