Obituary references held for late Ishfaq Ahmed continued unabated in the week. The cultural scene in Lahore, however, was crowded with events, which were not only entertaining but also enlightening. Three exhibitions, two music concerts, a stage drama and a high-profile book launching ceremony formed the highlights of the week.
On September 13, the local Chapter of Pakistan Academy of Letters sponsored an obituary reference for late Ishfaq Ahmed not at it's own premises located at a place away from the hub of the city but, quite wisely, at Quaid-e-Azam Library, which is situated at the picturesque Bagh-e-Jinnah.
One of the factors that helped in attracting a large audience was the location of the venue. Literary heavyweights like Intezar Husain, Shehzad Ahmed, Hameed Akhter, Dr Khwaja Mohammad Zikriya, Dr. Anis Nagi, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Bushra Ejaz and others were among those who paid glowing tributes to the versatility and creative ingenuity of the late short story writer, playwright and broadcaster.
Three exhibitions - depicting Pakistani culture; calligraphy and of paintings, were held in Lahore this past week, which attracted the attention of connoisseurs, critics and art students. On September 12, the Lahore Arts Council put on display over 50 paintings at its Art Gallery, which were contributed by more than 20 artists, including Rahat Naveed, Zubaida Javed, Kaleem Khan, Mogheez Riaz and Ayesha Siddiqi.
Depicting realistically the cultural landscapes of different regions of the country, the exhibition reflected on the creative potential of their artists. Kaleem Khan's works portrayed the landscape of Balochistan, encapsulating the peculiar shades and features of the region, Zubaida Javiad, who is known for making sketches on sight and finishing these in her studios was amply represented at the exhibition. Ayesha Siddiqi's works presented an amalgam of the old and the new milieu using a combination of red, yellow and green.
On September 18 the calligraphic works of Rasheed Butt and a group exhibition of paintings by several artists were held in Lahore, one at the Aiwaan-e-Iqbal and the other at Coopera Art Gallery almost at the same time, making it impossible for the art lovers to attend both.. Nevertheless, the inaugurals attracted significant numbers of art lovers at both the venues
Rasheed Butt an Islamabad-based calligrapher is no stranger for the art loving-people. For several months in the past he taught calligraphy from the mini-screen under the sponsorship of Pakistan Television. He also retains an almost unique distinction of having his works put up for auction at the internationally renowned Christi's. His style of calligraphy lays greater emphasis on the elegance of this esoteric art form, which is central to Islamic culture and arts
A joint exhibition of the works of students from the National College of Arts and the Fine Arts Department, University of the Punjab was held at the Coopera Art Gallery. The idea behind sponsoring the exhibition was the enlightenment of the people about the efficacy of visual arts and to give exposure to the creative potential of young artists. The works of Atiya Najam, Saima Munawar, Shahnila Maqsood and Tahir Anjum were put on display, which were appreciated by the viewers.
A collection of essays of the late political thinker Eqbal Ahmed, published by Oxford University Press, was launched at a high-profile ceremony held at a local five-star hotel on September 18. A majority of the essays focuses on the problems faced by the people in the Third World countries. The late author has also highlighted the social, economic and political situation in South Asia, particularly Pakistan, which he had made his second home after migration from India.
Speakers representing different walks of life such as politician Dr. Mubashar Hassan; human rights activist and journalist I.A. Rehman and educator Prof. Pervaiz Hoddbhai praised late Dr. Eqbal Ahmed. TheY regarded him as a great visionary, a lover of humanity, a true patriot, a champion of liberty and democracy, and a perceptive writer on political and social events that took place, not only in Pakistan but also elsewhere in the troubled world.
A group of musicians from Thar and Cholistan. called the Manganhaar, entertained music lovers of Lahore with their enthralling performance at the Lahore Arts Council on September 14 under the aegis of Folklore Society of Pakistan. By ancestral roots an ethnic group, the Manganhaar musicians hails from the Thar desert of Pakistan and their songs are reflective of the mystic theme of saints like Bhagat Kabir and Surdas.
The other well attended music concert in Lahore was the one arranged by the Punjab Council of the Arts at Alhamra in honour of Harayana Chief Minister Mr. Om Parkash Chautalaaz, which attracted large number of senior bureaucrats, the social and cultural elite and members of the World Punjabi Congress.
The Performance Theatre in cooperation with a local packed milk supplying company sponsored the three-day September 17-19 presentations of William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Lahore Arts Council to mark the World School Milk Day. A large number of drama lovers, especially children from local schools, enjoyed the play, which is regarded as one of Shakespeare's best works that blends customs, love, traditions, dreams and reality.
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