Basant is Punjab's traditional spring kite flying festival, historically centred on Lahore, marking the arrival of spring with rooftops across the city filled with colourful kites and the sound of Punjabi music and celebration.
The tradition: Basant traditionally falls in early spring (around February), with families and communities gathering on rooftops to fly kites in a spirit of open competition, cutting a rival's kite string with your own was, and remains where the festival is celebrated, the highlight of the day, met with cheers.
Current status, important to know before planning around it: Basant has faced significant restrictions in Punjab in recent years, largely due to safety concerns around the glass coated string (manjha) used in competitive kite flying, which caused serious injuries. Large scale public celebrations have been curtailed by provincial authorities, and the festival's public status can change, we recommend checking current conditions with us before planning a trip specifically around it.
What this means for visitors: Rather than a guaranteed city wide festival to attend, Basant today is better understood as a cultural tradition and talking point, worth asking about and understanding as part of Lahore's identity, even if the large public celebrations of decades past aren't reliably running each year.
Where the spirit lives on: Some private, controlled kite flying events continue in permitted settings, ask us for current options if this specifically interests you, and we'll advise honestly on what's realistically available for your travel dates.
See our Lahore destination guide for the rest of what the city offers, regardless of festival timing.
Browse tour packages or message us for a custom itinerary within 2 hours.
WhatsApp Us