As the monsoon rains wave goodbye, gentle breeze has begun permeating through the skies, indicating that autumn is here—well, almost. That only means one thing: Dashain is here. And if Dashain is here, that means it’s time to take to the skies with your favourite festival pastime—flying kites.

According to local legends, kites are flown to send messages of gratitude to the celestial deities, especially the rain god Indra, for showering ample rain during the monsoon to ensure a good harvest season.

Only until a decade ago, Kathmandu Valley’s skies used to be studded with kites of various colours during this time of the year. People from neighbourhoods would engage themselves in “kite battle,” as flyers attempt to bring down another kite in the sky.

But the tradition has been waning in recent years, both due to rapid modernization, limited open spaces in the cities, and the widespread access to the internet, which keeps both children and adults busy.

As Dashain approaches, we hope these pictures of people engaged in kite-flying will inspire you to get off Facebook, get out of the house, and engage with your friends and family.