The Kite Flying Lesson

 

Neeti dumped her school bag on the sofa. She raced straight to the terrace and asked her little sister, Drishti, to join her.

"Hurry up Drishti. Pa's kite has won over five kites already. We need to join everyone when they cheer for him. The sound is not loud enough."

"O Paaaar!" A cacophony of children's voices from Neeti's apartment and two of the neighbouring ones echoed in the sunny afternoon of one fourteenth of January this year too. 

It was Makar Sankranti. Kite flying on this day was very popular where Neeti and her family lived. More so, Pa was extremely fond of it. He used to prepare for the festival days in advance. A bunch of decent kites were purchased every year in the second week of the first month. Neeti and Drishti picked the colours and designs. Pa checked the make of kites by slightly bending one and rubbing it over his head. That would show the strength of sticks used to make it.

Then there was another thing to be made ready. Manja, the reel of metres and metres of string that would make the kites fly. For this ine too, Pa would check the strength and his girls would pick the colour. 

On Sankranti eve, Pa, along with Neeti, Drishti and Mummy would prepare all kites for their flight the next day by tieing their kanni. He would show them how to use a matchstick to make the perfect sized holes. The girls and Mummy would do it diligently. They were aware how particular he was when it came to this hobby of his. Then he would pass a thread through them and make a knot for a triangular attachment that would be tied to the manja. 

Neeti enjoyed every bit of kite flying with her family. 14th January was one of the most awaited days of the year for her. The only thing that she did'nt quite like was a half day school on Sankranti. She went to a convent school where holidays were reserved only for bigger festivals. 

"But the enthusiasm all around only builds up towards late afternoon." She convinced herself that way every year. 

After coming back from school, she changed her clothes, had lunch, put on her favorite cap and then sprinted to the terrace to hold Pa's manja chakri as he flew his kites. It was not as exciting as flying a kite but she strongly felt it was her responsibility to do it. She never liked other children holding her Pa's chakri. Besides, Drishti drifted away from the kite flying area of the roof to play with her friends. And Mummy would join later after winding up her housework. So Neeti had to be Pa's teammate throughout.

Although the job would become a little mundane every little while, the mediocrity of it would vanish as soon as one of Pa's kites would win over some other. And then came her favorite part of shouting "O Paaar!" with all her might to celebrate her hero's victory every time. But on occasions when Pa's kite lost, it was a duty of the chakri holder to wind the manja around the chakri as quickly as possible. The chakri holder was also Pa's unofficial score keeper. Number won versus number lost. She gave a heads up to Pa every now and then. When there were no competitor kites hovering around, Pa let his daughters try hands on his. Neeti tried every year to learn this sport from him. She was still learning and hoped to master it before she turned twelve next year. Then there were other merriments that she looked forward to. Going after other kites that seemed to have a likely landing on their terrace, keeping a score track of every Uncle and Bhaiya who was flying kites on the same terrace, noticing windy moments and its direction, and mouth watering til gud laddoos made by Mummy which she carried when she came with all other Aunties of their apartment.

It was almost sunset. Pa had won over fifteen kites. Neeti was swollen with pride.

"Pa, you broke last year's record. And you won more than any other Uncle and Bhaiya of our apartment." Neeti exclaimed.

Pa turned around and smiled. "Yes, it was fun. Especially with the lovely team I have. But I hope you have learnt some lessons from the sport apart from being a good scorer and a steadfast holder of my chakri."

Neeti was all rushed up with excitement of the day. She did nt quite realise which lesson was Pa talking about.

"You see, I have been flying kites every year since I was a a little boy. After years of enjoying it for the moves and thrills I can tell you my take aways from it."

Neeti was listening to it eagerly. Pa did not talk about 'lessons' very often. But whenever he did, it always made sense to her. Pa took her smile as her readiness to give it a ear.

"Your life is like a kite. You have a total control over it till you have it. You may be favoured by winds of opportunity at times or you may not. But when that wind does blow, you need to take that flight right away. Others might help you in taking it off by a little throw in the air. After that happens, it upon you entirely."

Neeti smiled to agree. Pa continued.

"Then there will always be competitors around you. Remember that you have a choice whether to go ahead and compete with one or sail in your own space in the open sky. If you lose, you might find your life farther from where you had started it. In that case, if you do not let the harsh landing tear it or break it, you can take it up again from a new place altogether."

Neeti was finding Pa's talk very interesting.

"And the last one. The manja is equivalent to your mind. The more you release it, the more height you can take your life to. But risks at great heights are also great. So always think about the trade offs as you soar higher."

Neeti stared at the kite Pa that had just handed over to her for flying while talking to her. The white coloured kite with a half red moon amidst a setting sun in the background seemed to be smiling at her. She contemplated on what Pa had just said. She had learnt way more about kite flying this year than any of the previous ones.

Post cover photo courtesy : Klara Kulikova on Unsplash