India has a long history with kites. Most people believe that Chinese travelers Fa Hien and Hiuen Tsang brought kites to India, but kites evolved on their own in India, and today Indian kites are almost exclusively fighter kites. Tissue paper and bamboo are used to make them, and almost all Indian kites have the same shape – a diamond-shaped piece of tissue with a central spine and a single bow. The many patterns and colors used to make the paper sail are the differences. The Indian kite, on the other hand, is a fantastic flying machine that responds to the lightest touch of the flyers, is extremely maneuverable, and is perfectly suited to its function. Patang is the generic name for a kite in India.

Touseef Mian, who has been carrying on his family’s kite-making tradition, runs an Indian fighter kites workshop in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, with his family. He is the third generation of his family to do this traditional kite-making work, with more than 30 years of experience. Previously, they only made traditional flying kites, but to expand their market, they’ve started working on more contemporary designs with new motifs (dubbed “designer kites”) that can be used as a home decoration. Years of craftsmen have used the same materials to create wall hangings and other decorative objects.

Artists have introduced a new concept called designer kites, which can be used to decorate homes. Small bamboo sticks and cloth are used to make these kites. Bamboo sticks are used to create frames, which are then threaded together. Then, on organza fabric (which is more durable), various motifs are cut out and painted in various colors and patterns. After that, the cutouts are pasted to the bamboo frame, and strings are tied between them. These decorative items can be hung on the wall.