Expression of Interest: Sukan Buru Tribal Immersion Programme

About Kite-making at  Sukan Buru

Named after the hill where it is held, the Sukan Buru festival is celebrated by the Munda community in Jharkhand in winters. One of the special features of the festival is kite flying.

An important annual festival for the Munda community, one of the oldest tribes of India who hail from the Chhota Nagpur Plateau, Sukan Buru festival takes its name from the eponymous sacred hill where it is held. In Mundari, buru means mountain. Surrounded by three villages –Totada, Dulmi and Burudih, Sukan Buru in the Khunti district of Jharkhand is about 70km from state capital Ranchi.

One of the most spectacular feature of the Sukan Buru festival is the flying of kites. These are no ordinary kites nor do they have any resemblance to the designer kites seen in festivals in other parts of the country. These kites have a unique shape, comparable to a glider or a butterfly, depending on the fancy of the viewer.

Kite-making begins a few days before the day of the festival. Earlier, kite-making involved the use of natural materials, such as organic glue or ropes made of grass. But nowadays, most people use ready-made products from the markets.

The kites are not available for sale. Kite making is something which the villagers take pride in and it is deeply seated in their consciousness – if you want to own something then you have to make it yourself.

On the appointed day, male members of all ages carry their kites to the hill top to fly them. Some fly the kite at the start of the journey and let it draw an aerial trail as they ascend the hill. While most people follow the traditional pattern, some of the kite-makers also love to experiment. Each year people build something new upon the basic design.

Although the genesis of flying kites and their shapes are yet to be ascertained, according to oral records, it has been part of the traditional rituals for ages. There is no competition or an attempt to capture or cut another kite. Instead, the kites are allowed to soar freely. As the day progresses, the sky over Sukan Buru is dotted with kites of many hues.

Sukan Buru takes on the look of a carnival. Kites flutter and swoop overhead. Music can be heard everywhere. The people travelling along the slopes raise their voice in songs many people come with their dhols, groups of young women dance merrily while the men sing and play traditional musical instruments. Many have their designated spots on the hill top. Nowadays, even established cultural groups from the nearby villages arrive to perform at the festival. A huge mela (fair), extending from the base of the hill and across the slope, is held in honour of the festival. Food stalls selling local delicacies such as buru lad and dhuska do brisk business.

Sukan Buru takes on the look of a carnival. Kites flutter and swoop overhead. Music can be heard everywhere. The people travelling along the slopes raise their voice in songs many people come with their dhols, groups of young women dance merrily while the men sing and play traditional musical instruments. Many have their designated spots on the hill top. Nowadays, even established cultural groups from the nearby villages arrive to perform at the festival. A huge mela (fair), extending from the base of the hill and across the slope, is held in honour of the festival. Food stalls selling local delicacies such as buru lad and dhuska do brisk business (as quoted in Outlook Traveller)

Visit and partake [ Register to Participate ] in the upcoming Sukan Buru Celebrations to understand why it is organised and how it is organised with facilitation from the members of Rumbul – a cultural organisation that works for the promotion of the Munda culture.

Or

Simply participate [ Register to Participate ] in the hands-on unique traditional kite-making workshop with Munda community members.