Uttarayan is also known as Makar Sankranti. The entire state is crazy about this festival. They celebrate it for days and call them as Uttarayan and 'Vasi' Uttarayan! This festival is synonymous with the International Festival of Kites, or Patangotsava. Every year on 14th and 15th of January this festival is observed. Hundreds of lovers of kite flying, from within the country and out of India too, come to Ahmedabad to enjoy this Festival that the city celebrates for 2 days. Many of the noted personalities remain present during it.

The kites are made of a great variety of designs, shapes and sizes. An exhibition of kites is also held for the occasion. A sale of the exhibited items, string for flying the kites, etc. also takes place. Skilled artisans are sitting here to show their real expertise in making the kites. At the exhibition are also items of handicrafts for sale. At night cultural programs are ananged for entertaining the visitors. We can enjoy authentic folk music and folk dances of Gujarat in this Festival.

The people are eager to make the best of the day of festival and even before the Sun rises, they climb on to their ten'aces armed with the needed paraphemalia of kite flying. The noises of the young girls and boys, and even the elderly add to the rising excitement of the day. The kites are flying high in the wind and the people also enjoy cutting off the strings of those flying them nearby or at a long distance and their own kite flying still high. The sky reverberates with these shouts of 'Aye kaypo chhe .... ' all through the day. The blue sky turns into a huge patchwork quilt with changing designs of new kites constantly replacing the old. Many are so enamored of the sport that they refuse to get off the tenaces even for meals! They would bting the food up on the terrace instead and take turns to eat and fly the kites as they keep a watch on the changing kites. They eat very hot and spicy snacks and the specialty of the season, 'Undhiyun' along with sweetmeats like 'jalebis' while flying the kites and cutting those of others if possible This is a festival develoed by the people if possible This is a festival develoed by the people themselves and no wonder the govermnent has elevaed it to he status of a Maha Utsava