LAHORE: For the first time in the history of the province, three-day colourful celebrations of “Punjab Dehaar” (Punjabi Culture Day) have begun in Alhamra.
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif especially attended the “Punjab Dehaar” ceremony being organized by the Information and Culture Department.
May Punjab prosper forever, Maryam said on the occasion.
The chief minister was accorded a warm reception in a traditional manner upon her arrival at Alhamra Arts Council. The beating of drums, colourful horses, enthusiastic camel dance and folk music were also presented in the premises of Alhamra Arts Council.
The chief minister also inaugurated an art exhibition featuring awe-inspiring views of Punjab at Ustad Allah Bakhsh Gallery. The culture of Lahore was beautifully depicted in the crafted paintings of Zulfiqar Zulfi and she highly appreciated painting skills. Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Zahid Bukhari gave a detailed briefing in her address and welcomed the arrival of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. She paid a detailed visit to the unique “Pind” in Burnie Garden.
She expressed deep interest in bangles, block print, Mukesh and gota kinari garments. She inspected various stalls of handicrafts, Punjabi turban, Shimla, Gandasa, Khanda, Harappa and Taxila art samples. She also witnessed Gandhara art sculptures, embroidery art, solar painting pencil micro art and calligraphy on rice grains. She observed the texture of Chhabi, Pachi, Changir, Plate and Pakhe made of colourful palm leaves.
She observed and appreciated clay pots on the chalk, the fabric on the khadi, the camel skin lamps. She expressed interest in traditional Punjabi mondhe, manjian, wooden stoves, chobara and other items. She had pictures on the request of young girl Warda and other artists at the handicraft stall.
The CM expressed happiness after seeing the traditional village environment and appreciated its unique idea. She expressed joy after seeing the traditional houses with thatched roofs, furniture, clay pots and other traditional items of daily use in “Pind”.
The Chief Minister sat among Hamid Rana, Sohail Asghar, Rashid Mahmood, Arif Lohar, Resham and other senior artists at the Punjab Culture Day ceremony. The ceremony featured national anthems played on instrumental tunes. Foreign diplomats, provincial ministers, special assistants, officers and others participated by wearing turbans.
Drummers dressed in yellow and red Punjabi Lache Kurtas performed at the ceremony. Artists dressed in colourful traditional costumes performed Giddha and danced with traditional enthusiasm. Traditional Bhangra, Mahiye and Tappe were also performed at the Punjab Culture Day ceremony. Renowned singer Hina Nasrullah presented Punjabi Sufi Kalam in a unique style and other artists performed.
Provincial Minister for Information & Culture Azma Zahid Bukhari, while addressing the Punjab Dehaar ceremony, said that for the first time in the history of 75 years, Punjab Dehaar is being celebrated on a large scale. The culture of Punjab is so vast and diverse that it is not possible to showcase it by merely expressing words and displaying stalls. A traditional cultural stall of each division has been set up in the Punjab Dehaar ceremony.
Azma Bokhari added that the culture of Punjab is no longer an orphan as CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif has revived the culture with its original spirit. The Chief Minister is patronizing artists and remained the focus of global attention during her visit to Turkiye. Every city of Punjab holds its own unique identity. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif remain in direct contact with the artists. The Punjab government will introduce packages and incentives for the artists soon. Other renowned artists also attended the ceremony.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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