This past week was unlucky for the fraternity of Pakistani musicians as two of their leading lights departed for their ethereal abodes during this period. The annual Jashn-e-Baharaan, (spring festival) however, created joy for many fun-loving Lahoris.
Two luminaries of the world of entertainment - Ustad Nazir Butt from the classical domain and Malika Pukhraj representing prominent folk musicians, died on January 31 and February 4 respectively leaving many a music buff in the country to mourn their death. Both of them contributed much to the promotion of the two musical genres of our rich cultural heritage.
Octogenarian Ustad Nazir Butt represented the fast-dwindling breed of classical vocalists, whose contributions to the preservation, refinement and promotion of art music in the sub-continent will be long remembered. Not hailing from any family of Gharana musicians and a pupil of late G. A. Farooq, late Nazir Butt was perhaps the oldest among the practitioners of classical music in the country. During his eventful career he regularly broadcast his music from Radio Pakistan and occasionally participated in TV telecasts entitled Raag Rang. Besides being an inveterate and melodious classical vocalist, he taught this finest of the fine arts at National College of Arts and the Citrkaar Galleries in Lahore. Dozens of students of these institutions have benefited from his melodic wisdom. He also trained a large number of young aspirants at a private baithak, which he maintained in one of the populous areas of Lahore. His death has been widely mourned in the city.
Other well-known vocalist, who died during this week, was the 92-year old Malika Pukhraj, whose contributions to music were widely appreciated throughout the length and breadth of the sub-continent. (A separate article on the life and achievements of the late vocalist is included in this issue of the Business Recorder).
Adding to the pleasure of the fun-loving people of Lahore is the on-going Jashn-e-Baharaan (Festival of spring), which was inaugurated by Syed Raza Ali Gilani, Punjab Minister for Housing and Urban Development on February 7 at the Race Course Park, Lahore. The 15-day festival has brought colour, pageantry and spectacle to the metropolis.
Sponsored and arranged by the Parks and Horticulture Authority, the events schedule for the festival include the participation of 20,000 school children in different items of festivities, which are financed by private sponsors. A cavalcade of folk dances, brass bands, fireworks and gymnastics were the highlights at the inaugural ceremony of the festival on February 7.
Tastefully-decorated stalls purveying handicrafts and traditional food items catering to the culinary tastes of the fun-loving visitors of all hues and cultural backgrounds have been set up at the Race Course Park, the focal point of the festival. As an adjunct to the gala, the Food and Craft festivals have also been set up at Minar-e-Pakistan and at Gulshan-e-Iqbal areas of the city. Prominent singers of the likes of Jawwad Ahmed, Nisar Butt, Fareeha Pervaiz and Humaira Arshad will at a mega show at the Old Anarkali Tourist Street.
The Lahore Parade, a cavalcade of beautiful floats prepared by school children, school bands, buggies, skaters, cyclists, boy scouts, groups of children clad in regional dresses will be held from Qaddafi Stadium to the Race Course Park before the concluding ceremony on February 20. On February 12-13 the All Pakistan Kite Flying Championship is scheduled to be held at the Race Course Park. In addition, daily kite-flying competitions will continue at Iqbal Park Guddi Found
Over 160 students from 68 local schools participated in the painting of a giant mural titled 'Pakistan as I see it' at the Race Course Park. The two-hour event started at 10 in the morning on the opening day of the Spring Festival. Each student was provided with one-meter long canvas, a paint box and brushes enabling him/her to finish the painting within two hours. All completed paintings were later joined together to make one giant mural, which will remain on display till the end of the Festival.
Before the inauguration of the Spring Festival, provincial Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Illahi had directed concerned officials in different departments of the Punjab government to urgently take steps for the beautification Lahore, especially its entry points, to remove its ugly looks created by housing colonies that have sprung up in the vicinity of the river Ravi in recent years.
All in all, the city of Lahore is currently wearing a festive look, adding considerably to the colour and pageantry associated with the Spring Festival.
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