Uttarayan in Gujarat: Kites, Food, Bird Safety and the Manja Ban

Quick answer: Uttarayan is Gujarat's name for Makar Sankranti. Families spend the day on their rooftops flying kites, eat undhiyu, jalebi and sesame chikki, and give to charity. In past years Gujarat has kept kites on 14 January and Vasi Uttarayan, the "leftover" kite day, on 15 January. Gujarat's 2027 holiday list is still awaited.

Uttarayan 2027: key facts

Gujarat has traditionally flown its kites on 14 January; Gujarat Tourism's festival page describes families setting alarms for 5 am on 14 January. For 2027, the Sun enters Makara after sunset on Thursday 14 January, and panchangs place Makar Sankranti on Friday 15 January in India. Whether Gujarat's holidays fall on 14 and 15 January or later will be known when the state publishes its 2027 list. For the India and world timetable, see our Makar Sankranti 2027 guide. Confirm timings with your local panchang or temple priest.

What does "Uttarayan" mean?

Uttarayan (also spelt Uttarayana) is the Sanskrit term for the Sun's northward half of the year. Tradition ties its start to Makar Sankranti, the Sun's entry into the sidereal sign Makara (Capricorn). It is not the winter solstice: the solstice falls around 21 or 22 December, and the two dates have drifted apart over many centuries. Gujarat uses the name Uttarayan for the festival day itself.

What happens on Uttarayan in Gujarat?

Rooftop kites from dawn

On Uttarayan, people across Gujarat's towns go up to their terraces early and stay there most of the day. Gujarat Tourism describes it as a day when "everyone takes to the rooftops and roadways to fly kites and compete with their neighbours". The sport is kite fighting: you try to cut a rival's string with your own. When a kite is cut, the neighbourhood cheers, and children run to catch the falling kite.

In Ahmedabad's old city, a kite market called Patang Bazaar appears in the days before the festival, according to the International Kite Festival's official site. Families buy kites and spools of string (firki) there.

Vasi Uttarayan, the second day

Vasi Uttarayan means "stale" or "leftover" Uttarayan. In past years Gujaratis have kept flying on 15 January, the day after Uttarayan, and DNA reported in 2018 that many schools declare a holiday on that day. Treat the 2027 dates as unconfirmed until Gujarat publishes its list.

Charity (daan)

Giving is part of the day. Families make donations as thanks to Surya, the Sun, and charity on Makar Sankranti is traditionally believed to carry special merit. What and to whom you give is a family custom; there is no single rule.

What do Gujaratis eat on Uttarayan?

Gujarat Tourism names laddu and undhiyu; Incredible India names undhiyu and jalebi; Scroll describes the Uttarayan meal of puris, jalebis and undhiyu eaten on the roof. Our undhiyu recipe and chikki recipe give home methods. Chikki often contains peanuts and sesame, two common allergens.

The International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad

Gujarat Tourism says Ahmedabad has hosted the International Kite Festival since 1989. Kite flyers from India and abroad display large and unusual kites, and the festival includes folk music, food stalls and illuminated kites at night. The Government of India's Incredible India site lists the 2027 festival for 10 to 14 January 2027 at the Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad. This is provisional: when we checked on 12 November 2026, the Gujarat Tourism festival site still showed the 2026 itinerary. Check the official festival site before you travel.

Is Chinese manja banned in Gujarat?

Yes. Several orders apply, and the rules have tightened over the years.

• National Green Tribunal (2017). In its judgment of 11 July 2017 in Khalid Ashraf v. Union of India (O.A. 384 of 2016, heard with O.A. 442 of 2016), the Tribunal ordered a total ban on kite string made of nylon or any synthetic material, or coated with synthetic, non-biodegradable substances, and directed every state to stop its manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use. It did not ban traditional cotton thread.
• Gujarat High Court (January 2025). Hearing a public interest litigation pending since 2016, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi held on 10 January 2025 that the State's Government Resolution of 24 December 2024 prohibits all types of thread coated with glass or other harmful substances, and refused to exclude glass-coated cotton thread from the ban. It directed raids on manufacturers and sellers before Uttarayan (LiveLaw report).
• Gujarat High Court (September 2026). In the same litigation, the court directed the State to begin enforcement well before Uttarayan 2027 and to issue prohibitory circulars and notifications before 11 October 2026, covering Chinese manja (plastic or synthetic thread), Chinese tukkal (paper sky lanterns, a fire risk) and glass-coated thread (DeshGujarat report of 27 September 2026).

