A Kite Speckled Sky

With the end of the Bangali month of Poush, celebrated as “Poush Shangkranti” in Bangladesh, comes the long-awaited Shakrain. A festival of colours, fireworks, paper-made decorations, this age-old tradition makes Old Dhaka the ultimate place to be. One of the biggest and most vital parts of the celebrations is the “kite-fight”. Kites of all sizes and shapes take over the Old Dhaka sky as the kite-fighting gets more intense in the afternoon. The old, the young, and people from all backgrounds take part in the kite-fighting to bid farewell to poush. Primarily celebrated only with kites and rice cakes, nowadays the younger generation has taken things up a notch with fire breathers at every corner and fireworks going off from almost every rooftop, with the inclusion of music and dancing. The festival, in its basic, is of joy and unity. Shakrain is when you see the city coming together at its very heart and expressing togetherness with colours and laughter.

Photo: Prabir Das