Caught in the Kite String

As Sankranti draws near, the fever of kite flying gripps India. The sky is colourful with kites and the roads are full of excitedly screaming groups of kids running after blown away kites. Kite flying competitions are held everywhere. People buy new kites, some catch hold of the ones that were drifted off after being cut, kids learn to fly kites while elders constantly tell them about safety.

How not to run onto the streets, how not to run around on the terrace etc. And in these instructions, the experienced elders teach the young ones to cover their fingers in plastic tape. They know that if your fingers are unguarded, they can get cut by Manja, or the kite string.

This kite string is glued and coated with glass powder to give it extra tenacity and strength. And as if this was enough, people have come up with the idea of using Nylon Strings. This makes you sort of invincible in the kite fighting as it cuts across the other kite’s string easily while keeping your kite safe.

The problem is that this Nylon thread cuts across other objects also, like for example, the throat of wing of an unsuspecting bird that is flying in it’s own territory…

Yes, you read it right… Nylon Manja njures, impairs and even kills birds as they get entangled in it. As they get entangled mid-flight, they try desperately to break free of the string, which they are unable to do do. And as a result, their wings get cut, their feet or legs get wounded and even their necks can get cut. Every year hundreds of birds get injured due to this Nylon Manja. And all this happens because some people are trying to win a kite fight for their ego with illegal means.

Nylon Manja has been banned in India for quite some years already. All we have to do is to obey the law and never buy Nylon Manja and refrain from using very sharp manja. Also, keep a watch if you see a bird in distress, and give a call to Animal Rescue Volunteers near you. That will help the birds live, boost our sportsman spirit as the fight will be in two equal forces and make us better, law abiding citizens…