kite festival and life

         14th january this the day when Sun enters "Makar Rashi", The day when "Makar month" starts.
          This day is celebrated as kite festival in Gujarat state of India. One can see the enthusiasm of the people for the celebration of the festival. Ever since the January month starts one can see few kites flying in the  sky, by children. These are usually the kites which remained in the stock and did not have fortune to fly in the sky.
          Gradually one can see the special seasonal shops opening selling all the things for the festival. Previously it was just kite, thread, gum tap and "Toti" (rubber glove for finger, Which one wears on fingers to protect them from cut by thread) but now there are various kind of caps, horns, masks also. This is what called "FESTIVAL DRIVEN ECONOMY", Because this festival helps in earning of many people who are involved in making kites, threads for flying kites and all the shopkeepers who r selling them.
           The preparation for the festival starts before a week in house with ladies of the house getting busy in making "Chikki" ( a sweet made with adding either til, or peanut or gram dal in jaggery). They get happy by spreading sweetness. Hats off for them. Also they will clean the roofs day before the festival. People starts buying kites week before these kites are known by various names cheel, chando, dhandho, puchhdio, khambhati etc. People will buy threads for flying kites and this is what makes kite festival very different in Gujarat because here they don't just fly kites but there is war between kites where one tries to bring the others' kites down from the sky. Which is called "Pech ladavvo" and "Kapvo" In gujatati slang. Pech ladavvo is skillful maneuver by the person who itends to cut other's kite. For this purpose thread goes through the process which is called " Manjo pavo", Which makes thread so sharp that it can cut your fingers. " Firki" is prepared.
          Night before this festival the preparations are in full swing with all the the members of family sitting together eating chikkis and laughing they punch small holes in the kite tie the thread to prepare it for the flight( which is called kinna  bandhvi in Gujarati). CD's ( now pen drives) & music system are made ready. Sugar cane is cut into pieces.
          On the day of festival people usually wake up early starts playing songs, and with cap on head goggles on the eyes, Chikkis in moth, starts flying kites, where firki is held behind usually by one's better half. And when someone cut's other's kite the whole roof erupts in joy with sound of "Kapyo chhe", "Lapet... lapet". There is atmosphere full of joy every where.
          Flying kite needs many factors in place. On needs wind, person's effort and also help from the one who's standing behind holding the person's firki. No matter how skillful you are and how many efforts you make you can not fly the kite if there is not much wind, or the one who is holding firki behind does not co-operate. Similarly in one's life also one needs combination of efforts, luck (wind), and someone's support, without which one can not succeed. Also when one's kite is cut he immediately flies another kite thus if you fail don't brood over it maintain your enthusiasm and try again. Try and try until you succeed.