The Colombo International Kite Festival has kicked off in Sri Lanka, bringing together kite enthusiasts from across the country.

Sri Lanka: Colombo International Kite Festival Kicks Off

The 42nd weifang international kite festival opened in China's Shandong on Saturday the event is featuring a wide range of kites shaped in the for shape of dragons airplanes and animation characters as well 257 teams from 51 countries and regions have come to showcase a variety of colorful kites take a look.​

42nd weifang int'l kite festival: 257 teams from 51 countries & regions showcase kites

Global Kite celebration fest kicks off in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The festival is organised by Gujarat Tourism Department. Watch this report for more details!

Gujarat's Global Kite celebration fest begins

Tourists and locals have gathered on the beach at Berck, in northern France, for the 37th edition of the International Kite Festival. Watch in for more details!

37th International Kite festival in Northern France

<h2><strong>Uttarayan 2024</strong></h2>

<p>Uttarayan, also known as Makar Sankranti, is a vibrant and joyous festival celebrated with great enthusiasm in India. Falling on the 14th or 15th of January every year, Uttarayan marks the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of longer, sunnier days. This festival is synonymous with kite-flying, delicious traditional foods, and a sense of unity and joy among people.</p>

<p>The celebration of Uttarayan extends beyond religious rituals and indulging in sweets; it holds special significance for the people of Gujarat who eagerly anticipate exclaiming "Kai Po Che" to the kites soaring through the sky.</p>

<h2><strong>Uttarayan 2024 date&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Uttarayan is observed on the day following Lohri celebrations and coincides with Makar Sankranti. Traditionally celebrated on 14 January, Makar Sankranti, also referred to as Uttarayan festivities, is being observed on 15 January this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch |&nbsp;Divya Pahuja murder case: Former model's body found in a canal in Haryana</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/divya-pahuja-murder-case-former-models-body-found-in-a-canal-in-haryana-679795/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Uttarayan significance</strong></h2>

<p>Beyond the festivities, Uttarayan holds cultural and religious significance. It marks the movement of the sun into the northern hemisphere, symbolising the end of the winter season and the beginning of longer, warmer days. Many people take a dip in sacred rivers like the Ganges to cleanse themselves of sins and usher in positivity for the coming year.</p>

<p>The festival is also associated with the worship of the sun god, Surya. Devotees offer prayers, perform rituals, and make charitable donations as a gesture of gratitude for the sun's life-giving energy.</p>

<h2><strong>Traditional Delights and Kite Flying</strong></h2>

<p>Uttarayan is not just about kite flying; it is also a time to savour traditional&nbsp;delicacies. In Gujarat, families prepare special dishes like undhiyu, a mixed vegetable curry cooked with a medley of spices. They also prepare&nbsp;chikkis, sweet treats made from sesame seeds and jaggery. These mouthwatering dishes are shared with neighbours and friends, fostering a sense of community and togetherness.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-congess-to-kick-off-bharat-jodo-nyay-yatra-to-revive-its-fortunes-679782">India: Congress to kick off 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi to revive party fortunes</a></p>

<p>The most distinctive feature of Uttarayan is the spectacular kite flying that takes place across the state. Weeks before the festival, markets buzz with activity as people purchase kites of various shapes, sizes, and colours. The excitement is palpable as families and friends come together on terraces, open fields, and rooftops to engage in friendly kite battles.</p>

<p>Kite enthusiasts engage in duels to cut each other's strings, leaving the defeated kites soaring freely in the vast expanse of the sky that&nbsp;becomes a canvas of vibrant colours, with kites of all shapes and sizes dancing in the air.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As kites soar high in the sky, carrying with them the hopes and dreams of those who fly them, Uttarayan is a testimony to the enduring traditions and values that bind communities together.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-milind-deora-resigns-from-congress-ends-familys-55-year-relationship-with-the-party-679767">India: Milind Deora resigns from Congress, ends family's '55-year relationship' with the party</a></p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


Uttarayan 2024 Uttarayan, also known as Makar Sankranti, is a vibrant and joyous festival celebrated with great enthusiasm in India. Falling on the 14th or 15th of January every year, Uttarayan marks the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of longer, sunnier days.

