A popular sport throughout the Indian sub-continent, kite-flying was considered by many as a sport of skill. It required a basic understanding of winds and the skill of manouvering kite in the air. The kaan (the angle at which the two ends of strings are tied in the kite) of the kite most often had a bearing on the flight and with time one developed an understanding of various angles at which the string ought to be tied.The kite is then either let loose into the path of the wind to give it flight or is helped on its way by a bul (a hoist given by someone else to push it up in the air).

The thread or maanja as is popularly known was sharpened by passing it through a mixture of crushed powdered glass and tutiya which gave it a razor sharp edge which was helpful in cutting the threads of others' kite in the air . In fact engaging in aerial battles is the best part of kite flying and it is often here that the skill of a kite flyer plays a major part. Usually flown in the mornings or evenings when there is a breeze, this sport is practised even today and marks the festival of makar sankrant in India.