A kite called Ketki

Ashrafi Antia pens a heartwarming tale of a kite’s flight, friendship and kindness

Ketan admired his work with pride. He’d just made himself the prettiest kite. It was a work of art that he’d put his heart and soul into. He named his kite Ketki and decided to fly her in the neighbourhood kite-flying competition on Makara Sankranti, which falls on January 14.  

Ketki was made from bright, yellow tissue paper that made her light and easy to fly. She had a long, multi-coloured streamer-like tail. Ketan had even drawn a smiling face on her with big eyes and long lashes. Taking her out on a test flight, he marvelled at how she soared over houses and trees as he let out
his line. 

At dawn on the day of the competition, Ketan had butterflies in his stomach, although he was confident that his beloved Ketki would put on a good show. There were all types of kites vying for attention that morning. He looked at the striking red, black, blue and pink ones, which were diamond-shaped like Ketki, but they were readymade; not made with loving care like his Ketki. Many people came up to Ketan, complimenting him on his pretty handmade kite. He stared in awe at a beautiful blue butterfly-shaped kite and a pink one shaped like a jellyfish with its tails trailing behind it, that had come all the way from Japan.

Desai uncle, who was in charge, ordered all the contestants gathered in the neighbourhood park to get ready. When the next gust of wind blew, he struck a large gong that he had brought along. Ketan’s younger sister, Rina, held Ketki carefully in front of her with outstretched arms, holding onto her with just her fingertips, as he had taught her during practise sessions and let her go when the gong struck, while Ketan reeled out the string on his firki. Ketki took to the air, catching the gust of wind and riding high into the sky on it. She soared over the trees ahead of the rest of the kites as she was as light as air. Rina clapped her hands in delight and began to sing a song from the movie ‘Mary Poppins’: 

“Let’s go fly a kite,
Up to the highest height,
And send it soaring…
Up through the atmosphere,
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite.”

Suddenly, an aggressive red kite with a triangular black tail started chasing Ketki. It belonged to Jatin, the school bully. Ketan spied the malice in his eyes as he made a beeline for Ketki’s string and cut it with his glass-edged manja. Doing a victory dance, Jatin yelled, “kai-po-che” (‘I have cut your kite’ in Gujarati), as Ketki sailed away into the heavens, far beyond reach. 

Ketki suddenly realised she was free. There was no string tugging at her and guiding her through the sky. How tiny Ketan seemed from where she was. He looked ready to burst into tears, shading his eyes from the sun and squinting to catch a glimpse of her. Soon, he was out of sight as she was carried away by the gusty winds into the clouds above.

Suddenly, Ketki spied a bird. The winged one approached and asked, “What kind of strange creature are you?” 

“I’m a kite,” said Ketki. “Oh, no! I’m a kite, and you certainly don’t look like me,” declared the bird, unconvinced by Ketki’s answer. Ketki had heard Ketan’s dadi explaining to him that it takes all kinds to make the world, which she repeated authoritatively to the bird. “I’m made of paper, don’t have wings, but can still fly.”

“Oh, I see! My feathers and wings help me fly. I guess we are both different kinds of kites then. Let’s be friends. I’m Kiki,” said the bird, introducing herself. Ketki was delighted to make a friend. As they flew along, Kiki regaled Ketki with her travel adventures. 

Suddenly, the wind stopped blowing, and Ketki began to lose height. Soon, she was in free fall, spiralling downwards towards the trees, their outstretched branches waiting to catch her. With a whoosh, Ketki crashed into the trees. Her dangling string and long tail got entangled in the branches, and a big gash appeared on her body as the pokey branches ripped through the delicate tissue paper. Kiki, the Kite, swooped down, alighting on a branch beside her.

“I’m trapped,” cried Ketki in dismay. Kiki tried to untangle Ketki, who began to cry, “Now I can’t fly. How will I find my way home to Ketan?” Kind-hearted Kiki, who had managed to free Ketki from the grasp of the branches, said, “Don’t cry. I’ll take you.” Using her beak, she gently picked Ketki up, followed her directions, and flew towards Ketan’s home.The two friends noticed Ketan sitting under a tree, his tear-stained face buried in his hands. Kiki perched on the tree. Bidding goodbye to her grateful friend, she dropped Ketki into Ketan’s lap. 

Ketan opened his eyes. Overcome with joy, he hugged Ketki to his chest. “I’m so glad you found your way home. I was praying you would. Don’t worry, I’ll mend you, and soon you’ll fly again,” he declared. As promised, Ketan patched her up with some tissue paper and rice starch and flew her in his garden a week later. Kiki spotted her and flew above her, happy to see her friend flying again.

Ketki waggled her tail, delighted to reunite with her comrade in flight.