he 36^th annual two-week Chrysanthemum (Gul-i-Dawoodi) Festival was organised jointly by the administration of the Islamia College University and Green Youth Movement Club on the sprawling lawns of the historic Islamia College University on December 12.

The festival mesmerised a large number of visitors including students, teachers, alumni, families, dignitaries, environmentalists and botany enthusiasts. The visitors came from all over the province to the City of Flowers to appreciate over 150 varieties of chrysanthemums on display. This presented a charming sight despite the poor air quality.

Professor Fazle Wahab, the staff association president, and senior faculty members were among the special guests at the festival.

In his inaugural address, the caretaker education minister, Dr Qasim Jan, said that such events were not only aesthetically pleasing but also provided the youth with a chance to appreciate their role in building a peaceful and multicultural society. He said that the senior faculty should continue such traditions.

Speaking of the history of the festival, Professor Dr Majeed Gul the ICU vice-chancellor, said that the unique event had been taking place every year since 1984. He added that such events encouraged the youth to care for the environment and motivated them to once again make Peshawar the City of Flowers. He also announced a cash prize of Rs 50,000 for the chief grower of chrysanthemum and their team.

“Tree plantation and flower growing not only enhance the beauty of the environment but also have a positive impact on mental health. They can help us counter the negative effects of climate change and save our environment,” said the professor.

The Green Youth Movement Club chief, Professor Nasreen Ghaffar, said that such events helped spread the message of peace, green and clean environment and inspired the youth to partake in afforestation campaigns. She added that 50 of her students had led a campaign with the purpose of raising awareness, leading up to the festival.

Ali Hoti, the sports director, remarked that the Chrysanthemum Festival was a gift to the people of the province as well as a call to plant more trees to counter climate change. “Year on year, the number of visitors attending this festival has increased. Now we’re at a point where hundreds of students from across the province attend it,” he said.

Professor Dr Nasreen Ghaffar, who supported the students in forming the Green Youth Movement Club in line with a two-year HEC project that had the twin themes of tree plantation and waste management, told The News on Sunday that about 50 students had come up with innovative ideas and set up 10 stalls with the aim of promoting gardening and making the environment pollution-free.

A group of students who were attending the event for the first time told the TNS that they were planning on setting up their own chrysanthemum gardens. The festival also attracted students of Cadet College, Mastung, and Islamabad and tribal districts.

Professor Syed Kamal Shah, a senior faculty member, stated that in accordance with the golden tradition of the Islamia College, Peshawar, members of administration, students, faculty associates and florists had joined hands to make it a great success like the previous years. “Celebrating the chrysanthemum has become a signature annual feature of our institution,” he said.

Prof Jahanzeb Shaoor Khattak, added colour to the show by reading out romantic poems of noted Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz who had once been head of the Urdu Department at the ICU. Ahmad Wali, a differently-abled poet, also recited some of his verses on flowers.

Abdubakar Momand, Adil Khan, Shahzad Ahmad and Mustafa Orakzai, students of Peshawar Public School & College, a prestigious semi-govt institution in Peshawar, told TNS that they had truly enjoyed the annual festival and learnt about various varieties of the flower. They said that such events should receive official patronage as they provided students a break from hectic study sessions and a chance to immerse themselves in wholesome activities.

Javed Khan, chief gardener at the ICU, said that he and his 24 colleagues had worked day and night for three months to make the annual festival unique. He said that he had added new varieties of chrysanthemum to the festival collection. “This year, I added five more varieties,” he told TNS proudly, adding that his focus remained on tending to the plants. “This year, 41 new flowers were introduced compared to last year’s 30. The new flowers have added to the splendor of the annual display,” said Khan.

The visitors appreciated efforts of the gardeners and as officials declared a cash prize for them. They encouraged the GYM Club members to arrange more events like this one.

Chrysanthemum, known as Shashti Gul in Pashto, is one of the most widely grown flowers in Peshawar.

Shashti is a Sanskrit word meaning protector of children. Shashti Gul is grown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a symbol of ancient civilization. It is also a part of the identity of Islamia College, Peshawar.

The writer is a Peshawar-based journalist. He mostly writes on art, culture, education, youth and minorities. He tweets @Shinwar-9