Lokvirsa
Folk Festival 2010
The
Lok Virsa Folk Festival is the largest cultural activity
in Pakistan, in fact it so popular that artisans and
performers form many countires particpate in the event
that has been held annually now for the last 20 years.
Here is where you will see Pakistan’s traditionally
rich culture at its finest, where performers gather
from every corner of Pakistan.
The annual National Folk Festival (Lok Mela), held in
October each year. Over the past two decades, this festival
has taken on an international flavour and more than
20 different countries have sent their artisans and
performers to participate in the festival. Nationally,
the festival has become a thing of pride for artisans
and performers, who come on their own to participate.
Most important of all, the Provinces of Pakistan and
Azad Jammu & Kashmir put up beautifully decorated
pavilions and visitors have the unique opportunity to
see an assortment of Pakistan's traditionally rich culture
in the federal capital of Islamabad for an exciting
ten days.
An exhibition of artisans at work under the banner of
the Heritage Museum forms the core of this festival.
The Research & Media Centre of Lok Virsa arranges
groups of dancers that perform all over the festival
grounds, inviting visitors to join in, and in the evening,
arranges music concerts from all parts of Pakistan.
Documentation of the festival is carried out by Lok
Virsa's researchers, who interview all the artisans
and artists.
Festival
Highlights
Participants come from all over Pakistan. You would
be able to feel and experience the variety in tastes,
cultures and heritage of Pakistan all under one roof.
One may find different pavilions displaying the crafts
of their respective provinces. The Kashmir pavilion
may display major crafts from Azad Jammu and Kashmir
like Embroidered shawls, Namda and Gabba (floor rungs
and wall hangings), wood works, basketry, metal crafts
and jewellery etc.
The Punjab Pavilion
may host traditional food items along with singing and
listening pleasures of Punjab folk songs. Punjabi style
handicrafts also manages to catch viewer attention.
From the Balochistan
pavilion one may expect to get depictions of nomadic
balochi life styles and traditional artisans displaying
their skills of various Baloch crafts. Leather embroidery
crafts and crafts using date leaves are also prime choices
of interest in this pavilion. Apart from this one may
expect to get a taste of Balochi folk songs and their
all famous dish called "Sajji".
The Sindh pavilion may
offer depcitions of Sindh life style, village scenes
and working men and women. Artisans preparing different
crafts and their traditional folk songs and instruments.
"Ajrak" a traditionally made shawl is by far
the most highlighted attraction of this pavilion.
The N.W.F.P Pavilion
features the pushtoon culture, customs, crafts and cuisine.
Glittering metal crafts of Brass and Copper are displayed
in a great variety along with stalls of traditonally
made baskets. Stone carving which was traditionally
done on tomb stones is also shown in a diversified fashion
which can be used on planters, table tops and wall hangings.
Along with this Pathan dancers perform their famous
"Khattack Dance" and offer their traditional
"Chappli Kebab" for your eating pleasures.
Apart
from these pavilions one may witness all kinds of cuisine,
musical galas, crafts bazar, lok virsa's display and
sale stalls. A richly cherishable experience bound to
create a lasting impression.
