Abohar, February 17
Lahorias (residents of Lahore) in West Punjab province of Pakistan had to celebrate Basant festival without Indian guddas (kites) and dor (yarn) on Saturday. This happened after a long spell, thanks to the suspension of the Samjhauta Express train, which linked East and West Punjab.
Reports filed by PTV and Pakistan Radio correspondents said PIA had to arrange additional flights from different parts of Pakistan for Lahore to clear the rush for passengers keen to celebrate Basant festival. Special trains were run, hundreds of luxury buses plied from other provinces to take Pakistan nationals to Lahore, the cultural capital of Pakistan for celebrations.
Passengers of the Samjhauta Express had been carrying bundles of Indian-made-kites, transparent coloured paper and cotton threads on return journey to Lahore. This fetched them good profit. Goods trains too had been carrying wagons full of such material in the past, at least one month prior to the festival. This helped hundreds of poor people there to make good seasonal profits by preparing kites and thread coated with glass-powder. Paper and thread is costly in Pakistan.
Basant is considered to be an Indian festival linked with the sacrifice of Haqiqat Rai but in Pakistan it is celebrated with more enthusiasm, pomp and show linking it with harvesting of mustard crop, they call it “ Mausam-e-Bahar”. Reports said hundreds of roof tops of houses in Lahore, capital of West Punjab, were hired by kite lovers for two-three days to participate in the kite flying competitions that started on Saturday. Shouts of “Bo kata..bo kata” were dominating the environment all over Lahore. Basant fairs were arranged in different localities. They attracted well-dressed people in big numbers, a majority of them wearing yellow clothes. There was heavy turnover in Liberty market, Anarkali Bazar etc. at sweets and snacks shops, besides kulfi-falooda sellers.
Nearing sunset, kites fitted with lights few in the sky at Lahore. Areas, including Minar-e-Pakistan, Shalamar Garden, Ravi Park etc. were flooded with jubilant families. Cultural evenings were held at Alhamra Art Theatre and other auditoriums, one was telecast live by the Lahore center of PTV. World service of PTV telecast such show from Karachi organised by a tea company.
