Cultural pavilions attract visitors at ‘Saqafati Mela’

Lok Virsa's enchanting mela will delight attendees until June 20

ISLAMABAD:

The cultural pavilions showcasing artisans-at-work have become a major attraction at the ongoing "Saqafati Mela" organised by Lok Virsa in Islamabad.

Visitors to the artistically designed cultural pavilions at the event are treated to the captivating sight of over fifty craftspeople actively demonstrating their work. With their remarkable artisanship, these skilled individuals showcase their creativity in a wide range of arts, crafts, and innovative techniques which truly mesmerise the incoming visitors.

The crafts on display comprise embroidery (including Multani, Bahawalpur, Hazara, Swati, Balochi and Sindhi embroidery) block printing, lacquer work, Khussa making, pottery, tie and dye, doll making, khaddar weaving, truck art, wood carving, namda and gabba, metal work, shawl weaving, zari work, motikari, blue pottery, ajrak, stone carving and much more.

This exhibition gives equal opportunity to both men and women to showcase their creativity in front of a huge audience. A female artisan from Balochistan, Kaneez Fatima is the most prominent among several others. She is skilled in traditional Balochi embroidery and has carried this tradition from her mother and in fact, devoted over 30 years of her life to this profession. Her team stands out not only for their excellence but also for their tireless propagation of this art by imparting it to future generations.

Similarly, male artisans are equally good at showing their artwork. Muhammad Riaz, a lacquer work from Silanwali, Punjab is also showcasing his work in the exhibition.

He shared that his father was an accomplished master craftsman of lacquer. In order to spread his work, he has been demonstrating his art at several festivals, fairs and exhibitions throughout the country and was honoured several times with cash prizes and certificates.

An expert in natural dyes, Fayyaz who belongs to Kahror Pucca also shared that he trained his family and several other artists to spread his work. The mela also features folk paintings, dance performances, folk cuisine, a puppet show, a play area for children and much more. The five-day mela will come to an end on June 20, 2023.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2023.