Uttarayan 2024 Uttarayan, also known as Makar Sankranti, is a vibrant and joyous festival celebrated with great enthusiasm in India. Falling on the 14th or 15th of January every year, Uttarayan marks the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of longer, sunnier days. This festival is synonymous with kite-flying, delicious traditional foods, and a sense of unity and joy among people. The celebration of Uttarayan extends beyond religious rituals and indulging in sweets; it holds special significance for the people of Gujarat who eagerly anticipate exclaiming "Kai Po Che" to the kites soaring through the sky. Uttarayan 2024 date Uttarayan is observed on the day following Lohri celebrations and coincides with Makar Sankranti. Traditionally celebrated on 14 January, Makar Sankranti, also referred to as Uttarayan festivities, is being observed on 15 January this year. Watch | Divya Pahuja murder case: Former model's body found in a canal in Haryana Uttarayan significance Beyond the festivities, Uttarayan holds cultural and religious significance. It marks the movement of the sun into the northern hemisphere, symbolising the end of the winter season and the beginning of longer, warmer days. Many people take a dip in sacred rivers like the Ganges to cleanse themselves of sins and usher in positivity for the coming year. The festival is also associated with the worship of the sun god, Surya. Devotees offer prayers, perform rituals, and make charitable donations as a gesture of gratitude for the sun's life-giving energy. Traditional Delights and Kite Flying Uttarayan is not just about kite flying; it is also a time to savour traditional delicacies. In Gujarat, families prepare special dishes like undhiyu, a mixed vegetable curry cooked with a medley of spices. They also prepare chikkis, sweet treats made from sesame seeds and jaggery. These mouthwatering dishes are shared with neighbours and friends, fostering a sense of community and togetherness. Also read | India: Congress to kick off 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi to revive party fortunes The most distinctive feature of Uttarayan is the spectacular kite flying that takes place across the state. Weeks before the festival, markets buzz with activity as people purchase kites of various shapes, sizes, and colours. The excitement is palpable as families and friends come together on terraces, open fields, and rooftops to engage in friendly kite battles. Kite enthusiasts engage in duels to cut each other's strings, leaving the defeated kites soaring freely in the vast expanse of the sky that becomes a canvas of vibrant colours, with kites of all shapes and sizes dancing in the air. As kites soar high in the sky, carrying with them the hopes and dreams of those who fly them, Uttarayan is a testimony to the enduring traditions and values that bind communities together. Also read | India: Milind Deora resigns from Congress, ends family's '55-year relationship' with the party (With inputs from agencies)

Uttarayan 2024: History, date, tradition & joyous festival of kite flying 

<p>Six people, which included three children, lost their lives after their throats were accidentally slit by glass-coated kite strings during India's annual kite-flying festival.&nbsp;Hundreds of people flocked to rooftops and terraces to fly their kites during the Uttarayan festival in India's western state of Gujarat during the weekend.</p>

<p>As per reports, the victims bled to death after their necks got entangled in razor-sharp kite strings, officials said Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI). Around 176 people suffered injuries due to cuts from strings or because they fell.</p>

<p>A few participants coat the strings of their kite with powdered glass so that the cords of the opponent can be sliced in the air. The practice was banned in 2016, however, critics claim that it is rarely enforced.</p>

<p>A two-year-old girl lost her life when her neck was cut by a kite string while she was on a scooter with her father, said an official from Bortalav police station, as cited by the PTI.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ|</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/kai-po-che-gujarat-fills-with-colours-of-international-kite-festival-552464">Kai Po Che: Gujarat fills with colours of International Kite Festival</a></p>

<p>It was said that the girl, whose name was Kriti, died while receiving treatment for injuries at a hospital on Sunday.</p>

