The excitement does not end with nightfall, which is the time for illuminated box kites, often in a series strung on one line, to be launched into the sky. Called tukals, they add a touch of splendor to the dark sky. Special traditional food is eaten, usually in the open field or a park, or in the garden of one s home. Even for the religious, it is a time to rejoice, for it marks the movement of the sun into the Northern Hemisphere. The gods who are believed to have slumbered for six long months are now awake and the portals of heaven are thrown open.
Devotees throng the temples of the city and distribute alms freely.
For instance, one can learn that in 200 BC, Huen Tsang of China flew a kite at night to overawe the army of the Han dynasty. From 100 BC to AD 500, kites were used for sending signals and to measure the distance of enemy camps. In AD 930, the Japanese mentioned Shiroshi, meaning paper bird, for the first time. Between AD 960 and AD 1126, kite flying became a popular sport in China. The ninth day of the ninth month was a day when kites were flown to banish evil.