Sankranti shenanigans

Muquim Khan shows off his stock of kites for you to pick from this Makar Sankranti

In our quest to find the aerodynamically perfect kite earlier this week, we ended up at the bustling Mohammad Ali Road. While for most of the city's foodies, it's where we head to partake in the annual Eid feast, this is also, in fact, one of the original places for stores that most patang warriors swear by.

One of them is the SS Bareilly Kite Shop. Located in Memon Wada, curving lane opposite the fire brigade unit, the family owned business is run by Muquim Khan. "The store has been in my family for the last 70 years," he says. "We will usually see the big rush for buying patangs coming over the weekend, especially on Sunday, since Makar Sankranti is on Monday this year," he adds.

The Puran Poli Ghar in Thane has a live counter, where you can see your favourite puran polis being rolled and roasted

Overall, Khan has some great picks for you, like the elaborate paper kites while ornate and beautiful do pack a punch when let loose in the sky, "The only thing that it requires is some open space, where the wind is fast enough to lift and keep the kite steadily in the air. Just pick an area where the wind is your friend and these are perfect for you," advises Khan, as he holds up a kite shaped like an eagle. These kites in particular might cost anything between Rs 600 to Rs 1,000.

The chocolate puranpoli is laden with layers of gooey delight, making it our top pick. PICS/SAMEER MARKANDE

Another option, he says, are plastic kites that are light and require very little manoeuvring. And then there is always the durable and dependable Indian paper kite, "These kites are not very fancy, but they are the most popular for a reason," says Khan. "At as low as Rs 50, they don't pinch your pockets and you can buy enough to last you for a few rough kite fights."

The shop also has a gorgeous collection of maanja, made of cotton and coated with rice glue and tree gum - the original safe kite-thread before the lethal variants, that have caused many a casualty and even fatality, were introduced in the market.

Carrot and dates puranpoli

Farther down the road are other shops like the Farhan Kite Centre. We catch the friendly proprietor, Farhan Ansari, patiently guiding his patrons through what would work best for them. "This year, we are seeing a lot of people buy kites and maanja rolls to decorate their homes as well as their businesses, like car showrooms and the like," he tell us.

And who wouldn't love to binge on those Sankranti goodies after a good kite fight? We get it, and hence, we made a trip to some of the best places where you can dig into puranpolis and tilgul laddoos.

Jaggery and dal puranpoli

Aswaad in Dadar continues to be an institution in itself when it comes to traditional Maharashtrian cuisine. Like with any festival, the place is crowded as people flock to take home the goodies by the kilo. Started in 1986 by Shrikrishna Sarjoshi, Aswaad, like many other restaurants in the area, is more than five decades old, with quality that remains as delightful as ever.

Farther north, in Malad, is Mauli Sweets and Snacks, started ten years ago by housewife turned entrepreneur Usha Bhandari. She still runs her dream business out of the modest chawl where it first started, assisted by an all-woman team that serves you the sweet fare with equally sweet smiles on their faces. They have nearly a dozen varieties of puranpolis and laddoos, our favourites being the chocolate puranpoli and the til laddoos made in ghee.

The plastic kites with themes like I love India and 2024 are getting a good response as they are one of the easier kites to fly and are budget friendly

In Thane, meanwhile, Bhaskar's Puranpoli Ghar holds its own. From being an idea pitched on reality show Shark Tank to now having two branches across the city, Puranpoli Ghar is a favourite in Thane not just because of their variety but also because they have a live station, where you can see your order being prepared.

A worker at the SS Bareilly Kite Shop, Memon Wada spins fresh maanja into a spool. The cotton-based yarn might not be your best bet in a kite war but it isn't lethal like the banned plastic Chinese maanja. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi