Sindh Cultural Festival concludes | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Sindh Cultural Festival concludes

ISLAMABAD: The first ever Sindh cultural festival, organized by Lok Virsa in collaboration with Sindh Department of Culture, successfully concluded at Virsa Complex on Monday.

The inaugural ceremony of the festival was held on June 4, which was graced by Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, minister for culture wherein “Dastarbandi/ chaddarposhi” of an established craftswoman Pari from Badin was performed. This ceremony was a way of proclaiming Lok Virsa’s commitment to the high stature that craftspeople have in cultural mainstream of the nation.

When a dastar is placed on someoneÂ’s head, it is an occasion denoting honour bestowed upon him/her.

The 4-day festival featured an artistically designed pavilion with typical Sindhi architecture, gates and arches, an artisans-at-work exhibition, folkloric song & dance ensembles, rural musicians, exotic cultural performances, stalls by public organizations and NGOs, craft bazaar as well as children amusements such as merry-go-round, boat swing, etc.

Forty master artisans in the specialized craft fields such as Ajrak, block printing, Sindhi embroidery, traditional shoe making, woodwork, blue pottery, kashi work, duree, Thari embroidery, Sindhi cap, spinning wheel, weaving with special emphasis on Sussi and Khes.

Over hundred participants including master artisans, folk artists, folk musicians, rural performers, instrumentalists and dance groups attired in traditional colourful costumes attended the festival and won recognition of their talent at the national level.

A special Sindhi musical night held on 6 June 2010 at Lok Virsa open air theatre was one of the major attractions of the Sindhi festival. Among the performing artists, Taj Mastani, Mai Dhai and Sanam Marvi were the most prominent. Taj Mastani has been participating in Lok Virsa’s musical programmes and festivals for the last several years. Mai Dhai who got a unique style of singing with a large dholak, played by the artist herself during singing, and becoming very popular among music lovers in Sindh, is comparably a new face for Islooites, but her brilliant performance at the musical night enthralled the audience.

The artists presented poetry of known Sufi Saints, and popular folk songs besides playing of instruments including murli, flute and Alghoza. The accompanying musicians were Jeram Jogi, Ghaus Bux Brohi, Akber Khamisoo, Urs Bhatti and others.

The prominent guests who attended the musical night were Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, Federal Minister for Culture, Ms Nafisa Shah, MNA and Chairperson, National Commission for Human Development, Dr. Azra Pechio, Shamshad Bachani, MNA, Dr. Wahid Somro, MNA and Rahila Baloch, MNA.

Khalid Javaid, executive director Lok Virsa while talking to Daily Times, said, “Lok Virsa is extremely grateful to all those who joined hands with us for holding the festival in a professional manner.

Here I would like to thank specially for the valuable cooperation extended by Sindh culture department, its minister Madam Sassui Palejo and provincial secretary Shams Jafrani.

We are also indebted to our own ministry, in particular minister for culture and secretary culture for their all time help, patronage and support without which this activity would have not been possible.”

The Lok Virsa ED also highly appreciated the role of media in projecting and promoting Lok Virsa’s activities and programmes saying ‘culture is the only way left through which we can improve our image before the outer world’.
Source: Daily Times
Date:6/8/2010