After nearly two decades, Basant returns to Lahore this week, cautiously and conditionally. It is a good feeling to have a spring festival back, even in a limited form. Basant is tied to the culture, tradition, history and soul of Lahore where it has long been celebrated. Dhols beating atop rooftops, fierce kite contests punctuated by collective cries and vast pots of food shared among neighbours and strangers alike. It was this atmosphere that placed Basant on the international tourism calendar, drawing tens of thousands of foreign visitors to Lahore and encouraging them to explore other parts of the country as well.
But Basant was banned for reasons that were real and tragic. Deaths caused by razor-sharp string, particularly to motorcyclists and pedestrians, cast a long shadow over what was once Lahore’s joyous colourful event. This year’s experiment therefore comes with shared responsibility. The government has promised monitoring systems and rules and regulations. That commitment must translate into action. Citizens must also recognise that safety cannot be outsourced entirely to the state. Rooftop behaviour, use of illegal string and disregard for bystanders have historically turned festivity into disaster. If Basant is to survive beyond this season, restraint and responsibility will matter as much as regulation.
However, the country faces grave challenges, economic stress, political instability and persistent terrorism. None of these should be trivialised. Nations do not move forward by choosing between grief and joy. They carry both.
Few traditions have shaped Lahore’s cultural identity as deeply as Basant. It was never just about kites. If Lahore can fly kites without cutting lives short and if people can celebrate without turning rooftops into death traps, then this fragile revival may be worth protecting. Being a responsible citizen, it is the moral obligation of the people to celebrate Basant within the limits of relative rules and regulations.
Qazi Jamshed Alam Siddiqui
Lahore
