Palamau is set to witness its first kite flying festival on January 14 as the Palamau Chamber of Commerce and Industries will conduct ‘Patang Utsav 2021’ in Daltonganj on Makar Sankranti.

The popular festival has never been celebrated in the district in 120 years, sources said.

The organisers have roped in a team of six kite specialists of reputed kite flying clubs in Ahmedabad and Mumbai who are going to reach Daltonganj on January 13, Palamau Chamber of Commerce and Industries general secretary Inderjeet Singh Dimple said.

“This kite flying ceremony will have only 100 participants, who are children in the age group of 6 to 15,” Dimple said.

“Gender will not be any bar. We will love it if more girls in this age group come for flying the kites,” he added.

Dimple elaborated that the registration fee per person is Rs 250, and it is on till January 10.

The six-member team will train the registered children for kite flying on January 13 in the Pdt Deendayal Upadhaya Smriti Bhavan.

It will also present kits for kite flying, each costing Rs 300. Each will have a kite, spool braids and other necessary equipment.

The festival has already created a buzz among the children of Daltonganj, and holds a special place after the ruckus 2020 created, when the district lost 20 of its citizens to Covid-19.

“I am asking my parents to allow me to take part in this celebration. My father Dhirender Chandravanshi is ready but my mom has some reservations about the crowd that will swell on this occasion in this Coronavirus time,” said nine-year-old Monu.

Parents, too, are excited for the upcoming festival.

Priyanka Devi, a resident of Nawa Toli Mohalla in Daltonganj and a mother of 3 children, said, “I am happy because my 10-year-old son Chintu will not be glued to the cell phone for hours on that day at least. I know he will be out watching kites for hours on the river bed of the Koyal.”

She said more of such games should be conducted to replace dependence on mobile phones.

Noted environmentalist D.S. Srivastava said, “I wish people found some time for bird watching too, which comes handy everyday.”

Giving more details, Dimple said on the eve of Makar Sankranti, there will be an LED fitted kites flying show conducted by the kite-flying experts of Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

The organisers are also arranging provisions for food on the occasion of ‘dahi choora’ of Makar Sankranti on January 14, where people will be able to buy food at the venue near river Koyal.

Dimple said animated characters too will be on the prowl in the eco-friendly gathering to amuse and bring laughter to the gathering.