Islamabad - Administration of Lok Virsa has achieved its revenue target of Rs 30 million in just four days of its 10-day long festival as people continue to throng Shakarparian in search of entertainment.
Inaugurated on April 1, the Lok Mela that showcases traditions of the four provinces, besides Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, has caused huge revenue gains for the management though there are six days more to the festivities that will culminate on April 10.
“This is for the first time that the revenue target has been achieved in the first four days of the ongoing event. People need to be entertained. There is a huge rush at the entry gates. This time we have something new for the visitors,” Raees Akhter, spokesman National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) informed The Nation.
He said artisans have been provided spaces for their stalls so that they could directly present their respective specialties before public. “We charge the fee of stalls. Entry tickets are another source of revenue and there are seas of visitors,” he added.
Culture pavilions established by different provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are the major attraction of the festival. While visiting the festival, one can see an aesthetically designed colourful pavilion depicting the rich culture and traditional architecture of the land of Sufi saints – Sindh.
Coordinated by Sindh culture department, a contingent of over hundred participants including master artisans in various craft fields, folk artists, rural musicians, instrumentalists and folk dance groups is actively participating and showcasing their beautiful cultural heritage in the federal capital.
Sindh is famous for a wide range of folk crafts like lacquer art, farasi weaving, blue pottery, Sindhi embroidery, Ajrak, block printing, traditional carpet weaving, rilli (appliqué work), tie-dye, khes weaving, wood works, Thari embroidery and several others, which all have been showcased at the festival.
The craftspeople who are seen demonstrating their artistic work at the Sindh pavilion include Faqeer Muhammad in pottery, Muhammad Suleman in lacquer art, Haleema Bibi, Parri Bibi in farasi weaving, Siyani Bibi in lungi & khes weaving, Sarran in charka weaving, Qadir Bukhsh Jani in blue pottery, Khan Chand in traditional shoes, Qadir Bukhsh in ajrak, Gul Khatoon in handlooms, Arbab Ali in block printing, Muhammad Aslam in Sussi weaving, Abdul Majeed Soomro in ajrk block printing, Zaheeran & Badshahzadi in rilli and embroidery work and others.
Muhammad Suleman is a craftsman who catches the visitors’ eye. He is a reputed artisan in lacquer art (jundri ka kam) from Hala. He has a vast knowledge and experience in practicing this ancient craft.
Sindhi musical night will be held on 5th April at 7:00pm at Lok Virsa Open Air Theatre. A number of eminent folk artists, musicians and performers from Sindh province will perform live in a concert at Lok Mela.
On April 9, the Lok Virsa will be hosting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa night in which Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and Chief Minister KP Pervez Khattak are expected to grace the occasion.