Opening kite fest at Baansera, Shah pitches global push for event

Shah praised the transformation of Baansera from a wasteland into a thriving public park showcasing bamboo species sourced from different parts of the country

Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the third edition of the International Kite Festival at Baansera in west Delhi, calling for sustained efforts to transform the event into a landmark international festival. He also pitched the bamboo forest-themed park as an emerging tourist destination in the capital.

Union home minister Amit Shah flies a kite during the third International Kite Festival at Baansera Park, in New Delhi. (@gupta_rekha)

Addressing the gathering, Shah asked the Delhi lieutenant governor and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to constitute a committee to begin preparations for next year’s festival with the aim of giving it national and global prominence.

“In the coming years, the kite festival should secure a leading position among major kite festivals in the country and the world. A committee should be formed to work on popularising the event, increasing public participation and making the Delhi kite festival a focal point,” said Shah.

The event was attended by LG VK Saxena, chief minister Rekha Gupta, senior officials of the DDA and representatives from various kite-flying associations. This year’s festival is being hosted at Baansera Park, a bamboo forest-themed public space developed by the DDA along the Yamuna floodplain.

Shah praised the transformation of Baansera from a wasteland into a thriving public park showcasing bamboo species sourced from different parts of the country.

“When I was first called to attend an event here, I was apprehensive about how the place would be but I was surprised. Baansera is a beautiful natural site in Delhi, adorned with various types of bamboo from across India, and is now emerging as a centre of attraction for tourists. It is a testament to how remarkable results can be achieved when there is firm determination to translate resolve into action on the ground,” said Shah.

He urged the Delhi government to organise more public events at Baansera to increase footfall and strengthen its identity as a cultural and recreational hub. Shah also highlighted the park’s three thematic pavilions, which showcase the history of kite flying and its wartime applications.

Referring to India’s freedom movement, he said the park also commemorates the role of kites in political protest.

“When the Simon Commission came to the country, it faced strong opposition nationwide. The largest protest against the Simon Commission was carried out on the day of Uttarayan by flying kites bearing the slogan ‘Simon Go Back’ and Indians filled the sky with kites and demonstrated their strength to the British,” the home minister added.

Extending greetings to citizens across the country, particularly farmers, on the occasions of Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Magh Bihu and Uttarayan, Shah said the festival of Uttarayan is celebrated under different names across India and reflects the country’s shared cultural ethos. He added that festivals have historically served as a means to unite society.

“In the coming days, the kite festival will establish a special place for itself in Delhi and will provide an opportunity for kite flyers from across the country, as well as international kite flyers, to come here and showcase their art,” he said.

Officials present at the event said the DDA has been developing Baansera as part of a wider effort to revitalise the Yamuna floodplain with ecological parks and public spaces. The site hosts bamboo species not native to Delhi.

The LG said, “Apart from professional kite flyers from India and abroad, the enthusiasm of Delhi residents holding kite strings in their hands makes this three-day kite festival special.”

He added that the committee proposed by Shah is expected to chart plans for expanding the scale of next year’s festival, including international participation, infrastructure augmentation and cultural programming.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the festival offers an opportunity to reconnect with India’s rich culture and traditions. While the kite festival may be new to Delhi in its present form, flying kites has long been an integral part of every Delhiite’s childhood memories.

“Flying kites in lanes, homes, and on rooftops has been a cherished tradition and the festival helps revive those fond memories,” Gupta said.