dumbfoundry

Kite sales down in Rawalpindi

(Sometimes I read the news from Rawalpindi because my father spent part of his childhood there.)

Kite sales are down, and at least one kite dealer blames the mullahs.

“Why are people avoiding a cheap source of entertainment?” he said, adding that he did not understand which social or religious norms were violated by kite flying.

The article's author seems to be on his side:

Seasonal festivals like Basant provide relief to entertainment-starved people who are depressed by persistent societal inequalities, economic disparities and ethnic fragmentation. The enjoyment of Basant is not confined to religious boundaries.

But:

“Basant is a Hindu custom and is un-Islamic. Our religion does not allow us to lavishly spend on these things and the Quran says lavish spenders are the brothers of Satan,” said Mufti Muhammad Bilal of Red Mosque in Islamabad.

He said Islam encourages healthy sports, but kite flying is a waste of time and money. He added that Basant promotes vulgarity and obscenity when both men and women participate in the kite flying.

Pakistan's Basant Festival

The ancient eastern city of Lahore marks the beginning of spring with the Basant carnival, an orgy of kite-flying, rooftop soirees, garden parties and equestrian events, much to the disgust of Islamic clerics. Lahorites and out-of-town enthusiasts don glamorous clothes, in the yellow and green of spring flowers blooming citywide, to bid farewell to the frosts and fogs of winter and usher in spring.

Nighttime kite-flying in the walled old quarter around the 16th century Badshahi mosque and Lahore fort opens the festival. Ancient mughal palaces throw open their doors for all-night parties to view the kites, illuminated by spotlights slashing the sky. Stars from the local 'Lollywood' film industry perform with classical Qawali musicians at parties in traditional haveli homes.

and

But even such a joyous festival has a dark side, as hospitals invariably are packed with kiteflyers who fell off roofs and children who were hit by cars as they ran down the streets, their faces turned towards the sky to watch the kites. Quarters of the city are plunged into darkness when razor-sharp kite cords rolled in powdered glass or made of steel cut electricity wires.

This entry was posted by eeksypeeksy on Monday, March 15, 2004 at 12:27 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.