The two worlds of Faiz festivities

The last week saw two events in Lahore celebrating the revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz

The core constituency of Faiz – socialists, poets, authors, labourers, and women – has marked the legacy of Faiz Ahmed Faiz with this little-known event. From 1986, when the Faiz Aman Mela began commemorating the revolutionary poet’s birth anniversary on February 12, its typical setting has been the open-air theatre, where the audiences would sit on mats and sing Faiz’s poetry and dance to drumbeats with human rights chants. The site was changed to the Cosmopolitan Club in Lawrence Garden this year because of the growing attendance, which the open-air theatre was unable to handle. In the run-up to the Awami Mela, activists go on a one-of-a-kind Bighi March through the streets of Lahore.

They once again rode a bhighi from Shimla Hill to Charing Cross while mounting a public address system to advertise the Faiz Aman Mela. Two horses pulled the cart, which was adorned with banners and posters advertising the Faiz Mela. Farooq Tariq, Syeda Deep, Tahira Habib Jalib, Sara Jalib, Samson Salamat, Khalid Butt, Nazli Javed, Rafat Maqsood, Hasnain Jameel Faridi, and other notable social and political figures toured several roadways along with members of the Faiz Aman Mela Committee.

Using the sound system, the marchers performed the poem “Hum Dekhenge” by Faiz Ahmad Faiz while simultaneously using the microphone to invite the public to the fair.

That is the power of traditions.

The mela ran the programme in front of diverse audiences under the theme ‘Umeed-e-Sehar Ki Baat Suno”. The occasion was graced by Farooq Tarar, Salima Hashmi, Sohail Goindi, Imtiaz Alam, Prof Razi Haider, Anjum Rasheed, Chaudhry Zulfikar, Afzal Abbas, Mustafa Nazir, Arshad Amin, Khalid Mansoor, Sufi Khawar and Shaukat Bhatti. Renowned dancer Sheema Kirmani performed on Faiz’s poetry, while, singers Tarranum Naz, Mohan Bhaggat and Adeel Barki sang his poems.

Now, something about the Faiz Festival.

In Alhamra, the three-day Faiz Festival’s seventh edition featured a star-studded lineup. Every time Faiz is brought up, we are reminded of romantic and revolutionary literature. The festival’s major draw was the participation of prominent Indians, including poet Arvindar Chamak, lyricist, screenwriter and poet Javed Akhtar, producer Atul Tiwari, historians Munish Singh and Bobby Sachdeva, and author and blogger Amy Singh.

Much to the dismay of the audiences who had anticipated hearing Javed Akhtar speak about his life, work, cinema, and, of course, the future of India-Pakistan relations, Javed Akhtar sat with Adeel Hashmi and spoke on poetry and language during a session titled “Jadunama” on the second day of the festival. Nevertheless, on the third day, he was considerably more open about his interactions with Pakistani citizens and regional politics. He occasionally presented himself as a fervent supporter of Indian nationalism and a part-time peace campaigner. He also discussed his personal life and his relationships with his wife Shabana Azmi.

He told BOLD on the festival’s sidelines that obtaining a visa was not difficult for him. This can be the result of his great status and/or the fact that the Faiz Festival is a well-known gathering. His four-day tour to the city, he said, had a strict timetable with most of the time devoted to various interactive sessions.

“I should have extra time to stay in Lahore the next time I come here,” he joked. “Well, we’re all the same people; I feel extremely joyful, therefore, my heart wants to return here again and again,” he replied when asked how he felt when interacting with Pakistanis.

Javed Akhtar stated that he loves Lahore because of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and Lahore loves him because of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

“Pakistanis have shown me more affection than I deserve,” he stated.

Earlier in the discussion, he stated that Faiz is immensely famous in India.

The Faiz Festival brought together people of all ages, and the ancient bond between Faiz and Kitab was rekindled.

On the last two days of the festival, the three halls of Al Hamra, Adabi Baithak, the art gallery and the lawns gave out the feel of spring. The events started at noon and more than 30 performances and discussion sessions were held each day.

Among the gate-crashing sessions included a discussion on different aspects of culture, in which artists Salima Hashmi, Danish Hassan, Atal Tiwari and Mehtab Rashidi spoke. Also, sessions titled ‘Aaj Tum Be Hisab Yad Aaye,’ ‘Dharti Ki Malkain,’ ‘Murre Dil Murre Masafari,’ ‘Faiz Ka Faiz,’ ‘Daak to Lahore,’ ‘Punjab @75,’ and ‘Reviving the old Lahore.’

Music also brought life to the festival while painting masterpieces, calligraphy samples and many different sessions were also organized.

The festival could have been more promising had the organisers also brought regional literature into the discussion. Moreover, Adeel Hashmi should have given a chance to someone else too to sit with Javed Akhtar. He held two sessions with Javed Akhtar, and every time, he was short of expectations.

Then, it is only the Faiz Festival among the long lineup of literary festivals, which hosts ticketed programmes. The festival had a ticketed session of the concert of Shafquat Amanat Ali. When the festival organization has a long line of sponsors, ticket-selling leaves a bad taste in visitors’ mouths.