In practice: use plain cotton thread with no glass coating, do not buy or fly sky lanterns, and check the Gujarat government's current notification for the 2027 season. Police in Gujarat have arrested sellers and seized stock in past seasons.

How does Gujarat protect birds at Uttarayan?

Kite string, especially synthetic or glass-coated string, cuts the wings and necks of birds. Since 2017 the Gujarat government has run Karuna Abhiyan ("compassion campaign") each Uttarayan, jointly by the Forest Department and the Animal Husbandry Department, with treatment centres, collection points, vets and volunteers across the state.

In January 2026 the departments published these contacts (DeshGujarat report, 13 January 2026):

Check the Gujarat government's announcement for 2027 before relying on these numbers.

What you can do:

1. Do not fly kites in the early morning and evening, when birds are on the move. The departments asked people in 2026 to avoid flying before 9 am and after 5 pm.
2. Use plain cotton thread only.
3. If you find an injured bird, do not pull at the string. Cover the bird lightly with a cloth, keep it in a ventilated box in a quiet place, and call the helpline or take it to the nearest treatment centre.
4. After the festival, collect loose string from your terrace, trees and wires so it does not trap birds for weeks afterwards.

Rooftop and road safety

• Fly only from terraces with a parapet or railing. Keep children away from edges and never let them chase falling kites across roofs or roads.
• Keep well away from overhead power lines. Never try to free a kite caught on a wire, and never use metal-cored or wet string near lines.
• Loose string across roads injures two-wheeler riders. If you ride on Uttarayan, ride slowly and keep a scarf or guard around your neck.
• Wear gloves or finger tape if you handle string for long, and keep a first-aid kit on the terrace.
• Drink water and use sun protection: a full day on the roof is long even in winter.

How is Uttarayan different from Sankranti elsewhere?

Uttarayan's focus is the sky: the whole state spends the day on its rooftops. Neighbouring Maharashtra keeps the same day with tilgul and haldi-kunku gatherings; see our Maharashtra guide. Rajasthan also flies kites. In the south, the same solar moment is Pongal and Telugu Sankranti, which centre on the new rice, the boiling pot and the cattle; see the Pongal guide. For a side-by-side view, see our comparison of harvest festivals.

How do Gujarati families keep Uttarayan abroad?

Abroad, the panchang date can differ: in the USA, Canada and the UK, Makar Sankranti falls on Thursday 14 January 2027. See Makar Sankranti and Pongal abroad for city dates.

• Food first. Undhiyu, chikki and jalebi travel well. Indian grocers stock the beans, purple yam and fenugreek for undhiyu in winter, and ready-made chikki is widely sold.
• Kites where rules allow. Many families hold a kite day on the nearest weekend in an open park. Check local rules: many cities restrict kite flying near airports and roads, and some parks need a permit for group events. Bring cotton string, not fishing line or synthetic string, and take every scrap of string home.
• Winter weather. January is cold and dark in North America and Europe. Families often move the meal indoors and keep the kites for a dry, calm weekend afternoon.
• Temples and associations. Many Hindu temples and Gujarati associations host Uttarayan meals or kite days. Check their own websites for this year's programme.

More help: USA guide, UK guide, Canada guide, Australia guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Uttarayan 2027 in Gujarat?

Gujarat's 2027 holiday list has not been published yet. Makar Sankranti falls on 15 January in India per the panchang; some government lists mark 14 January. In past years Gujarat flew kites on 14 January and kept Vasi Uttarayan on 15 January. Check the state's list when it is released.

What is Vasi Uttarayan?

It is the second day of kite flying, the day after Uttarayan. "Vasi" means stale or leftover. In past years many schools in Gujarat have closed for it.

