SKY WARS

An inverted world, the battle was in the sky and the casualties are now strewn from every tree and telegraph pole.  'Patang' takes place on the 14th/15th January to welcome in Spring and the lengthening of the days.  They make the kites of tissue paper and bamboo and the tails are laced with powdered glass so you can cut your opponent down to size.  The streets were deserted while everyone was up on rooftops and terraces either flying a kite, watching or lighting fireworks !  I had read about kite flying in 'Kite Runner', but had not realised it was such a wide spread phenomenon in Asia.  Actually, the whole thing began the night before - midnight - the Old City was choc-a-bloc with people buying equipment for kite making for the next evening's spectacle.