Not all year round, but yes, in Dashain, we see flying kites all over the sky. The children, especially the boys, seem to have a fondness for flying kites. Although there are very few children who still enjoy flying kites, it is fun to watch them play around with the unsolved threads and show off their kites.
With that, there is a very common word used in Nepal while watching the kites flying all over the sky. If someone cut the thread of the kite, then we call it “Changa Chait” which means that the kite is terminated. It’s a kinda kite fight. You see, flying all above the boundary of the sky is not the only thing that happens during kite flying.
You want it or not but a sudden sense of competing comes when you see other kites flying above yours and your hand automatically draws itself to fly higher and higher than anyone else’s kite.
Back then, we had no idea why we even flew kites. It would be no wonder to realize that there are still a lot of people who don’t know about the reasons behind us flying the kites, especially during Dashain.
But we do have answers now. Although it’s not scientific, we are glad that we have answers.
It is said that when you fly kites in the sky, you are letting your ancestors in heaven know that you are doing fine. Moreover, it also means that you are remembering them. Also, in some aspects, it is believed that kites are a way to guide the recently released souls to heaven.
The animals and people that die on earth need to find a way to heaven. Thus, kites join the sky and the earth during this holy time, being a medium to find their way.
While there is another myth that defines this act as a message to Lord Indra who is well known as the god of rain. But this time, the message is not a request for rain instead it is to stop the rain. So that the farmers could harvest their grains.
Paper kites are also believed to be a way of sending the message of joy and wishes to our friends, neighbors, and family during the festivities and happiness.
Well, talking about the reasons for flying kites does not end the sequence here. There is, however, one more interesting folklore related to flying kites, which starts with the people of the Kathmandu Valley, who used to fly the kites in their free time.
But, this recreation eventually caused injury to several birds, and it also killed a few of them.
Then, the birds summoned a meeting with the king, reporting the threads in their lives. The meeting then, as expected, concluded with the people agreeing to fly kites only once a year. And that time is none other than during the Dashain Festival.
Thus, it is said that after that, people started flying kites only during Dashain and only in Dashain.
Reference is taken from Aayushma B. (Wikye.com)
Kite Flying on Dashain: The Tradition of Nepalese People