Zubair Qureshi
The artisans-at-work exhibition has turned out to be a special attraction for the visitors at the ongoing ‘Folk Festival’ or ‘LokMela’ being held at the LokVirsa.
More than 400 artisans were seen on Saturday showcasing their work of making aesthetically made handicrafts, using their creativity in folk arts and crafts and mesmerizing the visitors with their unique craftsmanship.
The handicrafts put on display included embroidery (including Multani, Bahawalpuri, Hazara, Swati, Balochi and Sindhi embroidery), block printing, wood lacquer work, khussa making, pottery, chunri work, doll making, khaddar weaving, truck art, wood carving, namda and gaba, metal work, shawl weaving, zari work, bead work, ajrak, stone carving etc.
LokVirsa being an important institution for promoting Pakistani folk culture, is well aware of the need for gender equality, that is why the stalls of women artisans are seen in every pavilion. Bothmen and women have an equal opportunity to express their talents in the mela.
Many women artisans can be seen displaying their skills in the melaas well. The most prominent among them is Kaneez Fatima. She is an expert craftsman of Balochi embroidery and is carrying forward this centuries-old tradition of her ancestors and has dedicated 35 to 40 years of her life to this profession and making this art useful for future generations too.
Men artisans are also no less than women in demonstrating their art, among them Muhammad Riaz, an expert craftsman of lacquer work hails from Silanwali, Punjab. His father was also an expert craftsman. He continued to exhibit his art in many fairs and exhibitions across the country and was awarded several times with cash prizes and certificates. He was recently conferred the President’s medal for Pride of Performance.
Fayyaz is an expert block printing artisan using the natural dyes from KahrorPakka. The centers of the ancient art of wood block making are in the lower part of the Indus Valley which encompasses southern Punjab and the whole of Sindh. It is a more than 9,000-year-old craft dating back to the Mehrgarh civilization in Balochistan, which is the earliest evidence of pottery production.
The Indus Valley Civilization of MohenjoDaro in Sindh and the Harappan Civilization of Punjab (5,000 BC) indicate traces of cotton and woolen cloth production. The form, design and color of Pakistani handicrafts still have a dominant historical influence at the core. Handicrafts represent a valuable material heritage, a solid part of our historical and contemporary culture. Unlike in the West, most traditional crafts in Pakistan are neither a profession nor a hobby, but an integral part of a diverse cultural pattern.
The impact of the industrial age is destroying the heritage of this craft in rural areas as well, but there is a recent trend towards the use of handicrafts as art in urban homes.
