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    Lahore Sufi Festival 2016: An Amalgamation of Sufism and Festivity

    Written by: Momina Mindeel
    Posted on: March 28, 2016 |

    'Mehfil-e-Wajd' featuring Santo Qawwal

    The Alhamara Arts Council, situated at the famous Mall Road of Lahore, witnessed another remarkable event on the 26th and 27th of March, 2016 – The Lahore Sufi Festival, an amalgamation of panel discussions, theatre presentations, art exhibitions and musical performances.

    The first day of the festival kicked off with an opening ceremony that was inaugurated by Begum Zakia Shahnawaz. This was followed by a number of panel discussions and outdoor musical performances. Among the highlights of the day was a play titled The Weaver, which was based on the life of Hazrat Shah Hussain, as well as Firdous-e-Gosh, an enchanting dance performance by Nighat Chaudhry and Wahab Shah.  The discussion titled Daur-e-Hazir main Tasawuf ki Ehmiyat was moderated by Dr. Shoaib Ahmed, and the conversation was led by Hasina Moin, the writer of the evergreen drama serials Tanhaiyaan and Dhoop Kinaray. The discussion threw light on Sufi teachings and how they are essential for the prevalence of peace in the increasingly chaotic state of contemporary society.

    Lahore Sufi Festival 2016 at Alhamara Arts Council

    Haseena Moin at the Sufi Festival

    The evening outdoor performance by Shahid Lohar featured Jugni and a number of other folk songs. The audience comprised people from all age groups. The level of energy exhibited by the crowd throughout the performance was unparalleled. The first day of the festival also featured a play by Azad Theatre, titled ‘Shah Hussain’ or ‘The Weaver’. Hazrat Shah Hussain was a Punjabi Sufi Saint whose shrine is located at Baghanpura in Lahore, adjacent to the Shalimar Gardens. The beginning of the play was quite captivating as it opened with a live musical performance. The instrument players were seated to the right of the stage. Unfortunately, the play timings coincided with the outdoor performances. Since Hall no. 2 and Alhamra’s central lawn are located adjacent to each other, the play was frequently disrupted by claps, cheers and whistles from outside. Moreover, since the play was in Punjabi, a number of people in the audience were unable to understand some of the dialogues. Nonetheless, the actors put up some stellar performances that were a treat to watch. The play was heavily interspersed with soul-stirring Sufi musical and dance performances.

    Lahore Sufi Festival 2016 at Alhamara Arts Council

    'Shah Hussain', the play by Azad Theatre

    The art exhibition on the first day showcased numerous portraits of whirling dervishes, each of them exuding an aura of wonder and mystery. The first day concluded with Firdous–e-Gosh, Nighat Chaudhry’s terrific dance performance, which kept the audience captivated throughout.

    Lahore Sufi Festival 2016 at Alhamara Arts Council

    Nighat Chaudhry performing 'Firdous-e-Gosh'

    The outdoor performances on the second day also incorporated raqs, literally meaning dance. Mehfil-e-Wajd – a Qawwali performance by the famous Asif Ali Khan Santo Qawwal – was the highlight of the day. Hundreds of Lahoris flocked to Alhamra on Sunday to listen to the gospel Qawwalis of Santo Qawwal. The closing ceremony was followed by another musical performance by Arif Lohar, Krishna Lal Bheel, and Bushra Marvi, accompanied by the whirling dervish dance.

    All in all, the Lahore Sufi Festival was quite a commendable effort, put forth for the benefit of the common public. The outdoor performances went on longer than expected, causing some disorder among the audience. Nevertheless, the festival succeeded in magnetizing people from all over the country through the eternal Sufi message of love and peace.

    All images have been taken from the 'Lahore Sufi Festival' Facebook page.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021