Uttarayan 2027 in Ahmedabad: Kite Festival Dates and Guide

Uttarayan 2027 falls on Thursday 14 January, with Vasi Uttarayan, the second day, on Friday 15 January. For those two days Ahmedabad lives on its rooftops, flying kites from before sunrise until after dark. There are two ways to take part: watch the International Kite Festival on the Sabarmati Riverfront in the days before, or do what the city does and get onto a terrace in the old city on the 14th. The riverfront festival’s 2027 dates had not been announced when this guide was written, so the plan below is built around the two fixed days.

Key dates

When	What	Where
From November	Kite and string making begins	Old-city lanes, Jamalpur
Early January	Kite markets at full strength	Raipur Darwaja, Jamalpur, Tankshal
Days before 14 Jan	International Kite Festival (2027 dates to be announced)	Sabarmati Riverfront
Night of 13 Jan	Markets open all night; last-minute buying	Old city
Thu, 14 Jan 2027	Uttarayan	Every rooftop
Fri, 15 Jan 2027	Vasi Uttarayan	Every rooftop

A note on the calendar: the sun’s entry into Capricorn in 2027 occurs at 9.14 pm on 14 January, so some panchangs place the religious observance of Makar Sankranti on the 15th. Gujarat’s kite days do not move. They are the 14th and 15th every year.

What Uttarayan is

Uttarayan marks the sun’s northward turn and the end of deep winter, and in Gujarat it is celebrated in the sky. Families and friends gather on terraces with stacks of kites and spools of string, and the aim is to cut other people’s lines. When a kite is cut, the whole terrace shouts “kai po chhe”. Loudspeakers play all day, food comes up the stairs in relays, and after sunset the tukkals go up, kites flown with strings of lit lanterns.

A few words help:

• Patang: a kite
• Firki: the spool
• Manjha or dori: the string
• Kinna: the bridle you tie to the kite before flying it
• Dhil and khench: letting line out and pulling it in, the two ways to fight
• Kai po chhe: “I have cut it”

The International Kite Festival

The state tourism department’s International Kite Festival is the official curtain-raiser. Kite teams from across India and abroad fly giant inflatable and stacked show kites over the Sabarmati Riverfront, alongside a theme pavilion, a handicraft market, food stalls and night kite flying. In 2026, according to Gujarat Tourism, the festival toured the state from 10 January, with events in Rajkot, Surat, Dholavira, Shivrajpur, Ektanagar, Vadnagar and Vadodara, and Ahmedabad hosted it from 12 January with the riverfront as the centrepiece.

For 2027, expect a similar window in the days before the 14th, and check Gujarat Tourism’s announcement in December. Go early in the day to avoid the largest crowds. The nearest metro stations are on the Red Line; see our riverfront events page and the Riverfront Event Centre page for directions.

Where to fly

An old-city terrace

The classic Uttarayan is in the pols of the old city, where houses stand wall to wall and every roof is occupied. Heritage homes and small hotels around Khadia, Raipur and Kalupur sell terrace passes for the 14th and 15th. A pass usually covers a place on the roof, kites and string, and meals through the day. The best terraces are booked by December, so reserve early and ask what is included, how many people share the roof and whether there is shade.

If you are staying a few days, the municipal heritage walk through the same lanes on the morning of the 13th is a good way to get your bearings.

With a family

Ahmedabad is generous on Uttarayan. If you know anyone in the city, you are likely to be invited to a terrace, and that is the best version of the festival. Bring sweets or chikki and expect to be fed all day.

Elsewhere in the city

Housing societies and apartment towers in west Ahmedabad fly from their own roofs, and clubs and hotels sell terrace parties with a DJ and a buffet. These are easier to reach and less crowded, but the sky is thinner than over the old city.

The kite markets

Kite-making is visible on Ahmedabad’s streets from November, and by early January the patang bazaars in the old city are the busiest places in town. The best known are at Raipur Darwaja, Jamalpur and Tankshal in Kalupur. In the final week they trade around the clock, and the night of 13 January is the peak.

Buying tips:

• Kites are sold by the kodi, a bundle of twenty. Buy more than you think you need, because you will lose most of them.
• Buy cotton string only. Sellers of nylon or “Chinese” string are breaking the law, and so are buyers.
• Ask the seller to tie the kinna on a few kites if you are new to it.
• Prices rise through the last two days. If you only want kites, go on the 11th or 12th. If you want the spectacle, go late on the 13th.
• Take the Blue Line to Gheekanta or Kalupur Railway Station and walk. Do not drive in.

The Patang Kite Museum at Sanskar Kendra in Paldi, which holds a collection of historic kites, has been closed for renovation since 2020. Check whether it has reopened before adding it to your plan.

