Sindh Festival

Sindh Festival is one of the recent additions of festivals od Sindh attracting mainstream attention. The festival was initiated in 2001 and this year the 5^th Sindh Festival will be celebrated at the sea. This year horse has been chosen as official mascot for the festival. One of the key objectives of the festival is promotion of sea and coastline environment issues. Some of the main highlights of the festival are Karachi music festival, grand parade, car rally, mashal parade, parachute jumps, fireworks, exhibitions of arts and artisans, food streets, magic shows and art competitions for the children, food and folk music.

Urs

The term Urs is an Arabic word meaning marriage or wedding. Urs are annual commemoration of the death anniversary of Sufi saints. The anniversary of their death is observed in a spirit of dedication, coupled with an element of entertainment. In mystic terminology this phenomenon represents merger of sufi saints with the Divine.

Urs in Pakistan offer a entertainement opportunity to the public as well. Children swinging in jhoolas, others whirling happily in merry-go-rounds, snake charmers and jugglers attracting large crowds, stalls of toys and food and pottery are a common scene in all Urs mela. During the Urs festivals, decorative coverings are placed over the graves of the sufi saints, flowers like motias and offered as tribute at the tomb of the saint. Food is distributed as langar (food for poor/charity). Those who believe in mysticism dance devoutly at the beat of drum. This dance is called Dhamaal. Some people use narcotics to reach high state of mind. People make resolve with spirits of the sufi saint for realization of their dream.

Marriage Ceremonies

Marriage in Pakistan is a family event of happiness and festivity. The occasion of marriage brings together all the family members and neighborhood under one roof. A Pakistani marriage generally consists of four main ceremonies of nikah, mehndi, rukhsati and valima however; such smaller events like mangani, mayoun, dholki are also celebrated by some people along with main functions.
Mangani is the formal engagement or commitment of the couple destined to become married. Rings are exchanged between boy and girl and a tentative wedding date is decided at this time. After the engagement, formal preparations for the wedding start. There is this concept of Jahez (dowry or bride’s wealth) in Pakistan which though doesn’t have any religious standing, but still people feel a need to give dowry to their daughters in order to boost family’s social standing in the eyes of the boy’s family. Similarly, boys family prepare burry to be given to the girl. This includes clothing and jewellary and other house hold items. Mayoun is usually the first event of a wedding. From this day on, the bride is proscribed from the groom's eyes till the day of marriage. Ubton, a herbal concoction is applied on bride’s face and body. Everyone wears yellow clothes to blend into the colors of ubton. Some people also recite Quran or hold Quran khawani at homes to seek Allah’s blessings. During Mayoun, friends and family sit in circle with Dholak (a horizontal two-sided percussion drum) and sing traditional wedding songs throughout the evening. The Mayoun generaaly merge in to Dholki. The elders and relatives give her blessings and sadka money to the family maids and poor. Mithai (sweet) is served. Nikah is the Islamic marriage contract. It takes place at the bride’s house or sometimes at the Masjid. The headman of the village usually the Maulvi performs this ceremony. The bride and groom must both have three witnesses present. A close male relative asks from girl her consent and gets her signatures on the Nikahnama. Dried dates are served to guest to celebrate. Mehndi or Rasm e-Henna is generally celebrated couple of days before wedding. The bride wears a yellow dress for this event and uses only light, or no, make up. Flowers are worn by women like gajray (flower garlands) in place of jewellary. While the groom wears a white shalwar kameez. The bride and the groom are brought forward under a decorative dupatta by their close relatives and friends. The women of the family sing traditional wedding songs and dance on this occasion. The bride’s palms and soles are decorated with intricate Mehndi designs. Shaadi, Baraat or Rukhsati is the main day of marriage. It kicks off with Sehra-bandi. The groom wears a sehra ( a veil of flowers) from his residence. Family members of the groom present him gifts or salami (gift money). The reception of barat is organized by the bride’s family so it traditionally takes place in the bride’s home (hotels or marriage halls); tents may be set up to accommodate guests. The place is suitably and auspiciously decorated with lights for the festive occasion. The bridegroom starts out from his home in a form of procession on cars (traditionally on a decorated horse to the music of shenai (a shrill flute) and dholak (drums)) with his family and friends. They are greeted by the bride’s family with flowers garland and rose petals. It is customary for the bride's sisters and friends to stop the barat from entering the arena until a sufficient amount of cash is given to them. Other traditional rasams include doodh pilai (milk drinking), jooti chupai (hiding shoes). The bride traditionally wears a heavily embroidered red outfit along with jewellary while the groom wears sherwani with a sehra or turban. Food, sweets, pans are served afterwards in feast. Finally, the Rukhsati takes place, when the groom and his family leave together with the bride. Usually Quran is held over the bride for blessings. The departure of the bride becomes a very emotional scene as she says farewell to the home of her parents and siblings to start a new married life. (Traditionally, the bride leaves in Doli or paalki palanquin). Upon arrival at home, rasam like Kheer-chattai (rice pudding licking) is performed. It is also customary for the bride's family to offer gifts to the groom and his family members which is known as Salami. Valima is the final day of wedding celebrated at the house of the bridegroom. It mainly consists of a feast dinner. The bride wears dress and jewellary provided by the groom’s family.

Chand Raat

Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated after Ramadan after sighting the Shawwal moon, which officially announces the end of Ramadan. The night of moon sighting (29th or 30th Ramadan) is called Chand Raat and once moon is sighted then all is celebration, excitement and greetings. The youth engage in exploding fire crackers and jubilating, while girls apply henna or Mehndi (temporary tattoos) on their hands. The women get busy in making food preparation for the next day. People flood markets to do last minute shopping for the eid as it is traditional to wear new clothes on eid, wear bangles and apply mehndi on hands and cook sweet dishes.

Mela Chiraghan/Mela Shalamar

Mela Chiraghan/Mela Shalamar or the festival of lamps/lights is a three day annual festivalto mark the urs (death anniversary) of the Punjabi Sufi poet and saint Shah Hussain. It takes place at the shrine of Shah Hussain in Baghbanpura, on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, adjacent to the Shalimar Gardens. It is held during the last week of March.

Sibi Mela

Sibi lies to the south-east of Quetta. Since as long as the 15th century, this town has been a meeting place for all the tribal chiefs of the area. The British carried on this tradition in the shape of an annual Durbar or meeting, combining it with a Mela (fair) where thousands of Baluchi tribesmen gathered along with their animals in mid February. This tradition still carries on and every year during February, Sibi celebrates its famous Sibi Mela, where tribesmen flock from all over Baluchistan, parts of Sind and Punjab with their animals. The salient features of this mela are horse and cattle and cultural shows, camel races, animal markets and exhibitions of handicrafts, tribal dresses and folk dances.

Silk Route Festival

The northern regions of Pakistan like other regions and provinces hold a different heritage of arts, crafts, history, landscape and people. Silk Route festival is one such festival, which provides opportunity to locals and tourists to take a look at the cultural festivities of this region.
Artisans from various parts of Northern areas display their work in decorative pavilions.
Folk dancers and musicians from all parts of Northern Areas as well as from the neighboring Xinjiang Province of China and Central Asia provide entertainment to visitors. Other highlights of the festivals include food festivals, polo matches and camping.