Guides · Flying
How to fly a kite (patang): launch, steer and land
The trick to flying a Lahori patang (پتنگ) is that it has no tail to steer it: you steer with the dor (ڈور). Slack line lets it spin; a firm pull sends it straight wherever its nose points. Launch into a light, steady wind, climb with short tugs (thumka), and fly only in Lahore on notified Basant days, with cotton dor.
Basant 2027 at a glance
Short answers from our facts table. Each one links to its source and shows when we last checked it.
When is it?
Awaiting notification (official portal: 29 Jan – 7 Feb 2027)
Basant 2027 dates still await a Deputy Commissioner notification.
awaiting official notificationDetails and source
Basant 2027 dates still await a Deputy Commissioner notification. The official Basant portal and the Punjab government's latest announcement (30 September 2026) give 29 January to 7 February 2027, excluding 5 February for Kashmir Day. These replaced the 12–14 March 2027 dates announced in August, which the portal's code of conduct still lists as tentative; a return to March was reported on 4 October 2026 but has not been notified.
awaiting official notificationSource: Punjab Basant portal (official)
Which string is legal?
Cotton dor only
Up to 9 threads (tars), at least 28 count, approved maanjha only.
confirmedDetails and source
Only cotton dor is allowed: at most 9 threads (tars), at least 28 count, coated only with approved maanjha, and wound in a round ball called a pinna. Every pinna must carry its own QR code for verification.
Rooftop rules
3.5 ft walls
Rooftops used for kite flying must have walls or grills at least 3.5 feet high and be structurally sound, and every location must keep a first-aid kit.
confirmedDetails and source
Rooftops used for kite flying must have walls or grills at least 3.5 feet high and be structurally sound, and every location must keep a first-aid kit. Owners must finish safety work by 30 December 2026, and unsafe rooftops are banned outright. Building owners and organisers are responsible for any accident. Overcrowding, loud music, DJ systems and aerial firing are banned, and gatherings above the permitted number need an NOC.
confirmedSource: Dawn
On this page
What is the trick to flying a kite?
Wait for the nose to point where you want to go, then pull: a fighter kite flies straight under tension and spins when the line goes slack.
A patang or guddi is a fighter kite. It is built to be unstable, so it turns on its own when you give it slack and stops turning the moment you pull. Every move you make is a mix of the two: let it rotate, then pull when it points the right way. That is why one person on a single line can send it up, sideways or into a dive.
| You | The kite |
|---|---|
| Hold steady tension | Flies straight in the direction its nose points |
| Give slack (dheel) | Slows, wobbles and starts to spin |
| Short sharp tugs (thumka) with the nose up | Climbs |
| Pull hard with the nose down | Dives fast, so keep the line moving |
| Let line out quickly | Drifts away and loses height |
What do you need before you fly?
A balanced kite with a well-tied kanni, a QR-coded pinna of legal cotton dor, finger protection, and a safe rooftop on a notified Basant day.
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- The kite: for a first flight pick a light guddi or a small patang such as an adha tawa; a big gudda pulls hard. Sizes are explained in our kite sizes guide.
- The kanni: the bridle decides how the kite sits in the wind. Check it before you go up: how to tie a kanni.
- The dor: only cotton dor on a QR-coded pinna (پنا) is legal. Metal, nylon, glass-coated and chemical strings are banned.
- Your fingers: dor cuts skin when a kite pulls; wear finger guards or tape. See safety gear.
- The place: a roof with walls or grills at least 3.5 feet high, away from power lines.
How do you launch a kite?
Stand with your back to the wind, let the breeze lift the kite off your hand or a helper's, and give a few short tugs so it climbs before you let out more dor.
Read the wind
Feel which way it blows and stand with your back to it, so the kite will fly downwind of you.
Hold it up
Hold the kite by the spine, nose up and face into the wind, with a few arm-lengths of dor between you.
Let the wind take it
When a gust comes, let go. On a light day, a helper can hold the kite further away and release it as you pull.
Climb first
As soon as it lifts, give short tugs to climb. Only let out more dor once it is above the rooftops.
If it spins down
Pull in quickly to stop the spin, wait for the nose to point up, then tug again.
No wind, no flight
Running with a kite on a roof is how people fall. If the air is too still to launch from where you stand, wait for wind.
How do you steer and control a patang?
Give a little slack to let it turn, then pull firmly the moment the nose points the way you want it to go.
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- To go up: wait until the nose points up, then pull or give a quick thumka.
- To go left or right: give slack, watch it rotate, and pull as the nose passes the direction you want.
- To hold position: keep gentle, even tension; most beginners pull too hard and too often.
- To gain distance: let out dor (dheel dena) while the kite points away and up.
- If it always drifts one way: that is a balance problem, not your hands. Fix it with our balancing guide.
When should you not fly a kite?
Not in rain, not in strong gusty wind, not near power lines or roads, and not outside Lahore's notified Basant days, when flying is illegal.
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- Strong or gusty wind: a paper kite buckles and tears, and a hard pull can cut hands.
- Rain: wet tissue paper weakens and can dissolve.
- Near power lines: never fly near overhead wires, and never try to pull a kite free from one.
