Authors: Stephen Weyer
Date Submitted: February 28, 2003
Article Type: Journal

My research in India focused on the manufacture of Indian-style fighter kites, known as patang, outside of the standard kite flying seasons. Most of the work was conducted in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Much has been published in periodicals on the two major yearly Indian kite celebrations. But to the best of my knowledge, there has been no study of off-season kite production.

I received much assistance from Tal Streeter’s book A Kite Journey Through India. Part travelogue and part research journal, Streeter’s book delivers a wealth of information on Indian kite manufacturing. Consequently I will not detail the processes of manja-making and kite production. (Manja is the glass-coated line used by kite fighters to cut opponents out of the sky.)

The local experts on kites are the patang-wallahs (kitemakers). Fortunately, I had a reliable and informative contact in Asghar Belim, owner of Belim Kite Manufacturing Company and president of the Belim Kite Club. Asghar claims his company is the largest producer of handmade kites in India. He calculates his firm turns out 1.5 million kites per year. This would make him one of the largest kite manufacturers in the world.

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