7th Faiz Festival happening in Lahore

• The Faiz Foundation Trust organized this annual event.
• Their artwork portrayed the societal conditions.
• The Indian delegation was welcomed by Commissioner.

Friday saw the formal opening of the 7th Faiz Festival at the Alhamra Art Center on Mall Road. The event, which was formally launched by renowned poet and writer Asrar-ul-Haq Majaz, honours the legacy of the legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

The Faiz Foundation Trust organized this annual event with the Lahore Arts Council (LAC).

Young people in particular were seen visiting the festival, which provided sitting options on the Alhamra lawns and audio recordings of well-known vocalists like Nayyara Noor and Abida Parveen. Also, a food court was made up for the visitors’ convenience.

An opening ceremony for the festival was conducted in front of the Alhamra Art Gallery, and it also marked the start of an exhibition featuring the work of eight artists from Pakistan and India.

Their artwork portrayed the societal conditions that are currently present in both countries. Speaking at the occasion, Salima Hashmi recalled how individuals like Abdur Rahman Chughtai, M.D. Taseer, Imtiaz Ali Taj, and Faiz Ahmed Faiz worked tediously to preserve Lahore’s rich culture. These people understood the critical necessity of both human and cultural rights.

The Indian storyteller Danish Hussain thanked the Faiz Foundation for extending an invitation to him and his companions to attend the event. Arvinder Chamak, an Indian poet who spoke in Punjabi, shared his thoughts when he noted that the Indian delegates were extending their love and peace to their Pakistani counterparts. Indian writer and actor Atul Tiwari has been coming to the event for the past five years.

The Indian delegation was welcomed by Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, who also praised the Faiz family for planning the yearly gathering. Three kids presided over the opening of the art gallery’s exhibition, “Tell Us What to Do,” rather than representatives or officials. The event’s coordinator, Ms. Hashmi, believed that since children are our future, it was crucial that they inaugurate it.

On the opening day of the festival, Ajoka Theatre’s production of Anhi Mai Da Sufna, written and directed by Shahid Nadeem, was a memorable event.  Usha Ganguli, a celebrated Indian theatrical director who passed away, was the play’s original director. Madeeha Gauhar had initially developed it in 2016, and since then, it has been presented in places like Lahore, Islamabad, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Amritsar.

The play’s two heroes, Janki and Rangu, were portrayed with a lot of song, dance, and humour. There weren’t many props on the set, and creative fabric use was prominently utilised. Razia Malik, Naseem Abbas, Mohammad Qaiser, Fahad Hashmi, Shehzad Sadiq, Bilal Mughal, Usman Zia, Rabil, Haifa, Sumavia, Rania, Yusra, and Anish were among the well-known performers from Ajoka who were part of the cast. Kanwal Christopher, Anita, Thomas, and Asad made up the musical group. Nadeem Mir had created the lighting and set, respectively. Overall, it was a magnificent and memorable occasion that displayed the skills of the Ajoka Theatre.

The memories of people who were displaced during the 1947 Partition served as the basis for the play, which was a story of hope and resilience. Besides the prohibition of travel between the two nations, Mai Janki, an elderly and blind woman residing in India, was eager to visit her own village in Pakistan. Her family came up with a brilliant plan to make her wish come true. When in Lahore during the Partition, Ustad Rangu Rangsaz wanted to travel to India to attend the wedding of his granddaughter and came up with an unconventional solution to grant his wish.

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