A hobby that makes her spirits soar
LUCKNOW: Independence Day is a festival for this kite enthusiast, who can often be seen on the terrace or in open spaces on this occasion, living her hobby nurtured for over 50 years. Suraiyya Khatoon, 62, an anchor, a celebrity chef, a television\radio artiste strongly believes that there is nothing that women cannot do.
And she also thanks the sport for playing a crucial role in finding her love!
Lucknow’s kite lovers strongly believe that there are only two occasions when kite flying is at its peak — on I-Day and on Jamghat (a day after Diwali). Suraiya too thinks the same and prepares her kite-flying paraphernalia well in advance, ahead of the two occasions.
“I make sure that my I-Day collection compulsorily has ‘tiranga’— the most preferable kite on the occasion that bears a tricolour. Other than this, my collection includes addha, pauna and others,” says Khatoon.
According to her, there is a popular slogan among kite lovers —‘Patang Lakhnaua and Manjha Bareilly’ (kites of Lucknow and manjha (glass-coated thread) of Bareilly).
Once her stack of kites procured from the best of kite manufacturers is ready, she also makes sure she has got ‘manjha’ from Bareilly that is famous for its fine razor sharp manjha.
On August 15, she makes sure she takes out some time from her busy schedule to give tough competition to the kite flyers of her area — Wala Qadar Road.
Though Khatoon hasn’t participated in any state or national level competition, she is still a famous name among old kite enthusiasts of Pata Nala — the area famous for kite flying.
Khatoon, whose father Furqan Ahmed was in the Railways, says she was fascinated by kite flying since childhood. “Whenever I used to see my three brothers flying kites, I also wanted to do the same.
But in those days kite flying for girls was a taboo and it still is in many families. But thanks to my ‘abba’, who stood by and permitted me pursue this hobby,” she recollects.
Soon she turned out to be a famous kite flyer in Pata Nala. “I believe there is nothing which a woman cannot do. I was the first woman from my locality, perhaps the first in entire old city who was into kite flying. I also remember a competition where I cut 15 kites in one go, for which I was awarded a shield,” she says. Then came a turning point. “My daring act, which everyone else found boyish, was found appealing by a man and we fell in love and got married after a long courtship. It was a love cum arranged marriage,” she adds.
Kite flying is not her only hobby.
Khatoon has been anchoring radio and television shows since an early age.
In her tenure of over 20 years, she has done hundreds of programmes, largely based on social and women related issues.
She has also done several cookery shows, based on Oudhi cooking style and participated in programs like Master Chef, Khana Khazana and others.
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For me, IDay is an occasion to celebrate our freedom. We are a free country. Our democratic rights as citizens of India are secured.
Rachna Pal, aspiring civil servant, Allahabad
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For me, August 15 is a day to feel proud of the progress that my country has made in different fields. India has evolved as a strong nation on the world map. GAURAV PANDEY, B Tech student, Allahabad
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Independence Day is a world of opportunities, waiting to be explored and dreams to be lived . It means where knowledge is free and where words come out from the depth of truth
AAHANA TRIPATHI, student, Agra