Basant

I am proud that I am a pure lahorites. Our native home was situated in a narrow street of Kashmiri Bazar, Rang Mahal Lahore, whereas my maternal grandfather lived inside Bhatti Gate Lahore. I do have good memories of my childhood spent in the two localities. Those were the sweet dream days of an environment which seems hard to believe in today’s world. In both the places there was too much love, respect and care for everyone. People of neighborhood not only shared moments of sorrow and happiness together, but also facilitate each other’s functions, ceremonies and festivals to the maximum extent.

Yes! Basant was also one of the festivals of that time which was confined to the residents of the real Lahore. Kite flying was the pet game of the people living within the Lahore walled city. It was not only a game but a hobby, a resort, a time kill and a matter of prejudice and honor sometimes. A lot many people were crazy of the game which was enjoyed on not only weekends but sometimes everyday.

Basant was a festival of everyone. Those who were fond of kite flying used to prepare for basant many months prior to it. Arranging for Kites, Threads, Friends and their favorite dishes. Inter group’s competitions and tournaments were arranged. Experts were invited to not only participate and enjoy but also to settle the disputes.

Those who were not as crazier of the game exceptionally prepared for the show. Just for the sake of participation they too included in the race of basant preparation. Sometimes their preparation was for their guests who were invited for the festival. Friends of the surrounding areas and other cities felt privileged to be invited there.

Many people were not as good kite flyer or didn’t have any inclination to it but they too enjoyed this once a year festival. Sometimes just watching others enjoy or sometimes enjoying with them. Even those who disliked kite flying used to enjoy it on the basis that it was an enjoyment of a day in the whole year.

Basant day was a day of enjoyment. People used to come on their roofs and started flying the kites with the least light of the rising sun. Kites of all colors and sizes filled the sky as the flowers in the spring. People enjoyed kite flying, gatherings and treats in a true spirit. Neighbors exchanged kites, foods and even sometimes the guests too. Essence of sharing happiness was felt all around.

Looting and catching cut away kites had a different charm. A number of boys only enjoyed the basant day while looting others cut away kites and threads. These types of people were easily identified by the special bamboos in their hands. For them the first day was looting day and the second day the real kite flying day.

Too much noise was raised whenever any kite, own or others was cut down. Noise was also heard on looting or catching of some big kite. Music was also there to give it true festival shade. A mix-up of different sounds of people and music blended the charm.

The extravaganza continued till noon. The sound of Zuhur Prayer announced an almost recess break. Now is the party time. Smell of different types of tempting foods was all around. Lunch is commonly being taken on the roof even while flying the kites. You may find some make shift arrangements to precede kite flying and lunch simultaneously.

The basant glory reaches its peak in the evening. At that time people flew some extra large size of kites or the kites of some other shape and origin. That time even the ladies of the houses also came on the roof. They not only enjoyed the going on basant but also the evening cup of tea on roof. It also accompanied the conversation of ladies of the neighborhood.

After the sunset when the daylight gets extracted, people started winding up the game. Flying kites are set free by cutting their threads by own hand. At that moment many people set ablaze all their remaining kites and threads as a mark of end of the festival and to assure that the enjoyment will restart next year. Some people mark the end of basant by fireworks and lighting candles.

Thus a tiring hectic basant day full of utmost enjoyment came to its end. In the night there were rare reports of some fights or causalities due to basant

Until 1982 there was no concept of night basant. I think it was in 1982 that I went up the roof one night and saw two houses having made good arrangements on their roofs. They had arranged a kite competition of the two houses. All requisites for the purpose i.e. Kites, threads, music, lights and even flood lights directing upward had been arranged. Light breeze, mild weather and no unwanted interferences, it was a wonderful idea. The concept of the cool night kite flying spread like a fire within two years. And in 1986 when I went up the roof of a building on Mall Road Lahore on the basant night, the whole walled city Lahore was luminous of the night basant lights. Till then the night basant was confined to the residents of the walled city and was free of so much life hazards and causalities.

The basant was then taken over by the non residents of Lahore and people with too much money but no kite flying expertise. To compensate their deficiency they desired threads of the strength that would not break how big is the kite or some chemical coated thread to cut others threads. This was the turning point of the bloody basant. The threads that were made not to cut down were now cutting the throats of innocents.

It also resulted in the price hike of kites and threads, so the poor who were intended to enjoy kite flying started using non conventional metallic wires for kite flying. These wires not only damaged electricity distributions but also too many families.

Thus a series of innocent killings and injuring of the innocents especially of those going on motorcycles started. People were dieing without knowing the death reason or even the killers. They were being injured seriously without any weapon. The cry of the innocent made the stoppage of the centuries old tradition and the Basant was banned.