Soaring Costs: The Pricey Future of Kite-Making Ahead of Makar Sankranti

Kite prices in Maharashtra have surged by 40% due to rising raw material costs, impacting the Rajput family's traditional kite-making business. Despite challenges, the family continues to produce kites for the Makar Sankranti festival while grappling with the potential decline in generational interest and escalating production expenses.

Kite enthusiasts are facing sticker shock as prices have risen nearly 40% ahead of the Makar Sankranti festival, due to a sharp uptick in raw material costs. A single kite, previously priced at Rs 5, now costs Rs 7, according to a manufacturer.

The Rajput family of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, who have been crafting kites for more than 60 years, are affected by this price hike. Despite these challenges, their workshops are bustling as they prepare for the rush of the festive season. Anil Rajput explained that raw materials such as paper and bamboo sticks have seen significant price increases.

Rajput expressed concerns that younger generations are not keen on continuing this labor-intensive craft. As the family perseveres in their ancestral trade through long working hours, they remain hopeful that business will thrive as Makar Sankranti approaches, supplying kites to various locations across Maharashtra and beyond.

(With inputs from agencies.)