Thamadoun, Sept 19: With the festival of Badha Dashain drawing near, kite (changa) sales have picked up sharply in the Kathmandu Valley. For Nepalis, colorful kites soaring in the sky mark the arrival of Dashain, and this year traders are reporting brisk business compared to previous years.

In Patan, Mangal Bazaar and other commercial hubs of Lalitpur, kite shops are crowded from morning to evening. According to trader Kishore Deuja, sales have rebounded strongly after the pandemic lull. “Although the trade had slowed during COVID-19, the business has revived. Even with occasional rain, the crowd of buyers is steady,” he said.

Deuja noted that more young people and beginners are now showing interest in learning to fly kites. “Many customers today don’t know much about kites but still want to buy and learn. In the past, people used to fly them naturally; now they ask us how to do it,” he explained.

His shop stocks a variety of kites and accessories — from traditional designs to imported Chinese kites, as well as different types of “lattais” (spools). Prices range from as low as Rs 10 for simple kites to Rs 700 for imported ones, while automatic winders that once cost Rs 2,500 are now available for Rs 2,000.

Some kites are handmade in Nepal while others come from India and China. Despite imports, Deuja says Nepali buyers still prefer the familiar styles and local spools.