Are you a Kkite buff? Well, imagine looking up and seeing huge, colorful kites soaring gracefully in the sky. Suddenly, one kite dives into another, in attack, causeing it to come crashing to the ground! The people manning these kites aren’t out for a leisurly day in the park, they’re out for battle!

This interesting sport is known as kite fighting and is popular in Thailand and India. Every year between March and May, thousands of people gather around Bangkok’s Phra Mane Ground or Sanam Luang to watch these fighting kites in action.

Two types of kites are used in this sport: the Pakpao, known as the female kite and the Chula, the male kite. The female is diamond-shaped and has a long, cloth tail. The male is designed as a star with five points. They are artfully decorated as fish, dragons, owls, and many other delightful patterns. Kite sizes range from a few inches up to twenty-five feet. The male kites are always larger than the female kites.

The tournamenrt area is divided into two sections by a strong rope supported by bamboo poles. The up-wind side is Chula territory, the other is for the Pakpao. The object of the game is for the Pakpao to attack the Chula, causing him to crash to the ground. Likewise, the Chula’s goal is to force the Pakpao to lose control so he can pull her down into his territory. he gets points for each captured Pakpao.

There are about fifty, strict rules enforced in this game. There must be at least two Chula teams and four Pakpao teams entered to compete. The Chula teams consists of a captain, who gives the orders, one or two handlers who fly the kite, and a team of boys who run with the strings according to the captain’s orders, which are whistled signals.

You might ask yourself, “Does one kite just smack into another to bring it down?” No, both Chula and Pakpao have their own defense tactics. The Chula uses champahs, which are  hooks made of bamboo strips. The hooks are placed in various positions on the kite’s string, which is rule regulated. The Chula claws at a pakpao attacker with his champahs to snare her, dragging her into his domain.

In retaliation, the Pakpao uses her loong tail to throw the Chula off balance. She also has a looped string attached to the flying string that is used to snag her opponent. However her speed and agility are her main defenses.

When a Chula soars into Pakpao territory, he is allowed to capture up to two Pakpao at a time, earning twenty points for doing so. if he catches three at a time, it is considered a draw. Don’t be fooled into thinking the Chula is always the victor. The Pakpao can be very effective in defeating the Chula.

For thousands of people, kite fighting is a timeless sport that is fun and exciting to watch. If you ever get the chance to experience this thrilling event, do it You won’t be sorry.