Greetings to all the readers here,
A few weeks back, something happened on my terrace that I want to share with you today. Even though the incident is a little old, I believe all of us can learn something from it.
It was the 15th of August, India’s Independence Day. On this day, in many states across India, people celebrate by flying kites. The sky is filled with colorful kites, and almost everyone is on their terrace enjoying the moment.
But there is also something very important to take care of while flying kites. It can be risky, especially for kids under the age of 10, because they don’t realize that the manja (the thread used to fly kites) can actually harm them.
The threads are very sharp. In my native language, we call it manja, and many accidents happen every year because of it. In my city and across the country, people have suffered injuries because of these threads. Some get cuts on their hands, some on their faces, and some even on their feet.
When people are busy flying their kites, they don’t notice other threads coming across their terrace, and that is when accidents happen. Severe cuts can occur in no time.
So, what I want to say to all parents is, please make sure your children are with you while flying kites. Especially if they are below 10 years old, they need your guidance. Don’t leave them alone, because accidents can happen quickly and cause a lot of suffering.
Sometimes children get excited and try to catch falling kites by jumping around, and in doing so, they can hurt their bones or muscles. Please don’t let your kids do that.
I myself had a risky experience when I was a kid. At the age of 13, I once jumped from a small terrace to a bigger one, around 16 to 17 feet in height, just to catch a kite. My feet were hurt badly.
Luckily, I was fine after a few days, but it could have been much worse. Yes, I successfully caught the kite, but looking back, it wasn’t worth the risk. A single accident can force you to stay at home, miss your studies, and even break your bones.
So, whatever you do on Independence Day, please do it with precaution. Even though the day has passed, I still see many people flying kites in the sky. If your children are flying kites, be with them or at least keep an eye on them from time to time so that they stay safe and avoid unwanted accidents.
What are your cultural practices similar to this one that I shared today with all of you? No matter what they are but being safe is always good.
