Culture festival: Balochistan musical night hosted during Lok Mela

Provinces highlight beauty of their culture through arts, crafts

Lok Virsa hosted a Balochistan musical night on Tuesday featuring local folk songs at the Open Air Theatre as part of the 10-day Lok Mela. Eminent Folk artists and musicians including Saju Khan, saroz player and singers Akhtar Chanaal, Taj Balehdi, Sabz Ali Bugti, Zeba Sanam, Zeba Noori, Shahmir Sabzal, and others enthralled the audience at the Open Air Theatre. Famous Sheedi Leva dance group also entertained the onlookers regularly with their distinctive attire and unique dance moves.

Folk Festival ‘Lok Mela’ continues in Islamabad in which provinces across Pakistan are highlighting the beauty of their culture through shows of arts and crafts in provincial pavilions. On Tuesday, Balochistan pavilion outstood the pavilions of all other provinces at the festival in showing Balochistan’s rich culture and traditions. A lot of people visited the pavilion showcasing Balochistan’s rich legacy.

The pavilion showed the beautiful culture of Balochistan through embroidery, dresses, music and food, which is typically a rare find in Islamabad. The pavilion has been set up by the Balochistan directorate of culture in collaboration with Lok Virsa.

The Balochistan contingent included craftspeople, folk artists, folk musicians and dance groups. Master artisans were Daryan Khan in traditional ‘saroz’ making, Miral Khan in leather embroidery, Muhammad Akram in handloom work, Rozi Khan in ‘Balochi chappal’ making, Malookan in Balochi embroidery and others.

Visitors took a keen interest in the Balochistan pavilion as it stood out among the pavilions of other provinces. The organisers have allocated spacious pavilions to all the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir for showcasing their indigenous folk culture in a creative and interactive manner

Balochistan Culture, Tourism and Archives Secretary Zafar Ali Balehdi was the chief guest on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Zafar Ali said, “Lok Virsa deserves commendation for promoting the rich heritage of country in such a beautiful way. Lok Virsa’s effort in projecting the true culture of Balochistan is praiseworthy. “We will support every initiative that can lead to create national harmony and integration among the nation, which is need of the hour.”

A visitor, Sana Nabeel, said “one can see the glimpses from every corner of Pakistan created in the lush green surroundings of the Shakarparian Hills, contributing significantly to enhance the stature, beauty and landscape of the federal capital.”

Punjab Musical Night is scheduled tomorrow at 7pm whereas ‘Lok Mela’ is going on with all its festivities from 10am to 10pm till November 13, 2018.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2018.