According to traders, bad weather during the 15-day Dashain festival also pushed down kites sales.
The weather started worsening from the day of Nawami - the ninth day of the festival - after Cyclone Phailin hit the Indian coast. [break]
“Sales of kites and accessories went down by as much as 55 percent this Dashain compared to last year,” said Bishnu Shahi, a kite seller at Maitidevi, told Republica.
Shahi imports 90 percent of kites and accessories from India while the rest comes from China.
He attributed drop in sales of kites to increase use of video games and smartphones, and growing popularity of social media among children and youths.
“In the past years, all kites and accessories used to be sold out. This year we have lots of kites and accessories in stock,” she said.
Kite flying is a popular outdoor sport among urban youths and children during Dashain.
Experience of Rajesh Tuladhar, another kite trader in Maitidevi, is no different. Tuladhar said sales at his store during this Dashain were down 60 percent compared to last year. Along with increasing use of gadgets and popularity of social media among youths, Tuladhar also blamed rise in cases of accidents related to kite flying behind drop in sales.
Tuladhar, who had sold kites and accessories worth Rs 50,000 during Dashain last year, however, is hopeful that sales will pick up once weather condition improves.
Aayush Shakya, a staff at a kite wholesale shop at Asan, said sales of kites and accessories like spools and string were down by as much as 65 percent this year compared to last year.
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