Makar Sankranti on 14th January heralds India’s kite festival, particularly in Gujarat, Bihar, and Jharkhand and some parts of West Bengal and Rajasthan. The skies of cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Jaipur, Dhanbad, and Hyderabad are full of kites/patangs through-out the day. People begin flying kites in winter and they are also flown on holidays like Republic Day, Independence Day, Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami. In fact, kite flying is common during the six month period of Uttarayan which lasts till mid-July, but in Kolkata people fly kites throughout the year.

The string/cord/line used for fighter-kites is called manja/manjha which is usually made of cotton but an abrasive coat of crushed glass is gummed on to it making it razor sharp – each person tries to make his line the sharpest. Using this manja, colourful paper-cum-bamboo kites are flown from rooftops with the aim of cutting other kite-strings, either by letting the line loose at high speed or by repeatedly yanking it.

On being cut, rival kites are seen drifting away with the wind… but innocent birds like kites and pigeons smoothly gliding in the sky are also seen falling limp to the ground. In fact, there are reports of pedestrians and people commuting on two wheelers also being injured and even killed with this deadly manja of the ‘cut’ kites slashing their necks and causing loss of blood. And then, there are the children who in their enthusiasm to catch the ‘cut’ kites also hurt themselves.

The fact is that however carefully a kite/patang is flown, the manja can unwittingly severely wounds birds that are flying in the air. They some how get entangled with the manja, struggle in panic and then fall to the ground. The manja cuts their wings, bodies or feet so deep it results in profuse bleeding, often gruesome death if beheaded.

Also when thrown away, this very manja easily entangle in birds’ legs and bodies resulting in painful amputation and finally death. It can even hurt other animals that forage in the garbage. (In fact, ordinary string and thread too is harmful because it can easily entangle in a bird’s feet and hamper its flying capacity which affects its survival.) The famous Jain Charity Bird Hospital in Delhi treats thousands of birds like pigeons, kites and even some wild specie of birds, injured by sharp, glass-coated kite/patang manja (catapults and air guns also) throughout the year.

For years Beauty Without Cruelty studied the problem by witnessing hundreds of injured birds being brought for first aid to Mumbai’s Kabutarkhana (pigeon shelter) on Makar Sankranti and came to the conclusion that although not intentional, flying kites/patangs does harm birds. The two solutions widely circulated in the city by BWC requested people not to use manja, and not to fly kites in crowded areas or near bird colonies. It was also suggested that Government should not declare Makar Sankranti a holiday so less people would fly kites on the day.

The happy outcome of this BWC public awareness campaign was that beginning Makar Sankranti 2005 a lesser number of injury cases have arisen and been brought for treatment as kites/patangs in Mumbai are now being flown, presumably without manja on open grounds and away from tall buildings.

Unfortunately, this is not so in other cities where kite-fights occur especially with the increasing use of the new deadlier Chinese manja, so BWC continues to inform people what they can do to save innocent birds from unintentional injuries during kite flying.

As manja used for kite flying cuts and profusely bleeds birds as well as humans, many NGOs have taken up the issue. In 2009 and 2010 it was banned in cities like Chennai and Mumbai. The Economic Times reported “Manja ban takes the wind out of Makar Sankranti” and with people losing interest in kite-flying, many kite-makers abandoned their profession. But Gujarat’s 2010 Uttarayan went ahead with kites battling in the sky. Five humans and hundreds of birds also battled for their lives – and died. At least 250 persons and countless birds were seriously injured because of the banned Chinese dori (manja) was sold under the counter. The state government had also issued an appeal not to fly kites between 6 to 8 am and 5 to 7 pm when more birds fly.

On Diwali or other auspicious occasions like weddings or when India wins a cricket match, the loud noise of fire crackers being burst causes fear and panic in dogs, cats, birds, etc. Their ears are highly sensitive to bursting fire crackers as well as loud music.

Each year hundreds of dogs are injured on the spot of such activity or lost, never to be found. An animal or bird need not be absolutely nearby to suffer thus; deafening loud noises cause panic to each and every creature within the vicinity.

People have sadistically lit crackers under a buffalo, oblivious to its agony to provoke it into activity at an annual community festival held in Pune on the occasion of Gudi Padwa. We should make sure that festive gaiety never manifests itself at the expense of innocent animals made to needlessly suffer with a string of fire crackers being tied to the tails of animals such as dogs and donkeys and then lit. Deriving pleasure in watching animals suffer thus is a sign of sadism which in time positively extends to humans.

Animals such as elephants, horses and camels traditionally feature in religious functions and wedding processions. Processions involving such animals require Police permission. Crackers are burst along the route which quite often scares the animals and they go berserk thus injuring people. For example, in Pune during a temple procession, a 5-year old girl was kicked by a horse on her head following crackers being burst. Such tragic incidents clearly indicate that crackers should never be burst in the vicinity of animals as it adversely affects both humans and animals.

The activity of boxing is one that should put us to shame. A (human) society that shows disrespect to other animals is bad enough, but as long as it subscribes to the ethic of non-harm towards members of its own species, it is guilty only of selfishness. However, when it is seen to indulge in activities that involve the infliction of blatant, physical hurt upon its own members, it is indeed a sad commentary upon the state of its moral evolution.

The ‘sport’, if it can be called that, of boxing is one such activity which requires the raining of blows upon the opponent’s body, resulting always in the spillage of blood and sometimes even in the fracture of bones, all the while cheered on by supporters and spectators is nothing more than a modern-day gladiatorial spectacle that needs to be abolished without condition and without any further consideration or delay.

Unfortunately shooting associations and air rifle clubs are known to lure young boys making them feel target shooting is a manly sport. The noise of guns and rifles when shooting upsets animals and birds in close proximity just as when crackers are burst. Moreover, it is unwise for parents who believe in reverence for all life to give their child a weapon which can take a life.

Former President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam has said: “A righteous heart leads to a beautiful character. That leads to harmony at home which in turn brings order in the nation. And when there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world. Thus, instilling this one quality of righteousness in children by their parents in a spiritual environment and by their teachers can lead to a peaceful world.”

It should never be forgotten that righteousness and reverence for life go hand in hand. These basic values need to be instilled in young impressionable minds. At every opportunity it is essential to explain the ahinsak way of life to children so that they do not blindly follow our views, but they themselves believe in and want to lead a life of harmlessness which respects all life forms.

Last but not least, a 2011 Reader’s Digest survey Around the World with One Question – What Should Your Kids Learn First? – found that while parents from all countries agreed that respect is what they need, China, Germany and Russia placed kindness first.

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