Daachi Mela: ‘Take a bit of folk culture home with you’

Craftsmen from all over the country gather at Daatchi festival to display their work.

LAHORE:

“My family have been khaadi weavers for over 100 years. I wanted to keep up the tradition and take the business further,” says Sukhi Shah, sitting at a khaadi stall showcasing hand woven Multani textiles at the Daachi Mela in Lahore.

Since March 17, 54 stalls at the Burney Gardens on The Mall organised by the Daachi Foundation, a non-profit organistion has displayed work of traditional craftsmen from all over Pakistan.  This cultural exhibition, which concludes on Sunday, showcases work by artisans, painters, carpet and textile weavers, craftsmen and embroiderers representing the hand made items from all over the country. The event’s organisers did say, however, that ongoing protests on The Mall have affected turn out.

“I have done well here,” says Shah, adding that his stall displayed shawls, spreads and unstitched fabric starting from Rs1,500 and going up to Rs5,000. “Today an 80-year-old woman bought fabric worth Rs15,000 from me without even haggling. That has never happened before, he said.

Daachi Foundation president, architect Ayesha Noorani said that it took her over 16 years to fulfil her dream of bringing together the various sub-cultures in Pakistan on a single platform to promote folk art and craft.

“Above all, I have always wanted to promote our dying cultural tradition. This exhibition was a dream. Not everyone believed I could do it.  I am glad I have been able to provide these brilliant craftsmen and entrepreneurs a platform to show case their talent,” she said.

Celebrated Swati and Multani handicrafts attracted visitors of all ages to the festival and a truck art stall with brightly painted steel oil lamps, boxes, dishes and pots was the centre of attraction.

“We have acquired three-acres land in Raiwind. I am hoping this will be a one of a kind cultural village, like Saidpur in Islamabad but bigger and better,” Wahida Rahmaan, one of the organisers and a member of the Daachi Foundation told The Express Tribune.

Rahmaan explained how volunteers were sent to various areas in the country to survey the work of craftsmen to scout talent for the festival.

“We paid for their travel expenses, their stay in Lahore and gave them stalls free-of-charge. This has never been done by a non-profit organisation before,” Rahmaan said.

Samia Ulfat, a visitor and an art student, said that such events provided opportunities for local talent to flourish.

The event has attracted school trips. Rahat, a public school teacher, who was chaperoning a group of middle-school children said that such events instilled an appreciation for art and culture among students and should be encouraged.

Terracotta jewellery by Bina Ali, hand-made decorations, party catering by Riffat Sadia called My little Flower Bed, pottery from Harappa, wooden work from Hunza, cane and bamboo art, hand-made dolls and food stalls were only a handful of the attractions on display at the festival. The exhibition ends everyday with a puppet show and musical performances by Sarwat Ali and Rahat Multanikar.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2011.