Lyari Literature Festival opens amid music and dance

Event reflects different cultures with stalls displaying books in various regional languages

KARACHI: The Lyari Literature Festival, first of its kind in Lyari, commenced on Saturday at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University (BBSU). The two-day event opened with a screening of the documentary, Gwadar: The Thirst is On Going. Reflecting the spirit of Lyari, the event was punctuated with theatrical and musical performances. It inaugurated with a Dhol Rasoora performance with musician, Mumtaz Sabzal, cutting the ribbon.

The first day of festival featured various panel discussions. The first panel comprised of Shaheera Jalil Albasit, Ellahi Baksh Baloch, Mahira Ahmed Miyanji and Imtiaz Bhugio, who spoke on the possibilities and problems of education in Lyari. The panel was moderated by Saqib Haroon.

A first year intermediate student, Sabina Brohi, said that this kind of festival provided an effective platform to highlight different cultures and traditions. "Students who are artists have been given the opportunity to present their ideas," she said. Over 29 stalls were set-up at the event. These included book stalls featuring Urdu, Sindhi, Balochi, Punjabi and English books, as well as others with Peshawari sandals, ajraks, purses, paintings, traditional clothes, among other things, on display.

"This is the first time that a festival on such big scale has been set-up in Lyari. We have gotten the chance to acquaint ourselves with different cultures," said Urooj Brohis, a 10th grade student. As at other literary festivals across the country, various artists showcased their talents. A boxing ring at the event, however, set the Lyari Literature Festival apart as it highlighted Lyari's association with sports. Males and females both participated in the boxing contests among students of BBSU and other educational institutions.

The event also featured Qawwali by the Hamza Brothers and a performance by classical dancers, Sikandar Sanam and Sumaira. The latter is a resident of Ibrahim Hyderi. The event will continue today (Sunday). 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2019.