Christmas bazaar: Artisans display traditional crafts

Dynamic art and culture items from across Pakistan displayed at the event

ISLAMABAD: The bazaar encouraged residents and foreigners to be celebrate the holiday season properly with a total of 39 stalls exhibiting unique traditional crafts from across the country.  A wide array of products offered shoppers to pick various items from traditional clothing to gem stones from the Northern areas.

“It’s great to see a wide range of products from across the country. The uniqueness of each product shows the rich diversity of the Pakistani culture” said Haadia Tariq who had come to the bazaar with her family.



A compilation of dynamic art and culture items from across the country was represented through small scale artisans. A stimulating collection of artifacts from DI Khan, famous blue pottery products from Multan, vivacious truck art pieces, calligraphy, wood carvings, shawls and gems from the Northern areas, special “Zari” crafted work from Punjab and other traditional handicraft items such as handmade puppets and artificial jewelry were exhibited.

“This bazaar taps into a market of foreigners in Pakistan who are usually restricted to come to other local exhibitions” said Ambreen Fatima who has been a regular exhibitor of puppets in Islamabad. Fatima said it was beneficial not just to market their goods but also Pakistan as a country.

Sajjad Ahmed, who had come from Rawalpindi for the exhibition, has been in the business for 25 years. Ahmed said such exhibitions were not just profitable but also a great way to keep art alive. “Several people still question whether such forms of crafts still exist in Pakistan” said Ahmed. He said that small businesses await such opportunities, adding that the government has done very little to preserve and promote culture and artisans of Pakistan.  “It would be mutually beneficial to them and us,” he said.

“We who are in the business of crafts are now heavily dependent on such exhibitions. Some of my friends cannot even afford a nominal rent to exhibit at other places,” said Ahmed.



Muhammad Ijazullah Mughal, a truck art expert from Rawalpindi, said with time private institutions have played their part in keeping arts and crafts alive. “We wait for such festivals all year. Such exhibitions are our bonus” said Mughal.

A number of charity-based organisations and NGOs also set up their stalls to spread word about their work and raise funds.  The bazaar concludes on Sunday, December 12.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2014.