India’s kite markets are anything but ordinary. They surface in January through noise, colour, dust, and paper scraps stuck to shoes, operating with the urgency of something that knows it has a short season to stay. These are not tourist-friendly bazaars but working trade zones where paper is cut at speed, string is coated in back rooms, and entire households measure time by the number of kaudis sold before Sankranti. Each market below exists because a region flies kites differently – heavier, lighter, sharper, decorative, or competitive – and the stock reflects that without explanation.
10 Extraordinary Kite Markets In India To Shop This Makar Sankranti 2026
1. Handipura Patang Market, Jaipur
Handipura feels more like a production lane where work never really stops; families sit inside narrow shops, reinforcing kite corners, attaching cloth borders, and stacking tukkal kites with long tails meant as much for display as flight. Bareilly-made diamond kites arrive here because Jaipur flyers want durability, and kaudi bundles are packed manually, not counted by machine. This is where ceremonial and festival kites still hold value.
Where: Handipura Patang Market, Ramganj Bazar, Jaipur
When: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Cost: ₹60-₹250
2. Raipur Gate Patang Bazaar (Jamalpur Chakla), Ahmedabad
Raipur Gate does not sell kites individually; it moves volume. Shops open onto stacks of printed paper kites sorted by size and weight, with manjha coils hanging like industrial supplies rather than festival accessories. Orders are placed in thousands, not dozens, and firkis are sold by the sack. This is where Uttarayan becomes logistical, where societies, clubs, and resellers source everything in one transaction.
Where: Raipur Gate Patang Bazaar, Jamalpur Chakla, Ahmedabad
When: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Cost: ₹15-₹60
3. Manek Chowk Kite Lanes, Ahmedabad
Around Manek Chowk, kite buying becomes impulsive and visual; stalls appear between food joints, selling frilled display kites, night-flying pieces, and compact festival kits designed for people who came to eat and left carrying a firki. These lanes favour quick decisions and speciality designs rather than bulk buying, and the stock shifts daily depending on demand.
Where: Manek Chowk Area, Old City, Ahmedabad
When: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Cost: ₹80-₹300
4. Surendranagar Kite Wholesale Market, Gujarat
Surendranagar rarely gets credited despite quietly feeding Gujarat’s kite economy. This is where the string is coated, the paper is cut in bulk, and unfinished stock moves outward to bigger cities. Buyers come here knowing exactly what they want: factory-rate kites, coated manjha rolls, and large consignments that will never be seen flying in this town.
Where: Kite Wholesale Area, Surendranagar, Gujarat
When: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Cost: ₹6-₹35
5. Bhuj Kite Markets, Kutch
Bhuj’s kite sellers work at a slower, more deliberate pace, offering cloth-backed and patchwork kites that borrow from Kutch’s textile sensibility rather than competitive flying logic. These are visual objects first and flying tools second, bought as much for colour and craft as for function. The market quietly resists mass uniformity.
Where: Kite Shops Area, Bhuj, Kutch
When: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Cost: ₹120-₹600
6. Lal Kuan Kite Market, Chandni Chowk, Delhi
Lal Kuan operates with the efficiency of an old supply chain that knows its role. Shops stock North Indian diamond kites, nylon manjha, imported thread, and accessories sourced through long-standing routes from Bareilly and Najafgarh. Retailers here sell to flyers and to resellers alike, rarely slowing down to explain anything.
Where: Lal Kuan Market, Chandni Chowk, Delhi
When: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Cost: ₹30-₹120
7. Crawford Market Kite Shops, Mumbai
Mumbai’s kite sellers adapt to space constraints the way the city always does. Kites are smaller, sturdier, and easier to control, threads are lighter, and accessories are chosen with rooftops in mind. Crawford Market supplies both individual flyers and suburban vendors who resell across the city once January hits.
Where: Crawford Market Area, Kalbadevi, Mumbai
When: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Cost: ₹40-₹180
8. New Market And Bowbazar Kite Sellers, Kolkata
In Kolkata, kite flying is more recreational than confrontational, and the markets reflect that. Sellers around New Market and Bowbazar stock long-tail kites, moderate manjha, and sizes designed for dense neighbourhood rooftops, not open competitions. The buying process is unhurried and almost conversational.
Where: New Market and Bowbazar Area, Kolkata
When: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Cost: ₹40-₹200
9. Atika Industrial Area Kite Manufacturers, Rajkot
Atika Industrial Area is not decorative; it is functional. Small factories produce paper kites, frames, and printed festival stock at scale, with buyers discussing quantities, paper thickness, and delivery timelines. This is where prices drop once numbers rise.
Where: Atika Industrial Area, Bhaktinagar, Rajkot
When: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Cost: ₹8-₹45
10. Jalori Bari Patang Market, Jodhpur
Jalori Bari exists to keep kite flying accessible. The market specialises in low-cost paper kites, locally coated manjha, and bulk packs meant to be flown without hesitation or regret. It is practical, price-driven, and unapologetically economical, a market built for volume.
Where: Jalori Bari Patang Market, Jodhpur
When: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Cost: ₹5-₹35
These markets offer a glimpse into the soul of January in India. They remind us that Makar Sankranti is more than just a date on the calendar; it is a massive, decentralised engine of craftsmanship and community.
Cover Image Courtesy: farazhyder/CanvaPro
For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE. First Published: January 12, 2026 2:33 PM