The federation used the occasion to launch a new 1kg pouch of curd priced at Rs 45.

The ITI event managed to draw only around 30 kite fliers. “We celebrated Makar Sankranti with some of our supporters,” said the outfit’s district secretary, Rajesh Pandey.

The NaMo Patang Mahotsav on Morabadi grounds on Tuesday is likely to attract thousands of kite enthusiasts.

A brainchild of state khadi board chairman Sanjay Seth, the organisers will distribute around 20,000 kites with Modi’s picture printed on it.

Fragrant festival: Devotees light diyas and make a floral rangoli at the Ayyappa temple in Jagjivan Nagar, Dhanbad, on Makar Sankranti Monday. The day is celebrated in Kerala’s Sabarimala where the Makara Jyothi, the sun’s transit to Capricorn constellation, is said to be visible. (Gautam Dey)

The sky was a riot of colours as thousands of kites of various shapes and sizes lit up the sky on the occasion of Makar Sankranti here.

While two kite flying events were organised on Monday, the NaMo Patang Mahotsav will be held at Morabadi grounds here on Tuesday.

Though Bharatiya Manabadhikar Association, a human rights group, organised the event on ITI grounds in Hehal, the major attraction of the day was at Morabadi grounds where the Jharkhand State Cooperative Milk Federation, which markets milk products under brand name Medha, distributed around 3,000 kites with its logo stamped on it to participants.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the event since it is not held in my hometown in Bihar’s Samastipur,” said Shashi Kumar, a Medha dairy employee.

Even women took part in the celebrations. “I took part in the event since I was very fond of flying kites when I was a little girl,” said Anita Kumari, a school teacher who went there with her relatives.

“We distributed 3,000 kites, but the number of participants must have been over 7,000,” a Medha dairy employee said.