Lahore is known for many delightful things – its rich history, culture, and, of course, festivals, to name a few. One of the festivals, which was once the crowning glory (Basant) of Lahore and which Lahoris thought they'd never celebrate again, is finally set to return to its skies after more than twenty years of having been banned. The deserted rooftops of Lahore, having long descended into darkness, will once again be floodlit, crowded, and lively. Once again, there'll be nostalgic songs playing and blaring, the wafting scent of barbecue and the jubilant shouts of 'bo ka ta' – a vibrant and cherished slogan of kite lovers for their rivals – will fill the open spaces of Lahore.
I was hardly 10 years old when I first witnessed a sky covered with kites, dancing, twirling, and floating freely after being cut loose in the vastness of the sky. Too young to master flying a kite, I loved the festival at first sight, and that night's Basant spectacle is still vivid and etched in my mind. Now I'm under 30 and living in Raiwind. It's unlikely that the residents of this city will be allowed to celebrate this festival because it's restricted to Lahore. After hearing the glad tidings of Basant returning to Lahore's skies, I started getting flashbacks – the floodlit night, shouts from the neighbourhood, and everyone gearing up on rooftops. The beauty of this vibrant carnival is that it belongs to everyone – poor, middle, and upper class – uniting people on rooftops, getting you to interact with neighbours you'd hardly talk to these days, and setting a rhythm that's lively, joyous, and antidote to stress.
For those born in the early 2000s, Basant's infectious aura is something they're unaware of. They must have heard about it from their elders and watched videos on social media about the bygone Basant but never witnessed it first-hand. This time, the festival will be celebrated in a altogether new way compared to how it was celebrated more than 2 decades ago. Why? Because Pakistan now has a population of more than 60% youth under 30, and there's been a humongous increase in mobile phones and social media usage. Basant's pulse matches the energetic beat of the youth, and it has the potential to become an overnight worldwide sensation, putting Pakistan on the world map – showcasing that Pakistan offers so much more than feckless political noise, religious intolerance, and the suffocating impacts of climate change.
Basant's pulse matches the energetic beat of the youth, and it has the potential to become an overnight worldwide sensation, showcasing that Pakistan offers so much more than feckless political noise
Thankfully, today's youth will spend three days less on their mobile screens and more on rooftops and get to witness the transfixing spectacle of kites for three days. It'll be a whole new enjoyable experience for them.
Historically, Basant is a 3000-year-old festival with roots linked to ancient traditions. It gained popularity in India in the 19th century under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the grandfather of the Sikh Empire and the prime mover of this deeply rooted, culturally cherished carnival. He, along with his spouse, Moran, would hold an annual kite fair and fly kites in spring, following the freezing winter season. Moran, his wife, would dress in flamboyant yellow and colourful attire to mark the festival. Over time, the festival gained traction, transcended borders, and became popular in Pakistan.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan banned the festival in 2005, following the reports of 19 deaths and numerous injuries caused by sharp stray string during the kite-flying festival. The government of the time faced much criticism from all segments of society. Two years later in 2007, the Punjab government also banned the festival across Punjab. Despite the ban, it continued to be celebrated in Kasur, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and many other cities of the country. A few kite flyers turned this fun-filled festival into a bloody game by introducing glass-coated sharp string to cut their rivals' kites. The government back then should've banned the use of sharp string, as it is doing now after two decades, rather than banning the whole festival.
This festival, apart from being culturally rooted, had many other positive aspects. First, it was the bread and butter of thousands of kite makers who had to move to other cities and adopt different professions following the ban. Second, it was a millions-of-dollars tourism festival and used to be the highlight of the spring season, drawing thousands of foreigners to Lahore who brought dollars with them and returned with a good image of Pakistan – different from what was being projected by some foreign news outlets. Third, hoteliers, transporters, and restaurateurs would earn so much in a month that it equalled their months of income. Instead of promoting the festival, the government banned it outright, depriving thousands of Lahoris of employment and handsome incomes.
After two decades of hiatus, the Punjab Government has finally decided to lift ban on Basant and that the people of Lahore deserve some bread and circuses. Now, under the leadership of Punjab's first- ever elected female Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, the festival will be celebrated on February 6, 7, and 8 in Lahore. The plans for restoring Basant have been meticulously devised over the past few years. As per Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Association 2025, promulgated by Governor Sardar Saleem Haider khan, teenagers under 18 threshold, will be barred from flying kites. In violation of this rule, heavy fine will be imposed. Instead of sharp glass-coated string, cotton thread will be allowed. Spools are prohibited; 'Pina', a ball-shaped tightly wound or rolled cotton thread, will be used to fly kites instead. Medium-sized kites will be allowed to fly – no big kites. To prevent any untoward incidents, installing a thin metal rod or aerial on bikes is mandatory for the safety of the motorcyclists.
As per the ordinance, kite flying associations, manufacturers, traders and sellers of kites will be registered with the relevant deputy commissioner of the district and to identify any seller and manufacturer, kites will have QR codes.
Kite-making preparations have started, and Lahoris will be able to purchase vibrant kites from February 1st to 8th. After that, selling and flying kites will be prohibited outright. According to some reports, the festival will be celebrated across Lahore, but other reports on social media suggest that only select locations in Lahore will allow kite flying.
The Punjab Government has a lot riding on this year's Basant festival. CM Maryam Nawaz is pulling out all the stops to revive the event and win back Lahoris' lost support. It's a high-risk, high-reward move – kite enthusiasts are thrilled, but one bad incident could dent her growing popularity and spell trouble. If she ensures safety and the festival takes off sans any untoward incident, she'll score big politically in the coming elections. But if things go south, her family's decades-long stronghold on the city could be at risk.