Monday, March 16, 2009
The Lost Festival
After a gap of two years, the skies of Lahore, once again, got filled with colorful kites.
Basant although has its origins in being a Hindu festival honoring Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art, it is a vital part of the Pakistani culture. In the pre-partitioned Punjab, especially in Lahore, the Muslims of Punjab also celebrated the Basant by flying kites. Although it was a Hindu or folk festival but they considered kite flying as an event. Thus, this festival became a part of our of history, culture and legacy especially the Punjabi culture.
Being the historic capital of Punjab there is no other place where Basant is celebrated with as much vigour and enthusiasm as in the ancient city of Lahore. Although traditionally it was a festival confined to the old-walled city it has spread all through out the city. Though it is now celebrated as all over Pakistan, it is Lahore which has made it popular, not only in Pakistan but also in the world, as the largest kite flying event. Therefore since 1947, with the arrival of spring, the Lahoreis get on their roofs and indulge in this art ( yes flying a kite is an art) to their hearts content.
Alas! or so it was, before it got stained by the blood of all those men, women, and children who lost their lives to it. But its not the festival to be blamed, its the people who make and use those metallic or chemical strings and also those who love take some weird pleasure in aerial firing!!! The death toll got immensely high in the last three to four years. Came basant and the papers started shoving heartrending stories and at times, gross pictures of the people who became the victims of chemical or metallic strings and aerial firing, in our faces. It got too depressing that i started loathing this festival which was once a source of immense joy and thrill. Then understandably, the government banned the festival in 2005, but yes we did get to celebrate it that year however, not in 2007 and 2008.
This year too, kite flying lovers, my bros for example, got their wish. Although for completely different reasons,lets not go into those, this post is not sing praises of the current asses running the country, i meant bosses.. slip of fingers on keyboard. The point is that this basant, i realized that i don't hate the festival , i hate those loathsome people. period.
Basant is an integral part of my childhood memories and i can bet of all the Lahories. Its just sad that because of some inhumane humans, this festival which was once harmless, ask your parents aunts uncles grandparents, is being turned into a life sucking (literal meaning intended) monster.
I just wish it wouldn't be so, or it would and it Should be banned because like they say..humain izzat rass nai atti!!
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