Azaadi Ki Patangbaazi: Independence Day Special

Come 15th August, and the skies above Delhi 6 are transformed.

Rooftops come alive with children, adults and grandparents, all looking skywards as colourful kites dance, dip, soar and battle it out against the blue. There are shouts of “Wo kaataaa!”, music spilling from Bluetooth speakers, friendly rivalries across terraces, and that unmistakable Independence Day feeling that only Old Delhi seems to do quite like this.

But patang baazi is more than just a game.

A good kite needs a strong frame and a deft hand. You tug, you release, you give it slack and then pull it back, learning to read the wind rather than fight it. Too much control and it won't soar; too little, and it comes tumbling down.

Perhaps life isn't so different.

As the late Bhai Miyaan Khan, a 12th-generation Patang Baaz of Old Delhi, once told us while chatting in his room at the grand age of 93: “Kite flying is like living life.” Let go of the ego, the anger and the unnecessary weight, he said, and perhaps you too will learn to fly a little higher.

And yet, this beautiful art is slowly disappearing.

As Bhai Miyaan Sahib lamented, today's generations are more interested in “video games, bikes aur woh mobile par khit-pit” than the old rooftop traditions that once brought entire neighbourhoods together.

So this Independence Day, DelhiByFoot brings you back to the rooftops, the kites and the stories of an older Dilli.

WHAT'S IN STORE?

• Hear stories of legendary kite-makers, master kite-flyers and the fascinating history of kite-flying as a royal sport, brought alive through the art of storytelling by India's first lady Dastango, Fouzia Dastango.

• Pick up your own kite, learn the tricks of the trade from the DBF team and take to the skies yourself. Whether you're a seasoned patang baaz or someone who has never held a manjha before, we've got you covered.

• The colourful kite bazaars of Old Delhi, crowded rooftops, fluttering patangs and the August sky, bring your camera because this is one Independence Day spectacle you won't want to miss.

• The evening's star comes in the form of the culinary brilliance of Sana of Dastarkhwan-e-Sana Begum, whose delicious food items promise to make this an Independence Day gathering to remember.

So come celebrate Azaadi the old-fashioned Dilli way; with patangs in the sky, stories in the air, good food on the table and the rooftops of Delhi 6 buzzing with life.

The story-telling sessions will be done in English and some bits of Urdu/Hindi also.

DATE & TIME: 4:00 PM | Saturday | 15th Aug

MEETING POINT: Will be informed after booking

CHARGES: INR 2300/- per person.

Children below 6 years join free, while kids between 7-14yrs is INR 1200/- per child.

Note: By attending you agree to being filmed at the venue and content may be used for marketing purposes of Team TBT-DBF.