New Zealand's Indian community has been celebrating several harvest festivals that are an important part of life in the South Asian nation. Known by different names across India - Lohri in the north, Uttarayan Makar Sanskranti in the west, Sankranthi Sambaralu and Pongal in the south, and Bihu in the east - the harvest festival is typically celebrated on 14 January.
On this day, winter starts turning to spring as the sun transitions from the zodiac sign of Sagittarius to Capricorn. As the day marks the beginning of the harvest season, it's traditionally a time for feasts, singing and dancing. Households across India share sweets made from sesame and light bonfires to ward off evil spirits. They also pray for a bountiful harvest. Pratik Mathurkar, who moved from Austin, Texas, in , was surprised to see kite flying in Auckland.
Kite flying is common at this time of year in some parts of India, though is especially prevalent in the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. A kite's string acts as a symbolic cord, lifting all negative aspects of a person's life up into the sky. People of all ages take to open spaces or rooftops to fly their unique kites and compete with friends. The kites are attached to a spool of manja - a string coated with glass shards that is sharp enough to cut the cords of rival kites.
The harvest festival typically also includes contests for the most beautiful, unique or highest-flying kites. Some popular kite designs include birds, animals, mythological figures and even celebrities. In modern times, the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat has hosted the International Kite Festival since The competition is the largest kite festival in the world, attracting participants from across the globe. Organised by community group Vaishnav Parivar, the highlight of the festival was a battle for kite supremacy in the air.
Other offerings included food stalls, live cultural performances, folk dances, rides, face painting and a drawing competition for children. Vinay Mehta, one of the organisers of the Uttarayan Makar Sankranti kite festival. Dhruv Darji, who immigrated to New Zealand from Gujarat a year ago, was thankful to experience a bit of India in Auckland. Pratik Mathurkar, who moved from Austin, Texas, in , was surprised to see such a huge interest in kite flying in Auckland. Gurpreet Singh, who moved to Auckland from the Indian state of Punjab recently, echoed a similar sentiment.
