Basant in Pakistan

Posted on March 22, 2008
Filed Under >Shiraz Bashir, Culture & Heritage, Society, Sports
27 Comments
Total Views: 106995

Shiraz Bashir

Basant – the kite flying festival of spring – was supposed to be celebrated last weekend in Lahore but, at least officially, it was postponed because of the tragic Lahore bombings. But Basant season is obviously here. For good and for bad.

Basant in Pakistan

Basant is a festival celebrating arrival of a spring season. People dress up in colorful clothes and fly Patang or gudday (Kites) of various shapes and sizes using a thoughtfully selected and prepared dor(Kite String). Some people fly kites just for fun. Others fly in serious competitions among various families, mohalas and emotions can run high.

Basant always brings childhood memories from Rawalpindi.

Kite flying Pakistan


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We use to prepare for festival by “dor sotna” (preparation of kite flying string). It starts from selecting the string first. Strings come in many varieties like number 5, 2, 12 Reech (bear), Camel brand, Air blade, 5 panda etc.

BASANT IN Pakistan

Art of “dor sotna” involves many secret ingredients like special glue, string, glass, “saresh”, color and many other secret stuff. Then “dor” is put on a “charakrhee”. After that we use to go and purchase kites of various types like gudday, Patang, Lakhnow Kut, Pari in various sizes and colors. gudday come in sizes like 2.5 Tawa, 3 Tawa, 6 Tawa whereas Patang sizes are known as Har Githhi, Panch Gitthi, 6 Githhi, 8 Githhi etc. Then dor is attached to kite using a process known as “Kanee Dalna”. It is an art itself.

Basant in Pakistan

On Basant day, we wear colorful clothes and climb to roofs and have Patang Bazee. Shouts of “Bo Kata”, “Aur Dheel Day”, “Nazar a Raha Hay Guda”, “Oyay Chor Maree Door ko”, “Khich Mar Na Yar”, “Neechay Say Neechay Say Paycha Laga” were norm. Due to very sharp “dor”, index and other fingers get very deep cuts. But those cuts were badges of honors and were proudly shown to people next day.

Basant is a fun filled festival. But every year many deaths occur due to kite string cutting somebody throat, electrocuting someone due to vicinity to overhead electric wires or falling from roof tops. So a great caution must be exercised so as not to lose human lives.

Credits:

1. Salman, who is a dear friend of mine from Pakistan, enlightened me on types of Guday, Patang and Dor.
2. Photos by Rehan Fazal at flickr.com

ATP’s Post on Basant from 2007:

Celebrating Basant – Idiot Stlye

27 responses to “Basant in Pakistan”

  1. khadijabibi says:

    Basant n patang both are hindu terminology hence it would be an act of kufr to fly kites.

    The spring festival of Basant has once again come under a cloud with the Pakistan Supreme Court disallowing kite flying, an integral part of the celebration, on grounds of safety.

    The Supreme Court Monday rejected a Punjab government plea seeking permission for kite flying in the province, taking a dim view of announcements and preparations made despite the ban.

    Above is a kafer practice, hence Haram.

  2. Awais Ahmed says:

    ———————————————— -
    Every Body Must Read and Spread!Plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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    Hi,
    Its Awais
    Maain apko Rawalpindi mei Basant aur Kite Flying K Baray mein btana chata ho.
    Rawalpindi mein Patang Bazi Ka Sirf Aik hi Store hai jahan se sb hridtey hain
    Woh hain “Puran Qila” Banni Chowk sse zra sa agye
    Main bhi wahan se ptang bazi ka samaan khridta ho rozana tkriban hazaroon ka kmatey hai
    Aj kal chonkke ptang bazi per pabandi hai is lia Police ko order hai k wo Ptang bazi ka samaan band krwa day
    Lakin yeh salay Qillay walon k sath milley huay hain
    Jab Qillay per rush bht ziada hota hai tou Qillay Waley(Kite Seller) Police ko Telephone krte hain Police 2, 3 Car lay kr ati hai aur phir sab bacho ko aik mein dalti hai aur aik main Ptang bazi ka saman aur sath hi bchon ko dikhaney k lia unka aik banda bhi lay jati hai aur Phir Police Station ja Kr Har bachey k walidain se tkriban Rs.5,000-Rs10,000 lati hai aur phir bchon ko chor deti hai.Phir Qillay ke bandon se Rs.40,000 leti hai(sirf dekaney k lia)
    Raat ko phir sara maal wapis kr deti hai aur adha rakh leti hai us adhe ko Garmion k season mein sell kr deti hai.
    Ptang bazi per pabandi ki wajah se Police ko double munafa horahah hai aik Hakomaty se Payment leti hai aur dosra Ptng bazon se
    Is lia meri ap sb se drkhwast hai k ap Jahan per bhi “Kite” k naam se koi chiiz dekhien tou wahan per yeh Comment Paste zroor krein takey Hakomat is K khilaaf action lay.
    Conatct:crystal_55@hotmail.com with subject “Kite”
    ———————————————— -
    Aur mere lehhaz se Lahore ke elawa baqi sheron mein Ptang bazi honi chaiye khas tor per Rawalpindi meoi Kio k yahan teeize dor ka istimaal nai hota
    ———————————————— -
    Maain yeh nai kehta k Lahore main Basant naai honi chaieye Purey Pakistan main honnio chiye lakin Chand shrait k sath takey.
    ———————————————— -
    Tak kay yeh Ptang Bazi ka tehwaar aik Khushi ka zria hi rahay na k Qatal-o-Gharatka zria
    ———————————————— -
    Reply me

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