Pakistan's famous kite festival cautiously returns after 19-year ban
#Basant Festival #Pakistan #Kite flying #Punjab province #Cultural heritage #Safety regulations #Lahore
📌 Key Takeaways
- Pakistan is cautiously lifting a nearly two-decade ban on the centuries-old Basant kite festival.
- The 2005 ban was triggered by numerous fatalities caused by glass-coated strings and celebratory gunfire.
- The revival aims to restore cultural traditions and stimulate the local economy through tourism.
- New safety measures includes strict regulations on string manufacturing and designated flying zones.
📖 Full Retelling
🏷️ Themes
Culture, Public Safety, Tradition
📚 Related People & Topics
Cultural heritage
Physical artifact or intangible attribute of a society inherited from past generations
Cultural heritage is the tangible and intangible legacy of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. Not all legacies of past generations are "heritage"; rather, heritage is a product of selection by society. Cultural heritage includes tangible culture (such as buildings, monuments...
Basant (festival)
Punjabi spring-season festival
Basant (Punjabi: [bəsəntˈ]) is a spring-time Punjabi festival primarily associated with flying kites. According to the Punjabi calendar, it is held on the fifth day of Magh (in late January or early February) marking the start of spring. Basant is celebrated throughout the Punjab, in both India and ...
Pakistan
Country in South Asia
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. Islamabad is the nation's capital, while Karachi is its largest city and financia...
Kite
Tethered aircraft
A kite is a tethered heavier-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create lift and drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have a bridle and tail to guide the face of the kite so the wind can lift it.
📄 Original Source Content
The event, which dates back centuries, was banned after injuries and fatalities caused by sharp strings and celebratory gunfire.