Peshawar
The traditional rubab music and Kalash dances attracted a large number of visitors to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pavilion established at the Lok Mela to display the unique and indigenous culture of the province.
Advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Tourism, Culture, Archaeology, and Museums Zahid Chanzeb during a visit to the KP Pavilion set up at the Lok Virsa praised the organisers for tastefully displaying folk music and local culture.
“KP Pavilion at Lok Mela has showcased the province’s ancient culture in the best possible way,” he said, adding that the artisans of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were the living custodians of our cultural heritage.
He said the pavilion had provided an opportunity for artisans from different districts of the province to present their craft. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority Director General Tashfeen Haider, Director of Admin and Finance Umar Arshad Khan, General Manager of Tourism Sajjad Hamid, Event Manager Haseena Shaukat and other important figures were also present. Zahid Chanzeb said that the KP Pavilion at the folk festival featured skilled artisans demonstrating handicrafts, which have become the centre of attention for incoming tourists.
“Various stalls at the pavilion not only provide artisans with an opportunity to showcase their skills to the world, but also allow the province to send a positive message to the world. The pavilion at the event attracts millions of local and international tourists,” he added.
He said that the purpose of participating in the festival was to present the soft image of the province, raise global awareness about KP’s rich cultural and traditional heritage and support the province’s artisans and artists.
The KP Pavilion displays 30 stalls featuring various handicrafts and cultural items, including mosaic art, Mizari work, traditional hand-made bags from Islampur, Charsadda slippers, Kundi work, lacquer art, woodcraft, Jinnah caps, pottery, handicrafts, Mughal art, clay products, and even items made by prisoners of the provincial Prison Department. The pavilion also showcases traditional foods from the province such as Painda, Chapli Kabab, rice Pulao, Tikka Boti, Chicken Boti and others.
A special setup of the Kalash tribe is also featured in the pavilion, where Kalash men and women showcase their culture. The traditional Pashtun “Hujra”, the historical Qissa Khawani Bazaar of Peshawar, and a traditional “Qahwa Khana” (green-tea house) have been set up to entertain tourists. Traditional rubab music is also being performed to captivate visitors.
The pavilion also features videos and documentaries about various tourist destinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with a tourism information desk for visitors to learn more about cultural and tourist attractions. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa music show at the Lok Mela will be held on Wednesday (November 13) where various singers from the province will perform.
The much-awaited annual Lok Mela is going on at the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa), presenting a diverse cultural extravaganza for the art lovers.
The event is being arranged by Lok Virsa, which is an autonomous cultural organization working under the National Heritage and Culture Division. As this year’s festival is marking the golden jubilee celebrations of Lok Virsa (1974-2024), several new and innovative attractions are being added to the event.
The objective is to promote Pakistan’s indigenous folk heritage, strengthen national harmony and integration among all federating units through a cultural perspective and provide a much-needed platform to the master artisans, folk artistes, folk musicians and folk dancers to demonstrate their skills at the national level.
