Locals converge on a street in the old city to buy kites and strings for Basant. Sunday was the first day of permitted sale of festival items scheduled for February 6-8. PHOTO: NNI
LAHORE:
Basant preparations in Lahore have gained further momentum, with the sale of kites and strings surpassing Rs 1.50 billion on the fifth day of trading, reflecting both increased demand and rising prices as the city gears up for the much-awaited festival.
According to lawyer Malik Faizan Ahmed, legal advisor to the Kite Flying Association, more than a million kites were sold in the markets of Lahore on the fourth day alone, while more than 20,000 spools of string (panna) changed hands, keeping wholesale and retail centers busy throughout the day.
He said sales and availability of kites remained strong despite the price increases. On the fourth day, a one-and-a-half tawa kite was sold for Rs 700, a one-tawa kite for Rs 400 and a pauna tawa kite for Rs 300, while a two-piece spool of string cost between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000, depending on length and quality.
Malik Faizan Ahmed said the trading volume increased steadily every day, reaching Rs 160 million on the first day, Rs 180 million on the second, Rs 200 million on the third, before climbing to Rs 680 million on the fourth day, pushing cumulative sales beyond Rs 1.50 billion on the fifth day.
He added that the kite trade remained active in major trading areas, including within Mochi Gate, Islampura, Sanda, Samanabad, Nonarian and Ichhra, as well as several adjacent districts, where buyers and sellers continued to report brisk activity despite rising costs.
