Memorable experience: A night of back-to-back cultural performances

To promote Pakistani culture, PNCA amps up the level of its performances.

ISLAMABAD:

The PNCA building was decked in twinkling lights and the guests, dressed in colourful traditional outfits, were treated to a night full of entertainment on Wednesday night.

Unlike other cultural events at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), which usually begin inside the auditorium, the fun started with the Dharees Dance Group from Jhang performing outside the hall as guests, including expatriates and parliamentarians, entered the building.

Once people were seated, the event formally started with a welcome note from Minister for National Heritage and Integration Samina Ghurki, who said that the event was about showing the “real” Pakistan.

The welcome note was followed by a dhol and chimta performance and a Taxila odyssey dance by the National Performing Arts Group (NPAG), which had the audience clapping to the beat.

Though the event featured back-to-back performances, including an algoza performance by Akbar Khamiso, a qawwali by Amjad Fareed Sabri and an upbeat dhamaal by Bakhshi and Muhammad Ali, the most appreciated performance, perhaps, was a fusion of sufi and khattak dance by Nighat Chaudhry, who entertained the audience with her graceful movements.

Raees Ahmed, Salman Adil, and Muhammad Ajmal left a lasting impact on the crowd with their well-rehearsed instrumental, playing the haunting melody of “chori chori” on violin, tabla and flute.

While the crowd was generally sombre, a Cholistani dance performance by NPAG finally got people to loosen up and move to the beat on their seats – energy reverberated through the auditorium as people hooted and cheered along.

“I was blown away by the mesmerising performances. All the artists are professional and masters of their skills and techniques. I can’t recall any performance I didn’t like,” said a foreigner at the event.

The night ended with a qawwali show and as people lined up to leave the memorable night, one of the guests said to the other, “I didn’t even realise it’s so late.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2012.