Gujaratis in kite frenzy

Ahmedabad, Jan 14 (UNI) Enthusiastic Gujaratis celebrated the kite festival, coinciding with Makar Sakranti festivities, with great enthusiasm from early today with most parts of the state witnessing a total 'shutdown' of business and all other activities except kite flying.

The streets wore a deserted look. Sellers of Kite, thread, food items of the day-'Jhalebi' and 'Undhiyu' (a unique mix of vegetables), and other eatables made a brisk business. People were on the rooftops all the day, singing, dancing and cheering.

Ruling BJP supporters used kites depicting the pictures of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was having a Pongal lunch with Tamil Nadu former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha at her Chennai residence.

Congress supporters used party chief Sonia Gandhi's picture on their kites.

State minister Narottam Patel, Union Minister of state for petroleum Dinshaw Patel and many other politicians actively took part in the kite flying.

Kite festival was also organised in Mandavi, Kutch at the sea beach. In Bharuch, Niranjan Mali, an artist apt at donning the appearance of celebrities, this time donned the appearance of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, while in Ankaleshwar, a young man Unus has made a 12 ft long kite depicting picture of Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Annual kite festival of the tourism department now attracts lots of NRIs (Non Resident Indians) and foreigners. This four-day festival, this time has a theme of ''Gujarat-South Africa connection''. Many Gujaratis are settled in various parts of Africa and the theme is expected to attract them.

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