rut aa gayi re

by Guest Thu Nov 15, 2012 11:22 am

This song sends me down a nostalgic trip. kite/patang flying was a big tradition of Sankranti (baisaki in the north) in Hyderabad. It's funny how a muslim tradition (prolly from Afghanistan) has been incorporated into a Hindu festival in Hyderabad.

By evening, all boys would be on their home terraces and girls would be their 'charka' holders. I used to be the best charka holder of my brother. The boys would try to use only the best 'manja', the 'kareem manja', which they get only from a particular shop in Nampally. The whole colony would be reverberated with the shouts of the boys challenging from the rooftops to their opponents, 'painch aata?' and then yelling 'kaataa' when the opponents kite gets cut. The urchin boys would be standing on the roads ready to get hold of the 'kati patangs'.

Unfortunately, hyd no longer has that tradition, what with all the high sky scrapers, horrible traffic and hardly any open space. Also, kids are busy with tvs, video games, internet. No time for outdoor play. No gillu dandis, golis, lattus (tops), etc. Kids back in the day had such fun childhood! *sigh!*

by Guest Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:24 pm

kinnera wrote:it's funny how a muslim tradition (prolly from Afghanistan) has been incorporated into a Hindu festival in Hyderabad.

you are probably right. i think kite got imported through afghanistan (origin: china). it got incorporated in hindu culture and in the north they fly kites during makar sankranti (uttarayan in gujarat). here in the east we fly kites during vishwakarma puja in autumn. ironically, pakistan tried to clamp down on celebrations of makar sakranti by kite flying but public rebellion foiled their attempts! this was a good many years ago.

By evening, all boys would be on their home terraces and girls would be their 'charka' holders. I used to be the best charka holder of my brother. The boys would try to use only the best 'manja', the 'kareem manja', which they get only from a particular shop in Nampally. The whole colony would be reverberated with the shouts of the boys challenging from the rooftops to their opponents, 'painch aata?' and then yelling 'kaataa' when the opponents kite gets cut. The urchin boys would be standing on the roads ready to get hold of the 'kati patangs'.

i can totally relate to the experience. i was a very good kite flyer. i had the best manja. my house help used to be my chakra holder and the last kite i flew was 9 years ago. i used to fly kites religiously every year till then -- i loved it! i wore bandages on my forefinger to avoid manja injuries. my kids never picked up the hobby so i abandoned it. gosh, i was the best at ping pong and kite flying: the two most athletic sports known to man. oh ya, fussball too. i got a fussball table but kids never picked it up. nor carroms. that reminds me: i have to put them all up for sale in ebay! i hate clutter.

by Idéfix Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:29 pm

I used to love kite-flying too. Have to be in Hyderabad for Sanskranti to really enjoy kite-flying. I am sad to hear that it's not happening any more due to high-rises...

by Guest Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:32 pm

i do step out during vishwakarma puja PP to see if their are kites in the sky. my view is obstructed by the high rises but from the little i have observed for the last many years, the kites have dwindled and the fervour gone.

by Guest Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:38 pm

I was the worst kite flyer ever. Could never get it in air. If someone did it for me, I could keep it flying for maybe 10 seconds. Never been much of a chakra holder either. I was called looli (limp hands) by many.

by Guest Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:41 pm

Natalia Romanova wrote:Could never get it in air.

you are teh dumb (looli). i could put the kite on the floor, pull and make it fly without any help (chakra in other hand). all this needs PASSION that you gots none.

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