The fourth edition of Patna Kite Festival kicked off at Sabbalpur Diara across the Ganga on Wednesday. With Kai Po Che (a Gujarati phrase meaning “I have cut” commonly used while flying kites. Has been used in a song and is also the title of a movie) song blaring from loudspeakers, thousands of youths flew kites, a tradition associated with Makar Sankranti. The five-day festival organised by Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) offers residents the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. Flying kites apart, people can be seen taking a stroll on the sandbar or simply savouring homemade delicacies like at a picnic. Piyush Kumar Tripathi of The Telegraph presents a ready reckoner for those planning a visit to the sandbar to take in the “high spirits” of the ongoing festival:

Salient features:

Vivek Kumar Singh, principal secretary of the state environment and forests department, inaugurated the festival on Wednesday. BSTDC is offering 250 colourful kites and spindles free, every day, to visitors. Professional kite-flyer Mehul Pathak and his group from Gujarat are regaling visitors with their large-sized kites of various shapes. The professionals are there only till Thursday. Cultural programmes will be organised daily at the main venue in Sabbalpur Diara

Amenities available:

Twenty-five outdoor seating umbrellas with six chairs under each

Four seating canopies with capacity for 10 people in each

Two food plazas

Two watch towers for aerial views

Newly installed hand-pumps for drinking water

Lavatories for men and women

Kinds of kites on offer:

BSTDC is distributing normal-sized kites to the residents. Professional kite flyers bring their own inflatable kites, measuring anything from 8m to 50m

Weather conditions:

Mehul Pathak, the professional kite-flyer from Gujarat, claimed he had a tough time flying big-sized kites on Wednesday. There wasn’t enough wind-speed and the morning fog served as a deterrent. Senior meteorologist from Patna meteorological centre, R.K. Giri, claimed westerly winds were blowing at 5-6kmph on Wednesday. “The skies over Patna would be mostly clear over the next couple of days but there would be fog cover till 10am in the morning. Though we were expecting the tail of a western disturbance to cause overcast conditions across the state, it has now shifted slightly upward. Thus, cloudy conditions are now expected only in north Bihar in the next 48 hours,” Giri said

Other activities:

Sand art by College of Arts and Crafts students

Singing competition

Photography exhibition

Security arrangements:

Sufficient security was in place on the festival’s inaugural day. Around 50 police constables apart, there were guards from private security agencies. Sources said police officers, both men and women, were seen roaming in civilian clothes, on the lookout for troublemakers

Timing and food:

Senior BSTDC officials claimed the sandbar is open to visitors at any time during the day. However, kite-flying activities and cultural programmes would be held between 10am and 5pm. Snacks are available at two food stalls and there is no bar on people bringing their own, homemade food