Cultural activities in Lahore generally remained at a low key keeping in view the sanctity of the fasting month of Ramzan in which the Muslims are required to keep fast from dawn to dusk and abstaining from anything, which can be construed as unwarranted and not in line with the spirit and sanctity of the holy month.
Traditional multi-colour and beautifully designed Eid cards, which have in the past served as a medium of expressing and conveying greetings to fellow Muslims seem to have now been replaced, to a large extent, by SMS and e-mail messages, thanks to the invasion of the country by new IT technologies and their products.
It is now easier and convenient, and also a time saving device for the people to send Eid greetings to their friends and kin through electronic medium than to use traditional Eid cards, which were mailed to the addressees via postal services. This year, the especially improvised stalls displaying colourful Eid cards are seen in lesser numbers than in the past.
However, special makeshift stalls displaying multi-colour bangles and lady footwear have been set up at almost every market place and street corners in the city. Young girls accompanied by their mothers are now seen thronging all the area in the city where these stalls have been put.
Eid sales of traditional items have also been picking up with every tick of the clock and people are going about for their Eid shopping. The markets in the city now wear a festive look in anticipation of the festivities of the most important festival of the Islamic calendar -Eid-ul-Fitr.
Ninety pieces of calligraphic arts were displayed for public viewing on October 3 at the Alhamra Arts Gallery, Lahore in which the works of 22 renowned calligraphers of the country are currently being exhibited. The opening of the calligraphy exhibition attracted a large number of noted artists, calligraphers, students of arts and media persons, who enjoyed watching the works of contemporary artists, which had been created both in traditional calligraphy bedecked with such techniques as foliation and interlacing.
Calligraphy is a unique Islamic way of expressing creative urges of a person, which reflects traditional Muslim cultural yearnings. Keeping in view the sanctity of the holy month of Ramzan, the Punjab Arts Council in collaboration with the Calligraphers Association of Pakistan arranged this exquisite exhibition of calligraphic art and the specimens put up at the exhibition were worth looking at. Creativity, imagination, skill and passion were the tools used by calligraphers in creating their works.
A number of prominent writers and artists paid rich tributes to late poet Qaim Naqvi, whose contributions to Urdu and Punjabi poetry and literature were eulogised at a meeting organised at Twig Art Gallery in Lahore on October 6. Included among the speakers were Kanwal Feroz, Ijaz Kanwar Raja, Khaliq Ahmed Khaliq and Kanwal Mushtaq. Qaim Naqvi, it may be recalled, was associated with Mah-e-Nau, a literary monthly magazine issued from Lahore as its Chief Editor. He has left behind several collections of his Urdu, Punjabi and Saraiki poetry.
"Dynamics of Culture - New Dimensions" was the title of a seminar held at a local hotel in Lahore on October 4 under the aegis of the World Punjabi Forum.
Participants in the seminar represented different segments of society and walks of life, including Fakhar Zaman, Chairman, World Punjabi Congress and Dr Mubarik Ali famous historian, who is known for stimulating discussions on controversial topics.
Opinions expressed by several participants did not seem to be supporting the ideology and perceptions of the sponsors of the seminar.
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