E-Paper
Prayagraj’s kite makers endure exploitation for generations; hope for better days
With no organisation or registration with the labour department, kite makers are exploited by big kite traders who earn hefty sums by selling kites locally and sending them to other states on demand.
The kite makers of Prayagraj craft kites of vibrant hues painting the evening sky, but their own lives are veiled in darkness and hardship. Across generations, these artisans in the old city area of Prayagraj persist in toiling under harsh conditions, earning a meagre income that barely sustains them.
With no organisation or registration with the labour department, kite makers are exploited by big kite traders who earn hefty sums by selling kites locally and sending them to other states on demand.
Many have left their ancestral profession for other trades, but many still make kites for their survival. Families engaged in kite craft reside in the narrow lanes and bylanes of Syed Wada, Rasulpur, Dariabad, Akbarpur, Daira Shah Ajmal, and Garhi Sarai localities of the old city. These areas are densely populated and lack amenities. There is no record of how many people are engaged in kite manufacturing, but it is estimated that over 1,000 people, including women, make kites and other accessories for kite flying in the old city areas.
Never approached by any politician or leader, kite makers have no expectations from them. However, they hope for better days if they get attention from local authorities.
Busy making kites at his small workshop in the Daira Shah Ajmal area, 55-year-old Abdul Qadir says that his family has been engaged in kite making for the past four generations. Qadir makes kites for big kite traders and gets ₹400 per day. However, their employers pay ₹250 only to the women workers. Qadir and his kin also make kites to sell to customers for additional income.
“My family and I are engaged in making kites. However, we do not want to continue it anymore as survival is getting tougher each day on this meager income. The income is only enough to make ends meet somehow. The cost of material used in making kites has increased, and so has the price of kites in the market, but wages have remained the same for many years,” Abdul Qadir complained.
Working throughout the day and even during the night, the kite makers toil hard to complete the orders while ensuring the quality of the kites. Besides daily wages, some kite makers get money for each kite they make.
Roshan Bua, 60, and her daughter make kites for their living. Residing in a rented room in the Syed Wada locality, Roshan Bua gets ₹1 for a small kite and ₹2 for a larger one. The material is provided by the bigger traders who sell the same kites at higher prices in the market and earn hefty sums.
“Many have left the profession as survival is becoming hard on this meager income. It is not that people are now less interested in kite flying, but the passion for this old entertainment is increasing. However, kite makers are being exploited in the absence of any organisation and due to the negligence of the concerned authorities,” says Mohd Mallu, another kite maker.
