I spent 15 months in Jaipur, and there isn’t a single Hindu festival that the city doesn’t celebrate in full glory. If you’re in Jaipur in mid-January, rest assured you will find the sky full of kites as long as you enjoy the winter sun. You don’t need to buy tickets to experience the Kite Festival in Jaipur, as being in the Pink City will offer you a lot to see.
What you should know about Makar Sankranti
Capricorn is Makar in the Hindi language. Makar Sankranti happens any time between January 13 to 15 every year as the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn. It marks the beginning of longer days and receding winters.
India celebrates this time across states and cultures, bringing in the festivities in various forms. For instance, the Punjabis celebrate Lohri by circling around a bonfire and worshipping the fire element. In Tamil Nadu, people celebrate this as Pongal and make a special rice dish (by the same name) to offer to the Sun.
It is called Uttarayan in Gujarat, and flying kites is an integral part of the festivities. My state, West Bengal, celebrates by making sweet dishes of Pithe and Puli. Devotees from across the country visit Gangasagar to worship the confluence of the Holy River with the sea.
Witnessing the Kite Festival in Jaipur
Over a week before the festivities, the city starts selling kites and strings in vibrant colors. You soon start finding the skies filled with patang (kite) and (strings) before sunset, too.
What’s excellent about witnessing the kite festival in Jaipur is that the city has tiny houses giving you a better view of the skies. The government doesn’t allow houses to go more than two stories, especially in the old city, as it is a world heritage city and the tag comes with protocols to follow. You will not find tall buildings in Jaipur until you’re around the new city area where you can find upcoming residential buildings.
The buildings with short height offer breathtaking views of the clear blue skies, ample sunshine, and colorful kites. But do you want to know the best place to experience this? It has got to be a place within the old city where you can stand at a height.
I discovered that the best way to experience the Kite Festival in Jaipur is to visit Isarlat Sargasooli (Sargasuli). It is a 140-foot-tall monument built by Sawai Ishwari Singh in 1749. This monument is located in Aatish Market at Gangori Bazaar and gives you a 360-degree view of Jaipur. The ticket price is 55 INR for Indians and around 200 INR for foreign nationals. Sargasuli is also one place where you can buy a composite ticket for two days. One more place to buy these tickets are Albert Hall Museum.
After buying the ticket, you have to walk through the spiral pathway that takes you to the top floor. Unlike stairs, this pathway winds up to the top floor from where you can see the city of Jaipur. It is similar to how slanting stairs of Hawa Mahal.
Once you reach to the top, right before you is the Pink City, moving towards Tripolia Bazaar on the left. You can spot the Aravalli hills at the back, with Nahargarh Fort clearly visible from here. While most people love to watch the sunset from this fort, Sargasuli lets you catch glimpses of the whole of Jaipur at once. From here, you can spot the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Garh Ganesh mandir, and the tiny houses that take up the space of a heritage city.
How do we celebrate the kite festival in Jaipur?
If you want to be a part of celebrating amidst the locals, here are a few ways to do this:
Inquiring at your hotel
If you’re traveling in a group and looking for budget stays, hotel owners can arrange some fun time. For example, I had stayed in Rawla Mrignayani Palace before moving to Jaipur and found out that they celebrate Holi with foreign travelers who come to India on a backpacking trip.
Such homestay-like hotels are more likely to give you a local vibe than big hotels that might not accommodate the same. You can always inquire upon booking and find out if hotel owners can allow flying kites on their property.
Booking services online
Plenty of results show packages when you’re searching for Kite Festival in Jaipur. Before booking, make sure you go through all the details mentioned and find a number to call. It is best to have a clear idea of what to expect because I am unaware of festivals in Jaipur specifically for this one.
For instance, during Navratri, garba nights happen across clubs and parks. These are ticketed events that give you the complete experience. But a festival only for flying kites in Jaipur isn’t something I’ve come across, mostly because the celebrations happen in residential areas. The locals celebrate among themselves and you are more likely to see friends and families come together on the terraces across the city.
Asking locals to welcome you in
Rajasthan is one of the most hospitable states in India and thrives on tourism. Interestingly, it is not limited only to those who do business. People here take the concept of Atithi Devo Bhava (Guest is God) seriously and are always eager to share their experiences with you.
I remember visiting the city during Gangaur Festival, and a lady welcomed me to her house to see how married women performed puja during this time. If you see someone playing kites on their terrace, you can ask them if they’d let you in – they definitely will and offer you delicious snacks.
Make sure you keep your safety in mind. While the city is full of locals who want to give you the best experience, we must be careful of the unknown.
What more can you do during the Kite Festival in Jaipur?
You can either watch people fly kites or play with them. But other than doing either of these two, you can also do the following:
Visit temples
On the day of Makar Sankranti, rest assured that you will find temples decked up with kites. I was right in time at Thikana Mandir Sri Govind Dev ji as the evening aarti was happening. The sky was filled with fireworks as soon as the aarti was over and the Sun had set. This is also when the kites are replaced with lanterns and they fill light onto the Jaipur night-sky.
Trying local food
Til Ke Laddoo, Gajak, and Pheni are delights you can try in Jaipur during Makar Sankranti. If you want a more local experience, don’t miss Dal Bati Churma for dinner and Ghevar for dessert.
Going to Nahargarh
An alternate plan instead of temple hopping is to experience sunset and kite flying from Nahargarh Fort. While you cannot try kite fighting here, you can see the ones flying from afar. Once the Sun sets, the view of the night sky with fireworks all over is excellent. There are only a few days in the year when you can catch glimpses of Jaipur like this.
Wrapping up the day!
I spent my Makar Sankranti in Jaipur witnessing kite fight from Sargasuli, went temple hopping and saw fireworks from the Pink City, and dined at Handi Restaurant on MI Road. The restaurant is known for Laal Maas, but we love Dry Junglee Maas the most. I hope this gives you enough ideas on planning your day trip around Jaipur during the kite festival.
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