A chance to see bangle-makers from Hyderabad at work

Islamabad
Adding colour to the festivities of Eid in Islamabad, a ten-day ‘Eid Mela’ kicked off at National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa).
As markets of Islamabad are thronged by the people for Eid shopping, the Lok Virsa management
has provided yet another opportunity to families to buy the cultural items that make vital part of the Eid festivities.
All that glittery bangles that are available on stalls in the busy markets of Islamabad will be sold by the makers at ‘Eid Mela’ as special attraction of the event will be the bangle makers from interior Sindh. Other main features of the festival include art and craft bazaar, garments and henna stalls, artisan displays and food stalls.
The festival is only meant for families, in other words there needs to be a woman or a child present in the groups attending. According to
Lok Virsa management, the decision was part of their effort to make the environment different from the
regular market Eid bazaars where women can comfortably buy
bangles, get their hands painted with henna and buy many other things for Eid.
To introduce craftspersons behind the beautiful bangles that adorn the hands of women on Eid, the Lok Virsa has invited a delegation of women home-based glass bangle makers from Hyderabad in collaboration with Pak Social Welfare Society (PSWS). The bangle makers will join the festival on July 11 and continue to demonstrate their skills at Lok Virsa till July 15.
These artisans will create glass bangles with the help of different equipment and tools specially made for the purpose. They use this
profession as a source of their livelihood and contribute to alleviate poverty among women of their community.
The ‘Eid Mela’ will indeed provide an excellent opportunity to the residents of Islamabad-Rawalpindi to visit the festival stalls and buy authentic traditional items available at reasonable prices.
The ‘Eid Mela’ will be open
for families from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.