Lok Mela: Festivals and felicities - an ode to Punjabi culture
Annual folk festival highlights province’s love of colour, celebration and aesthetic pleasure .
Artists from Punjab perform on the last day of the 10-day Lok Mela at Shakarparian on Sunday. PHOTO: EXPRESS
A 10-day-long whirlwind of a festival drew to a ceremonious close at Lok Virsa, dazzling visitors with the richness and colours of diverse Pakistani cultures.
A culture of vibrant, melodic traditional folk music and dance, mythical folklores of love and the colourful art characteristic of abundance — engulfed in an overarching love for food and leisure — was the highlight of the day at Lok Mela. The Punjab pavilion allured visitors with its air of festivity, boasting more than fifty master craftsmen and craftswomen. Nestled in their artistically set-up stalls, they practiced centuries-old craftwork including bone work, lacquer art, tile work, tie and dye, block printing, wood carving, ‘darree’ and ‘khaddar’ weaving, basketry, pottery, embroidery and needle work, ‘zardozi’, metal work, camel bone carving and shoe-making.
One such master artisan was Hajra Bibi, a young basket weaver from Bahawalpur. Her snazzy stall had a variety of items like baskets, ‘changeir’, hand-held fans, ‘chhaaj’ (grain separator) and women’s footwear on offer.
An artist of traditional ‘chunri’ (tie-and-dye work), Surraya from Karror Pacca creates beautiful designs in quintessentially Punjabi colours such as maroon, green, yellow and red.
Another outstanding craftsman, Ameer Buhsh, is known for his expertise in natural dyes and block printing. Centred in the lower Indus valley (South Punjab and Sindh), the age-old art of wooden block-making is his niche. He has trained members of his family as well as many other artisans in this craft.
Another fascinating display of wood lacquer work was manned by Riaz Ahmed Mughal- an educated, young man and an accomplished artisan. He belongs to Silanwali in the district of Sargodha, well-known for wood-based crafts. The knack for wood lacquer runs in his blood, as his father and grand father were among the pioneers of this art form in the sub-continent. Mughal crafts intricately detailed vases, decorative plates, table lamps and clocks. A recipient of several awards and much recognition, his pieces are proudly exchanged as corporate souvenirs.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2014.
A culture of vibrant, melodic traditional folk music and dance, mythical folklores of love and the colourful art characteristic of abundance — engulfed in an overarching love for food and leisure — was the highlight of the day at Lok Mela. The Punjab pavilion allured visitors with its air of festivity, boasting more than fifty master craftsmen and craftswomen. Nestled in their artistically set-up stalls, they practiced centuries-old craftwork including bone work, lacquer art, tile work, tie and dye, block printing, wood carving, ‘darree’ and ‘khaddar’ weaving, basketry, pottery, embroidery and needle work, ‘zardozi’, metal work, camel bone carving and shoe-making.
One such master artisan was Hajra Bibi, a young basket weaver from Bahawalpur. Her snazzy stall had a variety of items like baskets, ‘changeir’, hand-held fans, ‘chhaaj’ (grain separator) and women’s footwear on offer.
An artist of traditional ‘chunri’ (tie-and-dye work), Surraya from Karror Pacca creates beautiful designs in quintessentially Punjabi colours such as maroon, green, yellow and red.
Another outstanding craftsman, Ameer Buhsh, is known for his expertise in natural dyes and block printing. Centred in the lower Indus valley (South Punjab and Sindh), the age-old art of wooden block-making is his niche. He has trained members of his family as well as many other artisans in this craft.
Another fascinating display of wood lacquer work was manned by Riaz Ahmed Mughal- an educated, young man and an accomplished artisan. He belongs to Silanwali in the district of Sargodha, well-known for wood-based crafts. The knack for wood lacquer runs in his blood, as his father and grand father were among the pioneers of this art form in the sub-continent. Mughal crafts intricately detailed vases, decorative plates, table lamps and clocks. A recipient of several awards and much recognition, his pieces are proudly exchanged as corporate souvenirs.
A clearing in the centre of the pavilion housed colourfully-clad folk singers and musicians, who enthralled the audience with the electrifying beats from their ‘dhols’ (drums). A smashing performance by these folk artists at the Punjab pavilion’s culture night ended with visitors breaking out in ‘bhangra’, an essential marker of celebration within the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2014.