Kite Flying
15 terms to know before a Kite Fight
You don’t want to be left clueless on the battlefield when someone yells ‘Pass the dedh kanni’, do you?
Many might think that a kite is just a piece of paper suspended in the sky. But the art of kite flying is a much more elaborate activity than that.
In the populous Indian metropolitan cities where kites are flown with gusto, it's not just a leisure activity but a full-throttle sport. Kite fighting and the pride in being the last kite flying are deep rooted traditions in Indian states like Gujarat and Rajasthan.
With Makar Sankranti just around the corner and the finals of the Red Bull Kite Fight 2018 coming up, we’ve put together a bunch of terms that’ll come in handy if you’re stepping into these aerial battles or viewing the kite-llefield from a safe distance.
Makar Sankranti
Big finals at Red Bull Kite Fight in India
© Ali Bharmal/Red Bull Content Pool
Noun | muh-kur Sun-kran-ti | The only Indian festival with a solar association, which marks the transition of the sun into the Northern Hemisphere and is celebrated as a festival of life and fertility. Usage: “Man, I can’t wait till Makar Sankranti to try out my new stash of kites.”
Pech
Noun | paech | A bout of sparring between two kites. Usage: “Ho jaaye ek pech?”
Manjha
Noun | maan-ja | The powdered glass coated cotton line, which is instrumental in cutting down your opponent’s line. Usage: “Her words were sharper than the finest manjha in town!”
Related
Charkha
Noun | chur-kha | A traditional bamboo spool on which manjha is wound. Usage: “His words were all manjha, no charkha.”
Dheel
Quite the unique venue
© Ali Bharmal/Red Bull Content Pool
Verb | dheel | A cutting technique, which involves letting out the line to create friction. Usage: “Look for the right moment and dheel de!”
Khainch
Verb | khayn-ch | A cutting technique, which involves furiously pulling the line to create friction. Usage: “Look for the right moment and khainch de!”
Patang
Noun | put-ang | The most common Indian kite, this is a tailless model with the height/width ratio generally being 1:1.2. Usage: “Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, just your friendly neighbourhood patang.”
Guddi
Noun | goo-ddi | Almost as popular as the patang, this kite is taller than it is wide with the height and weight ratio reversed, making it the best kite to fly in heavy winds. Usage: “A windy day? It’s Guddi time.”
Dedh Kanni
First Rule About The Kite Fight Is…
© Neville Sukhia
Noun | dheydh-kan-knee | Significantly broader, the flyer requires massive upper body strength to maneuver this kite. Usage: “All those bench presses and I’m finally ready for my own dedh kanni.”
Tukkal
Noun | tuk-kal | Native to Pakistan, this is a particularly heavy kite that requires massive amounts of time and energy to craft, making it a very precious object. Usage: “I wouldn’t exchange you for all the tukkals in the world!”
Dhep
Noun | dhey-p | Made from slippery paper, this kite easily glides through the skies making it a super competitive model. Usage: “She got outta the room faster than a dhep in the sky.”
Fighter Kite
Noun | fight-er kite | This two-point bridle kite is the mother of all flying kites and is used widely across the country in battles. Usage: “Grab your fighter kite and let’s take this outside.”
Chagg
Noun | chugg | Chaggs are kites, which are equal in length and breadth, easier to fly and possess lantern bearing capabilities. Usage: “He professed his love with a thousand lit chaggs in the sky.”
Patangbazi
Noun | pat-ang baazi | The art of engaging in a kite fight. Usage: “They were all talk, no patangbazi.”
Kai Po Che
Excitement is palpable during Pataangbazi
© Ali Bharmal/Red Bull Content Pool
A phrase | kai poh chay | A Gujarati phrase that means "I have cut". Usage: “Kai po cheeeeeeee!
People look to the sky to admire it's beauty and look for inspiration. Unless of course, they are kite flyers; in that case, they are just looking for a fight. Click here to read about Red Bull Kite Fight 2018, the biggest kite fight competition in India.
