Kite flying festival Basant and Jashne Baharaan (Spring Festival) over shadowed all other events in Lahore during the past week. Other noticeable cultural events (some linked with spring festival) included a couple of book fairs, a seminar on arts, a music concert and three exhibitions of paintings.
The vivacity and cultural exuberance of fun-loving citizens of Lahore manifested when they participated so enthusiastically in the annual month long Spring Festival sponsored by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) on behalf of the City District Government and the kite-flying festival of Basant. The PHA officials have made elaborate arrangements for the occasion.
Festive buntings and banners have gone up along major roads and arteries of the city. The venues of the festivities are several public places, and the month long package of activities include illuminations and face lifting of public buildings, flower shows, music concerts, dance and theatre performances, book fairs and food festivals, paintings and writing competitions, games, qawwalis, and pop songs by noted professional singers, moreover, there were performances by cultural troupes and a carnival parade with street performances as grand finale to the grand festivities what will culminate on March 23 in this city which is regarded as a paradise for history and cultural buffs all the year round.
Arrangements for the celebration of Basant on Saturday night on February 24 and all day Sunday February 25 were made in different parts of the city with traditional enthusiasm and fervour, although, within the limitations and constraints imposed by the Lahore City district Government. On this count, the annual kite flying festival seemed a bit low key this year.
Two main functions organised by private companies were held in the city, who were permitted to use government premises - the Asif Jah Haveli located in the Choona Mandi area of the city and the nearby historic Lahore Fort.
The DHA Club also organised Basant parties for its members on Basant night and on Sunday. The Royal Palm Country Club also sponsored a music concert. In the old Walled City the Haveli of Mian Yousaf Salahuddin again this year was the hub of Basant festivities.
Thousands upon thousands multi-coloured large and small kites dotted city skyline on Sunday, February 25, despite strong opposition voiced against kite flying by Concerned Citizens Forum, an NGO and a number of right wing religious parties, who consider Basant festivities a Hindu dissipation. A number of casualties caused by electrocution, falls from rooftops and traffic accidents caused by 'looters' of stray kites have been reported from different parts of the city.
Two book fairs, one at Jilani Park, the center of Spring Festival sponsored by General Books Publishers Association on February 21 , and the other at Lahore International Book Fair 2007 at Fortress Stadium on February 23. The former was opened by the Governor of Punjab in which some leading publishers from the UK, the USA and India put up their stalls with the latest editions of books published in their countries.
Twelve stalls of books were set up local publishers and booksellers wherein books on history, philosophy, science, religion, politics, psychology, poetry, novel, humour, autobiographies, travelogues, health, education and culture were available on discounted prices.
Three exhibitions of paintings held at different places in the city added further to spring festivities. The Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Art Gallery of National College of Arts was the venue of an exhibition of paintings by Irfan Javed Augustine. Entitled "Wilderness", it was inaugurated by NCA Principal on February 19. The painter claimed that through his works he had attempted at depicting the hidden wilderness that has crept into the lives of the people.
The National Council of the Arts and Artists Association of Punjab jointly organised an exhibition at the Lahore Arts Council, which was inaugurated by Punjab Governor on February 21. One hundred and seventy art pieces of young artists were displayed at the exhibition titled "21st Annual Exhibition 2007".
An exhibition comprising the art works of the students of Naqsh School of Arts opened at Tollinton Market Gallery on February 22. The art pieces put up for display included landscapes, illustrations, still life, miniature, pastel, calligraphy, ceramics and sculpture. Over 100 art pieces of the students will remained open to public viewing till March 23.
A seminar on 'Art and Individual Identity' was held at Lahore Arts Council on February 22 in which artists from all over the country stressed the need for the creation of art for discovering one's inner self. The seminar was sponsored by the Artists Association of Punjab in collaboration with Punjab Council of the Arts and Lahore Arts Council. Several senior Lahore-based artists and art teachers participated in the discussion which focused on the identity of artists.
The Alliance Francaise, the British Council and Annemarie Schimmel Haus in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council sponsored a European-Pakistan jazz concert titled 'Dialogue Through Music' on February 23 at the Lahore Arts Council. Four outstanding musicians from France, Germany, UK and Pakistan demonstrated their melodic prowess at the concert, which was appreciated and applauded by the audiences.
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