Name: Class:
Basant Birthday
By Maya Kanwal
2010
Maya Kanwal is a Pakistani-American writer and editor. This story takes place in Pakistan, which is a
country in Southern Asia. In this story, a young girl wants to go kite fighting on her birthday. Kite fighting is a
centuries old tradition, or cultural custom, that started in India. Girls and women are usually not allowed to
take part in kite fighting. As you read, take notes on how the events in the story help the narrator build
courage.
[1] I sucked in my breath as I stepped into the kite
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seller’s dingy shop, hidden in the cavernous
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bazaar of Lahore. From floor to ceiling,
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multicolored kites were stacked in precarious
piles. Others lit up the walls like neon signs. Some
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hung with their noses up, golden reflectors
flashing, like battleships ready for takeoff.
It was February, and basant, spring was all
around us in Pakistan. Basant brings rain
showers to dance in, acres of mustard fields in
yellow bloom, and festivals. In Lahore, we wear
clothes the color of mustard flowers, while our
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grandmothers labor over cauldrons of curried
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mustard leaves, preparing pungent, soul-
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warming saag. And we fly kites.
"Untitled" by Ju-Hong Chen is used with permission.
But we don’t just fly kites — we fight them!
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I ached to send up my own fighter kite, cut away my opponent’s string, and yell, “Bo kata! There, I
cut it!” And this year, I would finally get the chance to try!
[5] Crowds of excited visitors jammed the streets outside as I gazed at the kite shop’s selection. Honking
horns and whooping yells sounded like war cries for the kite fighting that would begin later that day.
1. gloomy and dark
2. cave-like and dark
3. an outdoor street market
4. the second largest city in Pakistan
5. Precarious (adjective) likely to fall, not secure
6. the tip of a kite
7. a big, round pot that is hung over fire and often used for boiling liquids or to cook stews
8. a strong taste or smell
9. spinach or other green vegetable
10. Opponent (noun) an enemy in a fight, game, or argument
11. a phrase meaning “a kite is cut”
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How many kites would I cut down? I could fly a kite as well as any other nine-year-old. But every
basant, once my brother Amir and his friends began the rooftop kite fighting, I had to tear myself away
and trail downstairs behind the other girls. Changing into my new silk clothes, I would join my mother
at the party we always hosted.
This year my ninth birthday fell on the festival weekend, and for my present, I’d asked if I could stay on
the roof with the boys. My surprised parents had laughed at first, but then handed me a wad of
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rupees to go with Amir to buy my very own stack of fighter kites.
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“A little sharla for the missy?” the kite seller snickered at me, his craggy fingers busy bending
bamboo splints. “Or do you deserve a pretty patang?” He dangled a round butterfly kite in front of me.
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Amir frowned at the kite seller. “Give her some real fighter kites, the guddas. We’ll also need some
good string,” he said, “not the cheap stuff.”
[10] “All right, little fighters. Come with me, then.” The kite seller ducked through a door in the back of the
shop. We followed him into a narrow alleyway.
Two men were looping string around a pair of poles. A third man, fingers thickly bandaged, was coating
the string with glittering yellow paste.
“This is the manjha that will make your string sharp enough to cut down other kites,” Amir explained to
me.
“I know what manjha is for!” I replied. “But what’s it made of?”
“It’s rice paste and ground glass,” replied the kite seller, rubbing his hands together with glee, “mixed
with some of my secret ingredients.”
[15] Back inside the shop, the kite seller wrapped our kites and string in waterproof bags. We wandered
back out to the bazaar to join our family at the food stalls. As I scooped up saag with hot bread, I
realized I had forgotten all about the bangles I’d wanted to buy to match my new dress. Not that I
cared now — I had battles to fight.
As soon as we got home, we rushed to the rooftop. The city below was dressed up like a bride. Cheery
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fabric adorned every building and strings of bright flags flapped across streets and alleys. Drums
were booming and bugles started to wail all around us.
People would send up their reflective white kites at twilight, when giant searchlights began to flood the
dark sky. But while the sun still shone, thousands of multicolored kites swayed in the sky like a joyous
swarm of birds.
12. money used in India, Nepal, and Pakistan
13. Snicker (verb) to laugh in a sly or rude manner
14. rugged or rough
15. sharla, patang, and gudda are different types of fighter kites
16. to decorate and make beautiful
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I warmed up with my sharlas first, letting out the strings in short jerks. They all got cut away in no time,
plummeting to the street to be chased down by rowdy children. I teetered back and forth, trying to
protect my kites.
“Oy!” Amir grabbed my arm. “Stop running around like a chicken or you’ll fall off the roof.”
[20] I sighed. How would I ever cut down another kite if I couldn’t take my eyes off my own?
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Then our neighbors on the opposite roof challenged Amir to a duel.
“All right! With the rules!” Amir jumped up to trace out a rectangle with chalk. I watched him calmly
maneuver his kite upward, leaning back, keeping his body still and strong, never stepping out of the
rectangle. His fingers and right elbow did all the work. Then his kite swooped down like a hawk,
slashing through the neighbors’ string. Amir danced a victory jig to the beat of the drums pounding
below on the street.
“Still and strong,” I told myself. “Still and strong.” My gudda caught the wind and became one with it. I
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fell into a rhythm and began swaying with my kite. In my trance, I forgot to worry about being cut
down.
Then I found my kite flapping close to Amir’s. Slowly, I let the string out, the kite soaring higher with
each tug. Squinting to see the two strings, I tugged as they touched. Up and down, swiftly! Amir’s kite
spiraled down, and he wheeled about, surprise twinkling in his eyes.
[25] “Bo kata!” I yelled.
“No more teaching,” he replied. “Now we fight.”
I was ready!
“Basant Birthday” by Maya Kanwal, Spider, © by Cricket Media, Inc. Reproduced with permission. All Cricket Media material is copyrighted by
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Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
17. Duel (noun) a fight or battle between two people
18. daydream, daze
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Text-Dependent Questions
Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.
1. Which TWO statements best represent main themes in the story?
A. Boys are better at kite fighting.
B. Our family members know best.
C. Everyone should be treated equally.
D. It takes money to achieve your goals.
E. Holidays should be celebrated yearly.
F. It takes courage to go after what you want.
2. How does the narrator’s point of view influence how the story is told?
A. It shows that being fearful is necessary.
B. It shows the fears she has about kite fighting.
C. It shows how communities celebrate holidays.
D. It shows the challenges she faces as a girl who wants to kite fight.
3. How does the word “ache” give information about the narrator, as used in paragraph 4?
A. It shows how badly she wants to be able to kite fight.
B. It explains how angry she is with her family.
C. It explains her excitement about basant.
D. It shows that she does not feel well.
4. What do paragraphs 6-7 reveal about the narrator?
A. It shows that she likes birthdays.
B. It shows that her parents are unfair.
C. It shows that she is brave and hopeful.
D. It shows that her family is excited about basant.
5. What does the phrase “dressed up like a bride” mean as it is used in paragraph 16?
A. dark and dreary
B. beautiful and bright
C. wearing nice clothes
D. preparing for a wedding
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6. What events in the story help the narrator develop the courage to kite fight?
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Discussion Questions
Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to
share your original ideas in a class discussion.
1. What is equality? Do you think boys and girls should be able to do all the same things? Why
or why not?
2. In the story, the narrator’s brother is supportive of her dream of kite fighting. How do you
support your friends and family? How have your friends and family supported you?
3. What is your favorite season? Do you take part in any celebrations or festivals during this
time? What are they and what do you enjoy most?