When is the International Kite Festival 2027?

Incredible India lists it for 10 to 14 January 2027 at the Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad. That is provisional, because Gujarat Tourism's festival site still showed 2026 when we checked. Confirm on the official site before travelling.

Is glass-coated cotton manja allowed in Gujarat?

No. In January 2025 the Gujarat High Court held that the State's prohibition covers all thread coated with glass or other harmful substances, not only nylon "Chinese" manja. Use plain, uncoated cotton thread and check the current notification.

What is Karuna Abhiyan?

It is the Gujarat government's bird-and-animal rescue campaign at Uttarayan, run since 2017 by the Forest and Animal Husbandry departments. It sets up treatment centres and helplines across the state. In 2026 the helplines were 1962 and 1926, plus a WhatsApp number for the list of centres.

What food is made for Uttarayan?

Undhiyu with puris and jalebi is the classic rooftop meal, along with sesame and peanut chikki and sesame laddus. Families add their own regional dishes.

Why are sky lanterns (tukkal) a problem?

Paper lanterns with a flame drift uncontrolled and can land on roofs, trees and stored kites, starting fires. The Gujarat High Court has included Chinese tukkal among the items the State must act against.

Sources

• Gujarat Tourism (Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd), International Kite Festival, "About" (since 1989; rooftops; 5 am on 14 January; Patang Bazaar; laddu and undhiyu): https://ikf.gujarattourism.com/about.html (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Ministry of Tourism, Government of India (Incredible India), "International Kite Festival" (10 to 14 January 2027, Sabarmati Riverfront; undhiyu and jalebi; night kites): https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/festivals-and-events/gujarat/International-Kite-Festival0 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Priyadarshini Chatterjee, "On Makar Sankranti, the one thing that ties festivities across India is seasonal eating", Scroll, 14 January 2018 (puris, jalebi and undhiyu; clay-pot undhiyu): https://scroll.in/magazine/864777/scroll_in (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Smitha R, "Manja: a thread that cuts but binds ties too", DNA, 13 January 2018 (Vaasi Uttarayan on 15 January; school holidays): https://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-manja-a-thread-that-cuts-but-binds-ties-too-2575095 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• WION, "Uttarayan 2024: history, date, tradition" (undhiyu, chikki, charity): https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttarayan-2024-history-date-tradition-joyous-festival-of-kite-flying-679803 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, judgment of 11 July 2017 in Khalid Ashraf v. Union of India, O.A. 384 of 2016 with O.A. 442 of 2016, copy hosted by the Government of Puducherry: https://dste.py.gov.in/ppcc/pdf/Legal/Hon%E2%80%99ble%20NGT%20Orders/384%20of%202016%20dt.%2011.07.2017.pdf (accessed 12 November 2026).
• LiveLaw, report of 10 January 2025 on Siddharajsinh Mahavirsinh Chudasama v. State of Gujarat (Gujarat High Court, glass-coated threads): https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/gujarat-high-court/gujarat-high-court-order-chinese-manjha-ban-glass-coated-threads-uttarayan-festival-280623 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• DeshGujarat, "Gujarat High Court sets October 11 deadline for action against Chinese manja, tukkal ahead of Uttarayan", 27 September 2026: https://deshgujarat.com/2026/09/27/gujarat-high-court-sets-october-11-deadline-for-action-against-chinese-manja-tukkal-ahead-of-uttarayan/ (accessed 12 November 2026).
• DeshGujarat, "Karuna Abhiyan injured bird helpline number released for kite flying festival in Gujarat", 13 January 2026 (helplines; departments; flying hours): https://deshgujarat.com/2026/01/13/karuna-abhiyan-injured-bird-helpline-number-released-for-kite-flying-festival-in-gujarat/ (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Gujarat Forest Department, "The Other Side of The Kite Festival: Karuna Abhiyan": https://forests.gujarat.gov.in/save-birds.htm (listed; the page timed out when we tried to open it on 12 November 2026).
• Drik Panchang, Makar Sankranti 2027 (moment of the Sun's entry into Makara), via our 2027 date data (accessed November 2026).

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

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