Until a few years back, the overcast August sky in the Walled City used to be dotted with vibrant colours. People would fly kites all day, taking advantage of the gentle breeze.
However, the thrill of “kite dogfights” have now been replaced by video games and other forms of entertainment. With fewer people flying kites, the livelihood of many traditional kite-makers has been affected. Most of them have turned to earn their livelihood through other means, but some are still practicing the craft with a twist.
One such kite-maker is Umar Darazz, who has won accolades across the world for his kite-making skills.
From festivals in France and England to stunning people in Russia, where he flew a kite while it started snowing, Umar’s craft has been recognised by patrons of the dying skill.
With nobody buying his kites, earning a living was becoming tough, and Umar almost stopped making kites and shut shop. However, an intervention by Kamala Gallery, an initiative of the Crafts Council of India, gave him an opportunity to use his talent to make products that require similar technique and skills to work with paper.
Umar now makes wrapping paper, gift bags, envelopes, decorative kites and other products that are sold at the NGO’s swanky store on Baba Kharak Singh Marg. The products, in vibrant colours, have been made by cutting, folding and embellishing kite paper. He has a dedicated space in the store, where his products are displayed.
Umar says he is grateful to the NGO that helped him continue what he loves doing and turning it into a way to earn a living for his family. He feels that though kite flying has become dangerous due lack of open spaces, the skill of making a a kite should not die because of this.
With videogames replacing kites, a kite-maker now uses his talent to make wrapping paper, gift angs, envelopes
