Kite Flying on Festival Days: Dangerous Threads & How to Protect People and Birds

(SafeSphere360 — Safety | Awareness | Responsibility)

  • kite flying safety India, manja hazards, festival safety awareness, kite string injuries, public safety in festivals

Introduction: A Colorful Tradition with Hidden Risks

Across India, festivals like Makar Sankranti, Basant Panchami, Independence Day, and Uttarayan bring families and communities together in joyful kite-flying celebrations. Flying colorful kites across the sky is part of our heritage — a fun competition of skill and spirit.

But an invisible danger lurks in the sky: the sharp kite-flying threads known as manja. These strings, especially the glass, metal, or nylon coated types, are not just hooks for kites — they are hazards that slice through more than just air. They have caused serious injuries and deaths among humans, birds, and animals. Understanding this danger and taking responsibility can keep the festival spirit alive without tragedies.



What Are Kite Threads (Manja) and Why Are They Hazardous?

Most traditional kite strings are made of cotton or basic thread, but competitive kite flying often uses sharpened or coated threads (locally known as manja) to cut opponents’ kites.

How Dangerous String Becomes

  • Coated with glass particles or metal dust

  • Extremely sharp and nearly invisible in sunlight

  • Non-biodegradable, lingering on rooftops, wires, and roads

These sharp threads can cut through skin, limbs, and even a rider’s neck in seconds.

Yearly Impact — How Many Are Affected?

While exact national statistics are not centrally published every year, rescue and veterinary groups report alarming patterns:

Human Injuries and Fatalities

  • Numerous deaths have been recorded from glass-coated string injuries, including a five-year-old boy and a police constable during kite festivals in 2025.

  • Thousands of reports exist of motorcyclists and pedestrians being cut by string while riding, walking, or driving.

Bird and Wildlife Injuries

  • In Ahmedabad alone, over **17,000 birds were injured and over 1,400 died from kite string injuries in one recent year.

  • In Bengaluru, rescue incidents rose from about 102 in 2019 to 790 in 2025, with species like black kites and house crows most affected.

These figures show a rising trend of harm, especially around peak kite-flying months (January–April).

Why Do These Dangerous Threads Still Exist?

Despite regulations and bans in many regions, hazardous manja continues due to:

Competition Culture

Participants seek sharper threads to win kite battles.

Weak Enforcement

Even banned strings are sold and used openly during festivals.

Lack of Awareness

Many people view the danger as exaggerated until it affects someone they know.

Real Consequences — Not Just Animals, But People Too

Sharp kite strings can:

  • Sever necks or limbs almost instantly

  • Cause riders to crash into traffic

  • Lacerate faces and wrists

  • Injure pedestrians and children

These are avoidable injuries — yet they continue because the risks are ignored.

Role of Authorities — What Must Be Done

Governments and local authorities must act decisively:

Strict Enforcement

  • Ban sale and use of glass/metal coated kite strings

  • Penalize manufacturers and vendors of hazardous manja

Safety Zones

  • Allow kite flying only in designated open spaces

  • Keep wires, roads, and crowded areas clear during festivals

Awareness Campaigns

Education must begin before the festival season — through schools, community groups, and media.

What People Can Do — Personal Responsibility

Communities and individuals must also take action:

Choose Safe Thread

Use plain cotton thread with natural coatings — these are far less harmful.

Fly Kites in Safe Areas

Open fields, parks, and rooftops away from traffic and power lines.

Help Injured Birds/People

Keep local helpline numbers ready for wildlife rescue or medical emergencies.

Signals That Tell Us Action Is Urgently Needed

  • Spotting kite strings left across roads or wires

  • Frequent bird rescue calls

  • News of human injuries during festivals

  • Persistent illegal sales before festivals

When these signs appear, awareness and action must follow.

Conclusion: Keep the Festival Spirit — Not the Harm

Kite flying is part of our culture — its colours, joy, and competition bring people together. But when festival fun turns into danger, it means we must evolve the way we celebrate.

The joy of kite flying should never come at the cost of a bird’s wing or a human life.
Celebrations and safety must fly together.

Stay aware. Choose safe thread. Protect people and wildlife.
SafeSphere360 — Safety, Awareness, Responsibility.

Tradition thrives when celebration respects life.

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