What to eat

Uttarayan has its own menu, eaten on the terrace:

• Undhiyu: a slow-cooked winter dish of root vegetables, beans and fenugreek dumplings, served with puri
• Jalebi: the standard partner to undhiyu
• Chikki: brittle made from sesame or peanuts and jaggery
• Til laddoo, sugarcane and bor, the small winter berry

Farsan shops sell undhiyu by the kilo on both days, and queues at the popular ones are long, so order ahead. After dark, Manek Chowk is as busy as ever. Our food events page lists Uttarayan food pop-ups and terrace brunches.

Safety and the rules

Uttarayan injures people and birds every year, almost always through kite string. Take this section seriously.

• Banned string. The National Green Tribunal banned nylon and other synthetic manjha across India in 2017. Gujarat’s police issue their own notifications each January, and in recent years these have also covered sky lanterns. Do not buy, sell or fly with any of them.
• On the road. Stray string stretched across roads and flyovers causes throat injuries to two-wheeler riders. If you ride on the 14th or 15th, go slowly, wear a full-face helmet and wrap a scarf around your neck. In past years the police have restricted two-wheelers on some flyovers on these days.
• On the roof. Most serious falls happen when someone steps back while watching a kite. Stay away from terrace edges and parapet-less roofs, and never run after a cut kite.
• Power lines. Do not try to pull a kite or string off an electric wire or transformer.
• Hands and eyes. Tape your index fingers or wear finger guards, and use sunglasses and a cap. You will be looking into the sun for hours.
• Birds. Avoid flying at dawn and dusk, when birds are most active. The state’s Karuna Abhiyan campaign runs rescue and treatment centres through the festival, and injured birds can be reported to the animal helpline on 1962.
• Emergencies. Call 108 for an ambulance.

With children

Children love Uttarayan, and it is manageable with a few rules. Give them short lines and smaller kites, tape their fingers, keep them in the middle of the roof and assign one adult to watch them. The riverfront festival, with its giant show kites, is the easier outing for under-fives. More ideas are on our kids and family events page.

Getting around on the day

• 14 January is a public holiday in Gujarat. Shops are shut for much of the day and the roads are unusually empty in the morning.
• Autos and cabs are scarce, because the drivers are flying kites too. Arrange your transport to the old city the day before.
• The metro runs to the old city on the Blue Line and to the riverfront on the Red Line.
• Evenings are cold on an open terrace. Mid-January nights are among the coolest of the year, so carry a jacket for the tukkal hour.

Make a fortnight of it

Early January is the best time of year to visit Ahmedabad. The Saptak festival of classical music runs from 1 to 13 January, ending the night before Uttarayan. The municipal flower show on the Sabarmati Riverfront is usually held in the same weeks, and the kite markets are worth an evening in their own right. Events are added to our Uttarayan page and the festival listings as they are announced.

Frequently asked questions

When is Uttarayan in 2027?

Uttarayan is celebrated on 14 January every year in Gujarat, which is a Thursday in 2027. The second day, Vasi Uttarayan, is on Friday 15 January.

When is the International Kite Festival 2027 in Ahmedabad?

The 2027 dates had not been announced at the time of writing. The festival is held on the Sabarmati Riverfront in the days before 14 January. In 2026 the state festival began on 10 January in other cities and Ahmedabad hosted it from 12 January.

Where is the best place to experience Uttarayan in Ahmedabad?

A rooftop in the old city's pols, around Khadia, Raipur and Kalupur. Heritage homes and hotels there sell terrace passes that include food. The riverfront festival is for watching show kites flown by visiting teams.

Where are the kite markets in Ahmedabad?

The main patang bazaars are in the old city, around Raipur Darwaja, Jamalpur and Tankshal in Kalupur. In the final week before Uttarayan they stay open through the night.

Is Chinese manjha banned in Ahmedabad?

Yes. Nylon and other synthetic kite string was banned nationwide by the National Green Tribunal in 2017, and Gujarat's police issue prohibitory notifications every January. Use cotton thread only.

What do people eat on Uttarayan?

Undhiyu, a winter mixed-vegetable dish, with puri and jalebi, along with sesame and peanut chikki, til laddoos, sugarcane and seasonal fruit.

Sources checked

• www.gujarattourism.com/fair-and-festival/international-kite-festival.html
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Kite_Festival_in_Gujarat_%E2%80%93_Uttar
• www.drikpanchang.com/sankranti/makar-sankranti-date-time.html?year=2027&geoname-
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskar_Kendra
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabarmati_Riverfront
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_City_of_Ahmadabad
• heritagewalkahmedabad.com/
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saptak_Annual_Festival_of_Music
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ahmedabad_Metro_stations

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