Fok Festival: Where Skilled Artisans, Colourful Pavilions Steal the Show

News Desk

Islamabad: The ongoing Lok Mela is in full swing at the Lok Virsa complex on Garden Avenue, Shakaparian. The event serves as a vibrant showcase of Pakistan’s rich culture, diverse traditions, and proud heritage.

Hundreds of master artisans, folk artists, folk musicians, and folk dance groups hailing from various regions across Pakistan have converged at the Mela. They are passionately showcasing their talents and cultural heritage at dedicated venues arranged by Lok Virsa, ensuring visitors enjoy wholesome entertainment. The provincial pavilions put up by the respective culture departments depicting their indigenous folk heritage, arts, crafts, music and cuisine are the major attractions. A cultural diversity show was organised on November 7 in the open-air theater of Lok Virsa in this regard.

Availing the opportunity created by Lok Virsa at Islamabad, a large number of the residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, hailing from different walks of life, visit the festival on a daily basis.The main features of the festival are an artisans-at-work exhibition, folkloric performances, song and dance ensembles, traditional cuisine, an arts and crafts bazaar, etc.

Folk music constitutes an integral part of the cultural life of the people of Pakistan. It includes folk songs and folk dances. Folk songs speak for the popular emotions and sentiments that emanate directly from the core of the people.

These songs differ in tone, tenor, and accent of language from region to region but their central themes invariably resemble each other. This is due to the unbreakable cultural ties of the people as a whole.When we talk about folk singers, one must not forget the energetic performances by the Punjabi artist Fazal Jat. He entertains the audience with a presentation of popular folk tales from Punjab in a unique style amid the beating of drums, which attracts the listeners.Folk dancers, attired in beautiful regional costumes, are seen giving their exotic performances at the venue. They include the Khattak dance party from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Gatta Ghora dance party from Punjab, and the Sindhi Jhoomar dance party from Sindh.