Selling A Dream

The staid may think kites are child’s play, figuratively and literally, but the people of ahmeabad clearly know better. This is a city that takes these coloured bits of paper very seriously, where a kite is passion and profession in equal measure, the city’s love affair with kites coming to a head in January when it hosts its annual kite festival, uttarayan. Fantasies, legends, mythical characters, futuristic creatures, all come to life in the hands of these master craftsmen, many of whom are third and fourth generation kite-makers. They cut their hands rolling the kite-string in finely ground glass to make it strong; they sit long hours in dim light, creating these wisps of paper that will bring delight to someone’s life. These are ahmedabad’s true dream makers.