Leisure News

Kite flyers, they have all took it as a passion.

L.Raghunanda

4^th Estate

Bangalore

Names familiar, and those who took to kite flying by wafting kite to wind encouraging kids Diganth Joshi from Vadodara Gujarath, Abdul Malik from Ahmedabad and Rishi Zaveri, all in common showed how much fun is there in kite flying, mind it for them kite flying is not profession, but passion

Diganth Joshi belonging to Vadodara team was not just kite flyer but educator for students on aeronautics, rocketry, kite flying through his centre located at Vadodora known as Testation Activity Centre.

“From 1994 as individual, I started kite designing, making and flying as activity, initially I took part in kite festival conducted in Gujarath where kite flying event commonly now and then take place, kite flying was my passion, but teaching was my profession, but as a hobby fun and passion.

“I continued with this hobby, as I had spare time , however my family wholeheartedly support me, even my wife and kids are part of my team commonly known as Diganth Joshi Vadodara Kite Flying Team” says Diganth Joshi when asked about his passion for kite flying.

When asked what is interesting in your kite Joshi said “ Shrimataji is popular god in Gujarath and Durga is all worshipped equally in Gujarath, this two gods are taken as theme for my kites.

“I took part in many kite national and state level kite festival,at concluded Belgaum kite festival in middle week of January 2011 I was there, in 2010 our team took part in International Kite flying festival held at France similarly in Malaysia” said Joshi when asked about his team participation at various kite flying event.

Abdul Malik another Gujarathi, from Ahmedabad who has many records and Guinnees Book of World Record for having designing smallest kite, infact miniature kite just measuring 10mm which alighted in air for 2 to 3 metres

Malik has this to say “ first of all kite flying interest me, at young age I used to see my father designing kites, making kites and flying it, he was skillful kite flyer, at once he used to fly 10 to 12 kite just managing it in one hand, today following him I am able to fly mange hundreds of kites by both hands, mind you it is not minature kits but normal kites children play with it.

When asked how so many kites flying be managed by one person “ You should launch kite suddenly one after another, and keeping thread tied to each of the finger you need balance it, but steady wind is a requisite, after tremendous experimentation and practice I was able to do it said Malik.

“ Kites that I fly has some message to be taken down by society in India that is I have kites designed resembling bull, tiger . In India cow slaughter has created religious animosity among section of community, similarly tiger population has come down in India, these animal must be protected, so there is need to protect it, so through kite whenever I take to kite flying in festival in India I fly these kites” said Malik when asked about uniqueness of kites, and is there any message to pass on.

Rishi Zaveri the city based Kite flyer, the sole kite flyer in Bangalore Kite festival 2011 who is studying at PES college Banashankari II stage studying Bachelor of Business Management(BBM), said “I am in final year who took to kite flying only of late.”

Zaveri said“ I am taking part in Bangalore Kite festival for second time, I am not among the biggest names of Kite flying fraternity to which belong Joshi, Malik but fascination passion for kite flying will never die, for this year festival I have designed tricolour flag resembling kite, it is afloat in air.

“While I have designed kites, but coming to the festival you will be able to know wide variety of kites, flat kites, aerofoil giant kites, so it is interesting to see, even lot of children enjoy this kites,

“ After seeing these kites, I have decided to design aerofoil and flat kites ,but as student making these kites is very costly you have to spend from thousand to lakhs of rupees, those aerofoil material and tough cotton thread used as bridle and controller more than that it takes a lot of days to design it and make it once” said Zaveri on trend of kite flying as hobby thriving in Bangalore.