Halifax kite festival brings Indian diaspora a taste of home

When Nikunj Kachhadiya came to Halifax from India 12 years ago, he knew he wanted to bring a piece of home with him.

He's one of the organizers of the Atlantic Kite Festival, a free event every August that brings colour to the Halifax skies and joy to the local Indian community.

"It was my dream kind of to, you know, bring this festival where I'm going to be when I've arrived in my next home," said Kachhadiya.

India's kite festival has many names, but it's often called Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan. It originates from ancient times, marking the sun's movement into Capricorn and the new year.

"It's kind of a fun and happy atmosphere, you know, and there is a lot of joy around," said Kachhadiya.

The festival is usually held in January in India, but to make it work in Halifax, the date was changed to summer.

On Saturday and Sunday, people spread out at Citadel Hill, some to fly their kites and others to take in the show. The festival also has a few special, extra large kites with attachments called pendants that wowed the crowd.

But these kites are what Kachhadiya calls "show kites,'' which can be quite different from the kites flown in India.

Kite fighting

For the Indian festival, kite flying is usually competitive. People use small kites attached to cotton string, which is treated with a special mixture often containing eggs and glass.

Competitors try to cut other kites' strings and take them out of the air. Kids run around and collect the fallen kites.

"It's usually a fight between friends, fight between neighbours. And, you know, at the end of the night, everybody just has the dinners and it's a good family day," said Kachhadiya.

Memories of home

Yashesh Savani also remembers flying kites as a child in India.

"I want to stay connected to the culture and this is, like, the best event and to stay connected to the roots," he said.

He hopes the event can blend Indian and Western culture.

"It's an inclusive event so everybody can learn something from each other and this makes them feel like a part of the family of Indian culture," he said.

Sam Soni brought his kids to the festival, echoing his own childhood memories.

"As soon as we got home from school, we were just going to rooftops and start flying kites," Soni said.

"It brings a lot of memories for us and it's a good thing we can share this with our kids."

Kachhadiya said the festival has been growing in popularity over the years. He and other organizers have plans to travel across the country to meet up with other kite enthusiasts.

Ultimately, he is happy to spread the joy of kites and Indian culture.

"This means a lot to me," he said. "I mean, Halifax is my home. So, you know, I would like to do something for the community."

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