Lok Mela postponed for two days

Islamabad: National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Lok Virsa has postponed the annual Lok Mela for two days due to the prevailing situation of roads blockage and unavailability of all artistes participating in the event.

Earlier the 10-day Annual Lok Mela was scheduled to start from Nov 2 till 11th November, 2018. The objective of the festival is to reinforce and strengthen national integration by promoting the cultural heritage of Pakistan through active participation of all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Hundreds of master artisans, folk artistes, folk performers and folk dance groups from all over the country participate in the festival bringing with them their skills and creativity. Folk Festival of Pakistan aims to capture the cultural glimpses of Pakistan for ten days at beautifully designed provincial pavilions.

Started in the year 1982, this unique event has become a symbol of the federation’s recognition and patronage to the rich cultural diversity and active participation of the people of Pakistan, said the organizers. The festival features artisans-at-work exhibition, provincial cultural pavilions, folkloric song and dance ensembles, rural musicians, general assembly of craftspeople, traditional cuisine, exotic craft bazaar, inaugural and award ceremonies and many other attractions.

The main thrust of the 10-day festival is the focus on provincial harmony and national integration, highlighting the contribution of Pakistani people in building future Pakistan. Artisans and artists from all parts of the country bring their creativity in arts, crafts and innovation.

With central focus on rural Pakistan, the direct beneficiaries of the festival are master artisans, musicians and other performers from the rural areas and remote regions of Pakistan. The festival serves to disseminate the dynamic creativity of the countryside and give rural folk a pride in their identity. As per tradition for the last several years, the ‘mela’ opens with a ‘dastarbandi’ or ‘chaddar poshi’’ of an established master craftsman/ woman.

The ‘dastarbandi’ or ‘chaddar poshi’is a symbol of Lok Virsa’s sustained campaign to keep the heritage of Pakistan alive and continuing. Other highlights of the ceremony will include Live folk performances from Sindh, Balochistan, Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to the organizers, this event gives encouragement and support to hundreds of artisans who prepare for months to bring their arts and crafts to Islamabad to share with a country-wide audience.