Jaipur Sees Over 100 Injuries During Makar Sankranti Kite-Flying
More than a hundred kite-fliers and bikers sustained injuries across Jaipur on Makar Sankranti Wednesday. They had to be rushed to various hospitals for treatment due to falls and cuts caused by abrasive kite strings.
Hospital Admissions and Serious Cases
At the city's largest trauma centre in SMS Hospital, medical staff treated 32 people for kite-flying related injuries. This number includes at least 12 children below 14 years old with serious injuries. These children either fell from rooftops or hurt themselves while chasing kites on the ground.
The youngest patient admitted with injuries was a seven-month-old baby. The infant suffered a cut on the throat from a kite string. Most other injured individuals were bikers who experienced similar cuts on their faces or necks.
Popular Tradition Turns Dangerous
Kite flying on Makar Sankranti remains a widely popular local tradition in Jaipur. However, the thrill of this activity sometimes gets overshadowed by small mishaps and serious injuries.
Ramesh Saini, a resident of Manak Chawk, shared his experience. "I was riding pillion on my friend's motorcycle in Bais Godam when he suffered a serious cut on the nose from a kite string," he said. "He received several stitches. The use of Chinese manja poses serious risks to bikers."
The Danger of Chinese Manja
'Manja' refers to a mixture of natural or artificial glues and abrasives like powdered glass. Kite strings get coated with this substance to make them resistant to snapping. 'Chinese manja' represents an imported variety made of synthetic fibres. These fibres prove much stronger and more abrasive than local equivalents.
Negligence Adds to Injury Count
Negligence during kite flying contributed to numerous injuries reported on Wednesday. Vishal Jain, a Mansaroval resident waiting outside the SMS Hospital trauma centre, provided one example.
"I came here to admit the 10-year-old son of a friend who fell from the rooftop while flying a kite," he explained.
Medical Perspective on Injuries
BL Yadav, in-charge of the SMS Hospital trauma centre, described the injury patterns. "Most of the injuries from kite strings were seen on heads, necks, faces and chins," he stated. "Kite strings also easily slit noses, lips and necks, and most of the people brought in today were bleeding profusely. At least 12 people were admitted with serious injuries."
Several kite flying-related injuries also appeared at Kanwatia Hospital, Gangori Hospital and multiple private hospitals across Jaipur.
