Stage set for next month’s Spring Festival in Pakistan
reports Press Trust of India
- With winds of change blowing in the region, Pakistan has set the stage to celebrate the annual spring festival in Lahore next month by lifting the ban on kite flying and granting permission for cultural and music programmes in which ** Indian artistes are expected to perform. **
Pakistan’s Punjab province announced that this year’s ‘Jashn-e-Baharan’, the spring festival, would be celebrated from February 5 to 15.
As a special gesture to add colour to the festival, the Punjab government has lifted the ban on kite flying which was imposed last year after the city of Lahore was swarmed with thousands of kites causing injuries to hundreds of people as well as numerous power disruptions. The glass-laced strings, specially used for kite fights, were considered a major health hazard as they caused injuries to bystanders.
Known for kite fights, the festival draws hundreds of visitors to the city to watch thousands of multi-coloured kites hovering in the sky, while the city was buzz with special food festivals, music and dance melas.
Pakistan officials plan to add “Indian spice” to this year’s festival by opening it to Indian visitors specially the Bollywood stars as well as Pubjabi celebrities from across the borders.
Already, several Indian flims stars, inclduing Urmila Matondkar and Puja Bhatt, have visited the Lahore city in the recent weeks. It is not confirmed yet but Daler Mehndi is expected to perform at the festival this year. *