Staff Reporter
The National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) has shown incredible performances during the year 2019 for promotion of folk and traditional heritage of Pakistan. Many cultural activities were conducted this year to nurture national harmony and integration among all federating units through displaying their beautiful cultural traditions.
A Folk Festival was also organized in which hundreds of master artisans, folk artists, folk musicians and folk dances groups participated.
Many artisans and artists from all the four provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as different regions and even remote and far-flung areas participated in the mela to meet and exchange their expertise.
As part of its efforts to promote the cultural activities the main event was Dastarbandi and Chadarposhi , a campaign to keep the heritage of country alive. To pay rich tributes to the Sufi saints, Lok Virsa organized a three-dimensional diorama on Sufis and Shrines where musicians performed by posturing their selves in sufi saints like Laal Shahbaz Qalandar, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and Sachal Sarmast were performed.
On the occasion pictures of Shrines of Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh, Shah Rukne Alam and Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria were displayed which received great respect from people.
To promote Folk and classical music, Lok Virsa arranged “Lok Baithak” with the Folk and Classical singer Muhammad Ali, student of renowned classical singer of subcontinent Ustad Mehdi Hassan.
Moreover, many condolences were paid to the folk artists during the year including Ustad Muhammad Ajmal Khan for his meritorious services towards the promotion of country’s folk music.
To promote traditional skills and encourage master artisans among children about the indigenous folk heritage of Pakistan, a month-long children’s summer camp was also organized.
Musical classes were also arranged to promote folk music among young generation where traditional musical instruments including Bansuri, Harmonium, Tabla and Sitar were taught by experts.
Folk craft classes were also organized under the program series “Craft is Knowledge” to provide a platform for aspirant candidates to groom their skills by learning art and craft.
