Night Kite Festival is the Toast of Old City

Hyderabad: Several areas in the Old City, including Begum Bazaar, Dhoolpet, Ghansi Bazaar and Uppuguda, are home to nights of dexterous kite flying celebration every Sankranti.

Residents illuminate their terraces, where they also set up sound systems to create a lively festive atmosphere in keeping with the occasion. Incidentally, in places like Begum Bazaar, kite flying is more popular at night than during the day.

“I always wanted to experience the night kite festival in the Old City. This year I joined my friends in Begum Bazaar to enjoy the amazing lights and the vibe from the terrace,” said G. Akhil.

P. Ravi Singh from Begum Bazaar said, “The night kite festival has been trending for the last eight years. My friends and I fly kites and play music. The buildings are so colourfully lit that not only the kites, even the manja are visible at night. It’s a beautiful sight from the terrace. Of course, we shun the dreaded Chinese manja.”

The festivities gather momentum once business hours end in Begum Bazaar.

“We start flying kites from around 3 pm and continue past midnight” said G. Rishi.

“We use light-coloured kites, set up bright lights and floodlights on terraces facing towards the sky. We enjoy food and have fun with friends. We also invite our friends from other colonies to experience the enchanting night kite flying.”

Dhavan Raparthy, social media influencer, said “With family and friends, we enjoy the lights, music, dancing and fireworks. Almost every building terrace will be packed with people enjoying and flying kites. It definitely feels wonderful to witness it live.”