Invisible Formulas: From Structural Knowledge to Procedural Craft in Lahori Kite Design

Abstract

The traditional fighter kites of Lahore carried secrets of manufacture, which the kite makers guarded zealously from generation to generation. These sophisticated methods are an under-documented, inherited body of craft knowledge. Kite flying has historically been celebrated as a seasonal rooftop festival across Punjab. Yet the structural geometry remained unaddressed in the design literature. This research focused on the structural geometry and proportional methodology followed by the makers of traditional Lahori kites. The study draws on craft ethnography and field observations to analyse the structural and shape design of the Tukkal (meaning lantern) butterfly-shaped (Keller, n.d.), which were used to lift lanterns. The research identifies the typologies of several Lahore’s fighter kite variants. This examination of kite designs highlights the native design formulas, including bamboo types, sizes and the mould/frame locally called Farma. The research explores the design methods developed indigenously for Lahori kite-making. The study aims to preserve and transmit the intangible cultural heritage that is visibly declining due to regulations and restrictions on kite flying in Lahore. The research documented and proposed diagrams of structural principles to preserve the endangered design and craft knowledge. It offers fresh insight and minute details for future apprentices into heritage living design practices through vernacular and cultural craft and design legacies of South Asia.