<p>In another case, a three-year-old girl suffered a cut on her neck by the string when she was walking alongside her mother in the town of Visnagar on Saturday. The girl was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared her dead on arrival, said a police official in Visnagar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Seven-year-old boy, Rishabh Verma, was riding on a scooter with his parents when the string suddenly struck him, said an official from Aji Dam police station.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the police, the department received similar reports from Kutch, Gandhinagar and Vadodara districts, where three people died in similar circumstances.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While speaking to the Guardian, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India's campaigner Nikunj Sharma had earlier said that people can suffer severe injuries by the use of 'Manja' made of nylon string and not cotton to fly kites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Unlike cotton strings these are non-biodegradable, don’t break easily and continue to cause injuries months after the festival,” said Sharma. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | PM Modi inaugurates kite festival in Jakarta</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-inaugurates-kite-festival-in-jakarta-140931/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>In the largest city of Gujarat, Ahmedabad, the police department warned people to avoid using the coated string during the kite&nbsp;festival.</p>

<p>“Do not use deadly Chinese Manja to fly kites,” the department stated. The participants were urged by police to remain careful while flying kites, adding that the “momentary fun” of cutting someone else' kite can come at the cost of a life.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Six people, which included three children, lost their lives after their throats were accidentally slit by glass-coated kite strings during India's annual kite-flying festival.

Six people, which included three children, lost their lives after their throats were accidentally slit by glass-coated kite strings during India's annual kite-flying festival. Hundreds of people flocked to rooftops and terraces to fly their kites during the Uttarayan festival in India's western state of Gujarat during the weekend. As per reports, the victims bled to death after their necks got entangled in razor-sharp kite strings, officials said Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI). Around 176 people suffered injuries due to cuts from strings or because they fell. A few participants coat the strings of their kite with powdered glass so that the cords of the opponent can be sliced in the air. The practice was banned in 2016, however, critics claim that it is rarely enforced. A two-year-old girl lost her life when her neck was cut by a kite string while she was on a scooter with her father, said an official from Bortalav police station, as cited by the PTI. ALSO READ| Kai Po Che: Gujarat fills with colours of International Kite Festival It was said that the girl, whose name was Kriti, died while receiving treatment for injuries at a hospital on Sunday. In another case, a three-year-old girl suffered a cut on her neck by the string when she was walking alongside her mother in the town of Visnagar on Saturday. The girl was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared her dead on arrival, said a police official in Visnagar. Seven-year-old boy, Rishabh Verma, was riding on a scooter with his parents when the string suddenly struck him, said an official from Aji Dam police station. As per the police, the department received similar reports from Kutch, Gandhinagar and Vadodara districts, where three people died in similar circumstances. While speaking to the Guardian, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India's campaigner Nikunj Sharma had earlier said that people can suffer severe injuries by the use of 'Manja' made of nylon string and not cotton to fly kites. “Unlike cotton strings these are non-biodegradable, don’t break easily and continue to cause injuries months after the festival,” said Sharma. WATCH | PM Modi inaugurates kite festival in Jakarta In the largest city of Gujarat, Ahmedabad, the police department warned people to avoid using the coated string during the kite festival. “Do not use deadly Chinese Manja to fly kites,” the department stated. The participants were urged by police to remain careful while flying kites, adding that the “momentary fun” of cutting someone else' kite can come at the cost of a life. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India: Three children among 6 killed as glass-coated kite string slits throats during kite festival

In Venezuela's sprawling impoverished Petare neighborhood on the east end of Caracas, dozens of children and residents flew kites to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of what was once a small village outside the capital.

Venezuela's largest impoverished district marks 400th anniversary with kite festival

<p>Taiwan has been in the news a lot lately, especially owing to the strained relationship with China, and the newly found global support.</p>

<p>But something even more uncanny happened recently. A three-year-old girl recently flew high with the kites, literally.&nbsp;The kid was holding on to the kite strings and was lifted above into the air with the kite.</p>

<p>The kid was not harmed in the process, and was reportedly participating in a kite festival on Sunday in Taiwan’s coastal town called Nanliao.</p>

<p>In the video, one can see her holding on to a long orange kite, and her being lifted off the group momentarily.</p>

<p><em><strong>Watch the clip below</strong></em></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A kid in Taiwan accidentally got latched onto a kite. Fortunately the kid is safe. <a href="https://t.co/ftLsyglxBd">pic.twitter.com/ftLsyglxBd</a></p>
— Toon Seri Anthraxxxx (@anthraxxxx) <a href="https://twitter.com/anthraxxxx/status/1300024328096903168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The kid became entangled in the strings attached to the kite, and owing to the wind, was seen ‘flying’.</p>

<p>She was lifted off the ground by a few metres, and in the clip it is visible that she was lifted above the ground by the kite, after which bystanders tried hard to bring her down to the ground.</p>

<p>According to local media, the girl was rescued unharmed, but was naturally terrified.</p>

<p><em><strong>Here's another clip of the incident</strong></em></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Terrifying moment a child at a kite festival in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan gets tangled up in a kite and lifted fifty feet up into the air. <a href="https://t.co/YAPL545yAn">pic.twitter.com/YAPL545yAn</a></p>
— Mike Fagan (@MikeFaganTaiwan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeFaganTaiwan/status/1300050705336606723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>In the aftermath of the mishap, Lin Chih-chien, the mayor of Hsinchu city issued a public apology, while adding that all activities have been halted for now, owing to the high paced wings in the area.</p>

<p>Additionally, the girl was escorted to the hospital, with the help of the municipal authorities. The kid had some scratched on her neck, but no major injuries were spotted.</p>

<p>The mayor promised to review the incident while adding that such accidents will be prevented from happening again.</p>


Taiwan has been in the news a lot lately, especially owing to the strained relationship with China, and the newly found global support. But something even more uncanny happened recently.

Taiwan has been in the news a lot lately, especially owing to the strained relationship with China, and the newly found global support. But something even more uncanny happened recently. A three-year-old girl recently flew high with the kites, literally. The kid was holding on to the kite strings and was lifted above into the air with the kite. The kid was not harmed in the process, and was reportedly participating in a kite festival on Sunday in Taiwan’s coastal town called Nanliao. In the video, one can see her holding on to a long orange kite, and her being lifted off the group momentarily. Watch the clip below A kid in Taiwan accidentally got latched onto a kite. Fortunately the kid is safe. pic.twitter.com/ftLsyglxBd — Toon Seri Anthraxxxx (@anthraxxxx) August 30, 2020 × The kid became entangled in the strings attached to the kite, and owing to the wind, was seen ‘flying’. She was lifted off the ground by a few metres, and in the clip it is visible that she was lifted above the ground by the kite, after which bystanders tried hard to bring her down to the ground. According to local media, the girl was rescued unharmed, but was naturally terrified. Here's another clip of the incident Terrifying moment a child at a kite festival in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan gets tangled up in a kite and lifted fifty feet up into the air. pic.twitter.com/YAPL545yAn — Mike Fagan (@MikeFaganTaiwan) August 30, 2020 × In the aftermath of the mishap, Lin Chih-chien, the mayor of Hsinchu city issued a public apology, while adding that all activities have been halted for now, owing to the high paced wings in the area. Additionally, the girl was escorted to the hospital, with the help of the municipal authorities. The kid had some scratched on her neck, but no major injuries were spotted. The mayor promised to review the incident while adding that such accidents will be prevented from happening again.

Watch: 3-year-old girl flung into the air by a humongous kite in Taiwan

kite-festival

Kite Festival, News on Kite Festival, stories on Kite Festival, articles on Kite Festival, Kite Festival stories at Wion, Kite Festival news, Kite Festival latest news