Written by: Shahnawaz Ramay
Posted on: November 05, 2018 | 
| 中文
An artisan weaving a carpet
The Annual Lok Mela 2018 kicked off at the Lok Virsa Cultural Centre in Islamabad yesterday. Showcasing the cultural diversity of Pakistan through vibrantly decorated pavilions for each region, the festival proved to be a huge crowd puller, with every stall trying their best to outshine their neighbours and attract customers.
At the entrance, the enticing aroma of Pakistani delicacies pulled you inside, ranging from Naan, Tikka, Sajji and Chappal Kebabs to Sindhi Achaar and much more. As soon as you walked in, dance groups performing synchronized rhythmic “bhangra” greeted you on the thumping beat of a “dhol.” The festival was inaugurated with a speech by Dr Fahmida Mirza, Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination, who drew a parallel between the diversity of Pakistan and the colours of a beautiful rainbow. Since the theme for this year’s festival is, “Artisans at Work,” the pavilions included craftsmen from the furthest corners of Pakistan, all busy in displaying their workmanship. An enthralled set of adults and children made up the audience, relishing the display of vividly coloured items.
The Punjab pavilion was by far the most exuberant, with artisans hailing from cities such as Bhakkar, Sillanwali, Okara, Kahror Pacca, Multan, Harrapa, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala and Lahore. The pavilion began with an impressive display of Multan’s blue pottery, with the white ceramic items painted in hues of blue. Following that, stalls of jewellery, shawls, khaddar and woodwork could be found. In the centre, a band of Punjabi folk singers equipped with dhols, chimtas and other local instruments, bewitched visitors with their catchy and soulful music. Turning around a corner, you could see the more impressive work by senior artisans of pottery making from Bahawalpur, block printing, khussas, dug duggi’s, and wood carving. One unique wood carver was fashioning a customer’s likeness into wood, as a memento. There was also a “Kut Putli (Puppet)” theatre setup, with the painted dolls in their colourful costumes waiting to entertain children with their performances.
Right next to the Punjab pavilion, were those of Sindh and KPK. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa side started off with their traditional embroidery, and then transitioned to the stall of Mr Khawaja, a copper and brass artisan. A 5th generation artist, he specializes in making utensils, ornaments and other vanity items out of the metals. With the smooth reflective finish of his end products, he was stealing the show, as the sunlight danced and reflected off the polished brass. On the other hand, the Sindh pavilion had by far the most versatility and variety in their showcase. There were items such as Ajrak, Ralli, Jandi, Hurmicho Embroidery, Juti, Khais, Hyderabadi Bangles and Achaar from Sheikhupura. What was heartening to see was the stall of the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation, which created hope that dedicated efforts are underway to improve tourism in Sindh.
Facing these three pavilions was the Balochistan section. Although a relatively small pavilion, the Baloch were definitely making their mark with their traditional songs and dances. What pulled one inside was the overpowering aroma of chicken being slowly cooked, the dish famously known as “Sajji.” The stalls provide a brief glimpse of traditional embroidery, and tucked away were two artisans busy making musical instruments on the spot.
Walking into the Gilgit-Baltistan pavilion, you were greeted by tour operators well-versed in their knowledge of the region, and eager to showcase their landscape. The stalls also featured traditional items, such as the infamous Gilgit feather cap, Sharam (carpets), shawls, gem stones, and an interesting stall of apricot oil. One of the tour operators narrated a story about an 80 year old female artisan, whose sole livelihood depends on her skill in making the infamous Gilgit Cap.
The Mela saw people thronging to the stalls, with artists being given the opportunity to showcase their skills, as well as being appreciated for their crafts. However, there seemed to be a lack of supervision, and an information desk or leaflets would have been helpful for guiding people. The layout of the festival was such that the Gilgit-Baltistan stall was in a completely different direction, which meant that several people ended up not visiting it. Nevertheless, seeing the various regions of Pakistan coming together in a show of unity was a pleasant experience. The Lok Mela continues till the 11th of November.
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