Being born and brought up in a small town, I have so many memories that remain etched in my memory forever. One of my favorite memories is of Prabhat Kaku and his son, Kuttush, flying kites for hours at the nearby playground during this time of the year. It always mesmerized me to see them flying kites. Colorful kites flying higher and higher in the air until they became dots in the sky.

Years later, when I moved to Kolkata and stayed at my ‘mamar bari,’ I would also see my cousin flying kites. He would jump from one terrace to another to collect kites. I would watch him as he prepared the threads of the kites himself. He and his friends would often have kite-flying competitions, and I, his assistant, would happily participate in those. I played the role gladly, as it fascinated me to see the kites fill up the sky with their various colors.

These memories and the admiration that I still hold for the kites and the kite fliers are the inspiration behind this collection.