“My
kite rises to
celestial regions.
My soul enters
the abode of bliss”
is what has been
said by a 9th
Century Monk,
thus en-routing
the history of
kites deep down
the ages.
Kite:
Best companion
of old ages.
Man was able to
enter into the
sky through powered
air-craft only
in 1923 and the
air-balloons were
flown early in
1783; this much
is the history
of aviation. But
the aeronautical
devices such as
kite have been
flying since very
ancient times.
The Chinese sky
was the first
to witness the
kites flying.
General Han Hsin
flew the first
kite to measure
the distance between
him and the enemy
troops. Another
story refers to
a wind-psalteries-kite
equipped with
Aeolin harps.
A General used
these kites to
frighten the enemy
troops-by their
unfamiliar humming
sound !
From the Chinese
land the knowledge
of kites spread
to neighboring
countries-Korea,
the Malayan Peninsula,
India, Indonesia,
Burma and Japan.
Entry of the kites
in the Western
countries is the
recent phenomena.
Benjamin Franklin
set out with his
handkerchief,
his key and his
kite to prove
that a lightening
bolt carries an
electrical charges;
this he did in
1752. Lord Hastings
used the kites
as a battles signal
while one captain
B.F.S. Baden Powel,
of the Scottish
Guards, used it
to lift one of
his men to spy
on the enemy!
Apart from these
instances, kites
have always been
used as meteorological
aids-to ascertain
temperature, humidity
and wind velocity
and for the purpose
of photography. |
