A lahooti is a pilgrim who takes the spiritual journey on foot from Sehwan to Lahoot in Khuzdar, Balochistan. Today, Saif Samejo of Sketches uses the same name for his annual music festival.
Zoe Viccaji and Irfan Ali Taj took the stage at the Lahooti Melo and performed for a very enthusiastic crowd. (Below) Joshinder Chagger, dressed in traditional garb, mesmerized the audience with her synchronized dance moves.
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The two day festival in Hyderabad took listeners on a spiritual journey.
Hyderabad: A lahooti is a pilgrim who takes the spiritual journey on foot from Sehwan to Lahoot in Khuzdar, Balochistan. Today, Saif Samejo of Sketches uses the same name for his annual music festival.
This year, as we headed towards the Lahooti Melo in Hyderabad, we had no idea that this mysterious journey would be a place for contemplation and escape. The people who came from the city, all over the province, from Pakistan and beyond, did after all come for the music and the dialogues, and were looking for a promising weekend that offered them peace and security. It sure was an escape for many as nobody was prepared for the spotlights of pinks and blues encircling the minaret next to the stage; no one expected to enjoy folk and modern music under the skies amidst the chaos in the world and within.
The management expressed that it was overwhelming to cater to the needs of the thousands of attendees. The event’s host, Samejo, estimated that around eighteen thousand registrations came in the very first morning of the two-day event. The festival’s organising team, which mostly included volunteers, managed the hectic affairs of security and logistics. The local police, the culture department of Sindh, along with the Rangers extended a helping hand as well.
During the day, the melo consisted of storytelling sessions from people of various walks of life - from artists to activists to reporters to emerging entrepreneurs. In the sessions, the discussions revolved around various topics, such as music, women empowerment and even cinema.
Among the many speakers, one speaker who really caught our attention was Fouzia Saeed, a scholar and Director of Lok Virsa. She pointed out something very important, where she said that we have stigmatised the soul of our culture. Saeed was of the opinion that as Pakistanis, we need to own our culture in order to live in the most authentic way but it can also blend with newer concepts and trends of the world. For instance, if ‘Lal Meri Pat’ could be sung along with Taylor Swift’s new single on the same stage, it is not stigmatizing our culture but reclaiming its soul back in our daily lives.
The Lahooti stage saw amidst the crowd scores of musicians, such as Zoe Viccaji, Irfan Ali Taj, Khumariyaan and Natasha Baig. Also on stage was Joshinder Chagger, dressed in traditional garb, who mesmerized the audience with her synchronized dance moves. In total, 31 musicians spread the magic of their folk and traditional sounds to entertain the lahootis who attended the two day long melo with their families and friends. Also, it’s heartening to see the kind of exposure that was given to these musicians.
Later in the evening, the festival held on the Hyderabad Club gardens offered a completely different lens to the visitors. The lights were nothing less of the international Tomorrowland festival setup with multiple stages but the main stage offered the most action. Musicians from Nepal, USA and even Hungary sang their hearts out aloud and they were accompanied by equally respected artists from parts of Pakistan including Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. The stage also gave way to dancers from various parts of Sindh, including Tharparker.
Music is known for its power to unite people and also as an expression of love for the divine in all things. People came together and found peace under the wintry skies. Many became friends, took pictures, danced to the music and cheered amongst the lights and celebrities. The spotlight was not only on the stage but everywhere. Musicians and politicians were seen performing, storytelling or meeting enthusiasts of all generations. There was interaction of all sorts, everywhere.
A festival first-timer, Amna Jillani who came from Karachi to Hyderabad, expressed that this festival is good for the country and especially Hyderabad as it is encouraging people to come to the city and experience it’s unique mystical side. She also sees this as becoming a milestone for years to come; it may also set a platform for better things to happen. The melo is surely ahead of its time.
The festival is entirely musical but it does offer a space which is nothing short of a spiritual contemplation. In an insecure environment, moving around the city is restricted and can be stifling and initiatives such as this one can provide much needed soul-time. When congratulated for the event’s success, Samejo modestly responded that it was no big deal (or at least he was too modest to take credit for it); people came, danced and celebrated and that is all that mattered to him.
