Hyderabad:Sale of Chinese manja, the deadly synthetic thread used for flying kites during Sankranti, continues to thrive despite a sweeping ban on its use by the government.
This is expectedly raising concerns among the traditional makers of handmade cotton manja, which is a blend of boiled rice, glass dust powder and colours that combine to make the product stiff and strong.
Chinese manja, also known as Tangoos manja, is brought to the city outskirts three months before the festival and subsequently sold clandestinely. "Several retailers bring them in advance and sell it secretly," said Vishal Singh, who makes handmade cotton manja in Dhoolpet.
Incidentally, the demand for handmade cotton manja has been on a steady decline.
“The painstaking process involves tying threads between two poles and applying a carefully prepared paste. It takes years of experience to perfect this mixture,” pointed out Inder Singh, who makes cotton manja.
Bharat Singh, whose family has been in the business for over 50 years, said "Fifteen years back, we used to start making manja three months before Sankranti. Now, with a slump in demand, we begin the process a month or a fortnight before the festival."
The Chinese manja poses a risk to both humans and animals.
"It’s very dangerous, especially for people on vehicles. If you can remember, a man’s neck was cut when he got entangled in Chinese manja while on a vehicle," said Rakesh Singh, another manja maker from Mangalhat.
Wildlife photographer Anindita Mukherji spoke about its adverse impact on birds.
"Birds often get entangled in manja that get stuck on trees and electric wires. This restricts their movement and could lead to their death. A complete ban with strict enforcement of the guidelines and public awareness are needed to prevent these incidents," she said.
While Chinese manja dominates the market, there are still people who prefer the traditional cotton variety.
“Older generations trust cotton manja for its safety, and many come directly to us,” said Jairaj Singh.
Shopkeepers like S. Suraj from Dhoolpet are doing their bit by refusing to sell Chinese manja.
Venkat Rao, a teacher, stressed the need for stricter action against those selling Chinese manja.
“Officials must come up with punitive measures as the illegally sold manja is a fatal attraction,” he said.
