With the onset of Spring comes the celebration of literature as literary festivals across the country fling open their doors for people in different cities. Karachi having recently concluded its literature festival, Lahore is gearing up to host its own edition in the coming days. But these are just a few among the many events that mark the celebration of the country’s rich and diverse literature, the recently concluded Faiz Festival in Lahore being another.

This week, our Special Report explores the world of festivals, social, cultural, literary and more as well as the cultural significance of these events for communities and societies. While the shapes and forms of these social events have morphed, at times drastically, over the years into more organised, and perhaps, even more commercialised, entities, their importance in bringing people together and shaping their minds and lives cannot be ignored.

From a culturally historic look at festivals, fairs and melas that signify the cultural vibrance of regions, where we zoom in on many such events organised in Lahore, to looking at the history of one of the most celebrated cultural events in the Punjab, Basant, our contributors look at how these events have impacted a people and shaped the society.

In a society like ours that is faced with a dearth of opportunities for people to come together, bond and celebrate cultural and social traditions – even just the basic aspects of life itself: good food and weather – these collectives allow that and more.

This week, our report takes forward the celebration of our social and cultural diversity and plurality.