Makar Sankranti is here and you know what this means! Let the kite flying and patang competitions begin! But way too many times in the past, there have been unfortunate accidents during the festival. People have been severely, and in many cases fatally, injured by the thread used to fly kites during the festival. Regardless of how careful one is, using such threads is dangerous. In view of this, the Mumbai police has banned the sale of nylon manjha as a preventive safety measure.
Mumbai Police Bans Nylon Manjha
Makar Sankranti is here and the sky will soon be dotted with colourful kites and patangs of various sizes. People will compete with each other in kite-flying competitions and try to take each others’ kites down. In the past, amidst all the festivities, there have been many incidents when people have gotten severely hurt by the manjha used in patangs.
Therefore, to be safe and to avoid such accidents this time around, Mumbai Police has banned the sale of Nylon Manjha. This means that people will no longer be able to legally buy or sell nylon manjha, thus abating its use. Those who are found illegally selling the manjha will be booked under section 188 of the IPC. This mandate was put into effect from the 12th of January and will be in effect until the 10th of February. This is to ensure the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the ban.
Also Read: This Is Why Maharashtrians Share Til Gul On Makar Sankranti
Why We Fly Kites On Makar Sakranti
India is composed of a number of different cultures. As such, there are many explanations according to different cultures as to why kites are flown. Some believe that flying kites in the sun during the daytime has healing properties. One explanation, primarily emerging from Gujarati culture is that kites are a symbol of gratitude. Since Makar Sankranti is a harvest festival, colourful kites are flown as a symbol of gratitude toward the gods for bringing good luck.
Also Read: This Is How Different Parts Of The Country Celebrate Makar Sankranti
How are you celebrating the festival? Tell us in the comments below!
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons