Come January, the already colorful bazaars of Jaipur take on many added hues in preparation for Makar Sankranti. Both nature & Bazaars get ready to celebrate the ‘Sun God’.
To be taken seriously in the Kite flying community and be truly called a ‘Patangbaaz’ in Jaipur, you have to have navigated, negotiated, bought kites and known these intricate mazes of the best Kite Bazaars as the back of your hand. If you are new to the city, to Sankranti or to the sport, you should definitely explore these bazaars, its fascinating wares &‘Kaarigars’. It’s a sure shot way of getting infected by this happy, peppy and festive energy surrounding this beautiful city. Here is a look at the 5 Kite Markets of Jaipur.
1. Handipura Bazaar: ‘Haandipura’ bazaar sits in between the Badi Chaupar and Ramganj Chaupar of the walled city of Jaipur. Laden with thousands of kites, this market which remains quiet otherwise sees skilled kite makers from not only Jaipur but also cities like Moradabad, Aligarh, Bareilly and Agra throng the market with their wares. This is one of the biggest markets of Jaipur with hundreds of shops. Here, the ‘Karigari’ is done by women & young adults in almost every household.
2. Haldiyon Ka Rasta: Abutting Johari Bazaar, this market is easily accessible from Bari Chaupar. The sight of kite lovers carrying their exploits in bundles of 50s & 100s on top of their heads lest the kites get torn in the crowded market is a sure sign that you have encountered a kite ‘enthusiast’. In Haldiyon Ka Rasta, look for Jawahar Patang House.
3. Jagannath Shah Ka Raasta: One of the older Bazaars in the city is located in Ramganj, it is here that the main buying & selling of Kites takes place. It is here that the High-quality kites from Lucknow, Bareilly & Rampur are bought and sold in bulk. The skilled Kaarigars from Uttar Pradesh also throng the market just before Sankranti & are known for their excellent finishing of Kites.
4. Ghat Darwaza: Some of the most well-known and famous Kite shops in the city are near Ghat Darwaza. Just ask for the famous Aziz Bhai Ki Patang ki Dukaan or Zafar Bhai / Shahid Bhai’s shop.
5. Kishanpol Bazar: It has some of the most colorful designs in the city both old and new could be found.
The Maanjha comes only & only from Bareilly and is not made in Jaipur as its quality and expertise surpass all others.
As we covered the last of the bazaars, we could hear the soulful fading notes of the evening Azaan at the Handipura bazaar, intermingled with the excited chatter of seasoned negotiations between the smiling shopkeeper & ‘Patangbaaz. As the glowing yellow bulbs started coming alive in the shops around, one could feel the growing excitement in the air and we knew the same passion will be spilled across the colorful dotted sky on Makar Sankranti and every kite will rise high and zealously fight to remain the last kite flying.
And if you literally want to walk through the happiest markets of the town, watch this video !
Jaipur Beat 