KP Pavilion declared best at Lok Mela festival

PESHAWAR: The 10-day Folk Festival of Pakistan, Lok Mela, organized by the National Heritage and Culture Division has concluded in Islamabad.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received the Best Pavilion Award for the second time at the Lok Mela, said a press release. The pavilion of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority was the main attraction, receiving praise and appreciation from visitors. Thirty stalls were set up by KPCTA, showcasing products from artisans of Abbottabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Charsadda, Haripur, Swabi, Peshawar, Chitral, Mansehra, and merged districts. Stalls from Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab were also established at the festival.

Caretaker Federal Minister for Culture and National Heritage Syed Jamal Shah and Secretary Culture and Heritage Humaira Ahmad were the chief guests on the occasion. Jamal Shah said the event was organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine. He emphasized the importance of organizing similar events at the provincial level to unite artists and artisans, providing them opportunities to showcase their culture, traditions and heritage.

Jamal Shah stressed the promotion of national harmony and cultural diversification, highlighting the role of artists in preserving centuries-old traditions and culture. He appreciated the work of artisans, noting that it can help promote the soft image of the country.

KPCTA participated in the event with the aim of projecting a positive image of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and informing the world about the rich cultural and traditional heritage of the province. They arranged a traditional hujra, a common sitting place, where visitors could enjoy traditional music. Traditional Khattak Dance and Rabab music were also featured in the hujra.

A total of 30 stalls were set up by KPCTA, showcasing products from artisans of Abbottabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Charsadda, Haripur, Swabi, Peshawar, Chitral, Mansehra and merged districts. Visitors enjoyed foods from various regions at stalls offering traditional cuisines, including Chapli Kabab, Karahi, Tikka Boti, Qehwa, sugarcane juice and various traditional dishes established by KPCTA.

The traditional items displayed in the KP Pavilion included wax paintings, pottery, Mughal art, Charsadda Chappal and Khaddi, woodwork, Chitrali cap, stone and glass carving, Hazara phulkari and bags, Swati Shawl, truck art, handicrafts, stone mosaics, calligraphy, straw work, stone decoration pieces, dry fruit, sugarcane juice and traditional KP items.

KPCTA also set up a tourism information desk to provide visitors with information about the province through brochures, posters and booklets. Videos showcasing various tourist attractions and traditional cuisines of KP were also screened in the pavilion. Stalls displaying items from merged districts and Kalash valleys in Chitral were also part of the pavilion.

The aim of Lok Mela is to bring artists and artisans together on a platform that enables them to introduce their work and art to the world. Muhammad Kashif from Charsadda was declared the master artisan of Charsadda Chappal, Waseem from Dera Ismail Khan for Lacquer art, Syed Abid Shah from Peshawar for Wheat Straw Art, and Nasim Akhtar from Hazara for Jasti work. Aimal Khan from Mardan was declared the best harmonium player, while Uzair Ahmad from Mardan was announced as the best Rubab player.