Authors: Professor Nirmal Man Tuladhar
Date Submitted: August 31, 2011
Article Type: Discourse

On July 7th, I made a presentation on “The Kite Flying Tradition in Nepal” followed by a kite making workshop and demonstration of flying Nepali fighter kites at The National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute: Literatures, Religions and Arts of the Himalayan Region at Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA. Professor Todd T. Lewis, Department of Religious Studies, Holy Cross College, was director of the Summer Institute. The participants were high school teachers from various states of the United States.

MYTHS 
The tradition of kite flying has been in practice in Nepal from time immemorial.
Myth one: Kite flying sends messages to Indra, the god of rains, requesting him to stop rains as the rice fields have enough water.
Myth two: This pastime of kite flying brings prosperity to the family.
Myth three: Kite flying is a means of contacting and honoring dead ancestors.
Myth four: Kite flying is a means of guiding recently released souls to heaven.

Page Number: 6
PDF Link: september2011-Discourse Issue 10.pdf