Uttarayan 2001

Gujarat's kite festival, kept on 14 January every year, with Vasi Uttarayan on 15 January.

Uttarayan is Gujarat's festival of kites. Rooftops fill with families and neighbours flying colourful kites, calling out across the lanes and sharing undhiyu, jalebi, sesame chikki and other seasonal food. Gujarat keeps it on 14 January every year, and on the next day, Vasi Uttarayan, the kites go up again.

The festival takes its name and meaning from Makar Sankranti, the Sun's passage into Makara. In most years the two fall on the same day. When the Sun crosses after sunset, as in 2027, the shastra day of Sankranti moves to 15 January, yet Gujarat still flies its kites on the 14th. The date is kept by custom and by the state holiday, not worked out again each year. The bath, the daan and the punya kaal belong to Makar Sankranti and are shown on that festival.

In the Mahabharata, Bhishma waits for the Sun's northward course before he leaves his body, and the season has been held auspicious ever since. Glass-coated string injures people and birds, so plain string is the safer choice.

Uttarayan is Gujarat's own way of keeping Makar Sankranti. The whole state spends two days on the rooftops with kites, food and neighbours, on dates everyone shares.

Kites on the rooftops from dawn to dusk, undhiyu and jalebi, chikki of sesame and peanut, and gifts to people in need. Glass-coated string injures people and birds; plain string is safer.

Kept on 14 and 15 January across Gujarat, with the biggest kite crowds in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot. Elsewhere in India the season is kept as Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri or Magh Bihu, each with its own customs.