Just ahead of Independence Day (15 August), an activist dressed in a “bloodied” bird costume and tangled in “glass-coated manja” lay on a giant kite that read, “Glass-Coated Strings Cut Birds’ Wings” and “Say No to Deadly Manja!”.
The action by PETA India aimed to spread awareness that cotton threads coated with glass and metal powder and nylon manja are responsible for the injury and death of humans and thousands of birds each year, and to appeal to the public to avoid these materials to ensure that kite-flying is safe and fun for all.
According to animal rights organization PETA India, Manja hurts and kills both humans and birds. Everyone can help prevent these devastating injuries and tragic deaths by choosing plain cotton kite strings. PETA India has urged everyone to say no to Manja to ensure that Independence Day is a happy occasion for all.
PETA says, “All forms of manja are hazardous to humans, other animals, and the environment. Razor-sharp strings reinforced with glass powder and metal have a disastrous impact on bird populations, including endangered species such as vultures. The birds’ wings and feet are often slashed or even completely severed by manja, and because they frequently manage to hide despite their severe wounds, rescuers can’t help them, and many of them bleed to death.”
Manja also results in senseless human deaths. In 2025 alone, numerous fatalities have been recorded across the country, including that of a 22-year-old man in Delhi, a 5-year-old child in Gujarat, and a 30-year-old UP Police Constable who was killed on duty, among others. More injuries and deaths are inevitable yet preventable.
In addition to the severe risks to humans and other animals, Manja poses environmental hazards. Using nylon and glass—and metal-coated kite strings contributes to the growing pollution problem, as these materials can persist in ecosystems for years. Moreover, these strings can cause power failures, affecting up to 10,000 people from just one power line disruption.
In 2024, following an appeal from PETA India, the central government statutory body, the Animal Welfare Board of India, advised all states and union territories to prohibit all manja and permit the use of only plain cotton string for kite-flying. The governments of Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana, and Tripura have issued notifications with similar directions.
PETA has urged everyone to say no to Manja to ensure that Independence Day is a happy occasion for all.