- Near roads: a loose dor across a road is dangerous for motorcyclists; read the motorcycle safety rules.
- Outside the festival: The official Basant portal lists 29 January to 7 February 2027, excluding 5 February, but the dates still await a Deputy Commissioner notification. Flying anywhere else in Punjab or on any other day is illegal.
How do you bring a kite down?
Wind the dor back onto the pinna steadily while the nose points toward you, and catch the kite by hand rather than letting it fall into the street.
Keep tension as you wind in, so the kite does not spin away. In strong wind, walk a few steps toward it as you wind, then catch it by the spine. Wind the dor neatly back onto the pinna so it does not tangle for the next flight.
What is a pecha, and what does bo kata mean?
A pecha (پیچا) is when two flyers' lines cross and each tries to cut the other's kite; bo kata (بو کاٹا) is the shout when a line is cut.
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In a pecha, flyers either pull in fast (khainch) or let out line quickly (dheel). Learn plain control first. If your kite is cut, let it go: chasing a cut kite across roofs or into the street is one of the commonest ways people get hurt at Basant. More terms are in our Basant glossary.
How do you fly safely and legally at Basant 2027?
Fly only on the notified days in Lahore, only with legal cotton dor, only from a roof with walls of at least 3.5 feet, and follow the official code of conduct.
In 2026 under-18s were barred from flying. Keep away from roof edges, keep a first-aid kit on the roof, and never fly while riding or near traffic.
The official Code of Conduct for Basant 2027 in District Lahore applies to every rooftop and premises used for kite flying. It bans metallic, chemical, glass-coated and nylon string; alcohol and drugs; loud music, DJs and sound systems; aerial firing and any display of weapons; and harassment or nuisance to neighbours. Hosts must guard against falls, electrical hazards and overcrowding, use grills or safety walls, and keep off unsafe rooftops. String may be bought only from vendors registered with the Deputy Commissioner's office in Lahore, and buying from unauthorised sources invites legal action. Safety rods are mandatory on all motorcycles in Lahore. Parents and premises owners are responsible for children's safety, officials may inspect at any time, and the owner or manager is personally liable for any injury or violation.
confirmedSource: Government of Punjab, Basant Festival 2027 portal
Frequently asked questions
What is the trick to flying a kite?
Steer with tension: give slack to let the kite turn, then pull when its nose points where you want it to go.
Which type of kite is best for a beginner?
A light guddi or a small patang in a light, steady wind. A large gudda pulls hard and is harder to control. See kite sizes explained.
Can you fly a kite at night at Basant?
Lahore's Basant nights are a tradition, with white kites under floodlights. Fly only on the notified days and follow the 2027 notification: awaiting notification (official portal: 29 Jan – 7 Feb 2027).
What is patang udane ka tarika in English?
It means "how to fly a kite": launch into the wind, climb with short tugs, steer by letting the kite turn and then pulling, and wind the dor back in to land.
Which dor is legal for flying at Basant 2027?
Only cotton dor on a QR-coded pinna. Metal, nylon, glass-coated and chemical strings are banned. See allowed vs banned.
Sources (22)
- Punjab Basant portal (official) — Basant 2027 dates (15 Oct 2026)
- The Nation — Punjab approves Basant festival in Lahore for 2027 (30 Sept 2026)
- The Express Tribune — Lahore skies set for 10-day Basant (1 Oct 2026)
- Geo News — Lahore to celebrate 10-day Basant festival in 2027 (30 Sept 2026)
- Punjab Basant portal — Code of conduct (lists 12–14 March 2027 as tentative)
- The Nation — Basant 2027 to be celebrated in Lahore from March 12 to 14 (18 Aug 2026)
- Minute Mirror — Basant 2027 in Lahore likely to return to original March dates (4 Oct 2026)
- Punjab Basant portal (official) — Safety rules (15 Oct 2026)
- The Express Tribune — Lahore revives Basant 2026 but keeps kite-flying on a tight string
- Dawn — Punjab govt plans stringent regulations for safe Basant in Lahore (11 Sept 2026)
- ProPakistani — Punjab sets strict safety rules for Basant 2027 kite flying (first-aid kits, supervision) (2 May 2026)
- ARY News — Basant 2026 SOPs for Lahore (2 Feb 2026)
- ProPakistani — Lahore makes rooftop NOC mandatory for Basant (3 Feb 2026)
- Soch Fact Check — 10-day Basant festival announced for Lahore, not across Punjab (15 Oct 2026)
- ProPakistani — Age restriction imposed for kite flying during Basant (9 Jan 2026)
- Pakistan Today — Punjab Assembly passes strict kite-flying law (24 Dec 2025)
- The News — Lahore admin issues guidelines ahead of Basant festival (2026 code of conduct, same provisions) (29 Jan 2026)
- FAFEN — Kite Flying Regulation: How it Evolved Since 2001 (15 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — Fighter kite (single line, steering by tension and slack)
- Wikipedia — Kite fighting
- Bruce Lambert — Fighter kite tuning and adjusting
- Amjad Parvaiz — Patang: The Fighter Kite of Punjab, Pakistan: Material, Structure and Making (Khoj, 2018)