Sky High Showdown

Kite flying has been popular among Indian royalty since the Mughal period in the 17th century, but Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II is credited with turning Jaipur into a kite-fighting capital. Locally known as patangbazi, the goal is simple: fly your kite high, cut your opponent’s line with yours and claim their fallen kite as a trophy. The technique requires dexterity, quick reflexes, and tactical prowess – many getting their kites high into the air even without a breeze by pulling and tugging in the right direction at the right time. Flyers sway and swerve, angling for the perfect cut. When a kite falls, neighborhood kids scramble across rooftops to claim the prize. What began as a noble pastime is now woven into the fabric of daily life in Jaipur – spirited, colorful, and competitive.

Traditionally, some competitors would even go the extra step and coat their strings with manja – a controversial paste of ground glass and glue – which turned their kite line into a cutting tool. While manja has been banned in some cities thanks to injuries from the glass-coated strings, the instructors here focus on the more leisurely, less competitive techniques of the traditional art. (So no need to worry about any fingers being nicked!)

While Jaipur’s sky is rarely empty of kites, there are a few days each year it seems the entire city takes to the rooftops. January 14th, for instance, marks Makar Sankranti, the city’s official kite festival celebrating the sun’s journey to Northern Hemisphere and the winter harvest. On this day more than any other, the city erupts. Rooftops become battlegrounds as thousands of kites – each with unique textures, patterns, and designs – fill the sky until sunset. It’s a citywide showcase of aerial artistry and lighthearted rivalry, and the competition is fierce. Visitors who time their stay right can witness the spectacle from the rooftop with expert commentary from the proprietors.

After a long day of kite flying, there’s no better place to recover than the haveli’s courtyard. Now run by Thakur Durga Singh and his wife Thakurani Usha Kumari, the current custodians of a home their family has kept for generations, the establishment remains dedicated to preserving their customs and sharing them with guests. It’s the perfect base for learning Rajasthani culture – and preparing for the next day’s rooftop match. And if you ask nicely, Thakur Singh might let you ride shotgun in his vintage Hindustan Ambassador—a fitting way to explore the Pink City after you’ve conquered its skies.