Craft Bazar

Spread over seven acres, the 'Craft Bazar' is animated with shops and pavilions offering an endless variety of knickknacks, folk furniture, well- crafted utensils, exquisitely embroidered garments and bed linen, gemstones, onyx goods and works of carved wood. Hot and appetizing Pakistani food is also available on the stalls. Folk entertainers -singers, dancers, village bards and puppeteers, dressed in rainbow coloured traditional costumes of innumerable varieties, enthral the visitors with their performance. Wandering minstrels, dancing dervishes and rustic bards also entertain the visitors with folk, mystic and epic songs.

A colourful display of traditional folk dances from every province and comer of Pakistan is held during the festival, at intervals, as an open-air attraction. Amongs1 the folk dances performed at the festival, the most popular one~ include Bugti, Dharees, Sheedj and Khattak. Puppet theatre and magic shows are also arranged during the festival week.

Artisans at Work

Master craftsmen and artisans, specializing in Pakistan's folk and traditional crafts recreates their crafts and handloom products in much the same way as they do in their own settings and delight the visitors with their marvellous skills.

An exhibition of Folk Arts & Crafts, held in the spacious halls of the Lok Virsa Museum, is another significant aspect of the festival. Some 1,000 exhibits, representing a rich treasure of the craft heritage of Pakistan, offer encyclopaedia information on craft techniques, raw material, predominant colours and the skills involved. In their splendour, variety and exquisite workmanship, these exhibits are really a feast for the eyes.

Music Festival

Some performing groups, drawn from the rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan, participate in the National Folk Music Festival. These groups perform in their traditional folk costumes and also play their traditional folk musical instruments. A number of distinguished guests attend the colourful event and honour a maestro by placing a turban on his head.

In folk-lore, the turban symbolizes a great honour .The ceremony is called 'Dastarbandi' , and it is followed by a poetic position, called' 'Sehra', to eulogies the services of the maestro to the humanity. Drums 11 and coloured balloons are leased at this event.

Lok Mela - Pakistan

The lush and picturesque Shakarparian Hills in Islamabad is at its best in spring. The bounty of the nature is appropriately tapped by holding the Lok Mela (Folk Festival) in Lok Virsa Complex, in March/ April, every year .The Lok Mela affords the visitors a glimpse of the rural Pakistan. Assembled at one place in the Lok Virsa Complex, the village folk, drawn from various regions and comers of Pakis display their fascinating traditi, costumes, arts, crafts recreations. In essence, the Mela is a key to understanding the mystical element in the psyche of Pakistani people and thro this festival of having a better understanding of Pakistan.

The highlights of Lok Mela include a National Folk Music Festival, an Artisans-at- W Exhibition, a Craft Bazar , a Puppet Theatre and a General Assen of Craftsmen. A brief account these events is given below

National Horse & Cattle Show

Another prominent feature of the spring festival is National Horse and Cattle Show. It is one of the biggest cultural events of Pakistan, which is held in Lahore, on the onset of spring season. Some 2,000 animals including Pakistan's top-class horses, mules, cattle, buffaloes, camels, sheep and goats; and around 3,500 poultry birds are showcased at this annual event. On this occasion, teams from across the country participate in tent pegging, folk dances, band displays and tattoo shows. Horse and camel dances are also arranged on the occasion.

The first Horse and Cattle Show was held in 1954 and since then the show has progressed gradually. The week-long show started, this year, from February 15. Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf, in a message on the occasion, stated.

The National Horse and Cattle Show, which is epitomized by the glory , chivalry and grit of the past alongside the fruits of modernization and industry , would encourage farmers in raising the standard of horse and cattle breeding and also help promote unity, cohesion and healthy competition. Held in the splendour of Lahore spring, the timing of the Show makes it even more attractive, he added. Prime Minister, Mir Zafar Ullah Khan Jamali, in his message, noted that the Show symbolized the ethos of our people, who were largely agriculturists

Jashen e Bahara(n)

The highlight of these festivities s Jashen e Bahara(n) (The spring festival), which is popularly called Basant festival. This festival is being traditionally celebrated, since ages, to welcome the spring. However, it has, over the years, become a major tourist attraction. People from various walks of life, including diplomats, artists and celebrities, throng to Lahore from allover the country to be a part of this unique national event.

The entire community enthusiastically participates in kite flying competition, making Lahore skies, throughout day and night, resplendent with kites of various types, sizes and colours. These kites lend Lahore skies, during that period, the look of a big lake on whose surface can be seen floating innumerable giant size flower petals -nay water fowls of various sizes and colours.

Night time kite flying, accompanied by loud tempting music and fire-works, is also gaining in popularity because of the spectacular sight that it presents. One can see hundreds of white colour kites dancing at night on a well-lit sky and competing for supremacy. The winners in the kite flying competitions rejoice by beating drums.

On this occasion, people generally like to dress in yellow -the event's main colour depicting blossoming spring. However, some persons use only yellow scarves.

Basant is not only a kite flying event, but also a cultural festival of traditional food, costumes, arts, crafts, dance and music. The rich host family and friends celebrate the event with a lavish meal. Corporate hospitality is also visible and the trend among companies to host their guests, on this occasion, is on the increase.

The festival has gained world- wide popularity as a cultural festival of Pakistan and has, over the years, become a great tourist attraction. Though the tradition to celebrate this festival is very old, the scale at which its impact has now grown is comparatively new

Welcoming Sprint in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the people have a penchant for fairs, festivities and good food. When winter yields to moderate and pleasant spring season about to start around the middle of February , the flower blossoms and abundance of greenery creates a fascinating and enchanting environment. The mild weather coupled with the I enchanting environment makes the people spellbound, who are overtaken by a festive mood and celebrate the advent of spring by organizing fairs, mostly in open spaces.

The spring festivities are a tradition, which has been practiced in this part of the world since ages. These festivities are characterized by folk dances, arts and crafts exhibitions, musical evenings, parade of floats, costume shows, kite flying competitions and food festivals, which are held in the main urban and rural centres allover the country

Lahore -the capital of Punjab Province and the second largest city of Pakistan -becomes a heaven for tourists. Both local and foreign tourists throng the provincial metropolis because of its beautiful gardens, exquisite fountains, hot and delicious cuisine, rich heritage of art and music and above all, friendly and hospitable people. The Lahorites do not lag behind. They too invite friends, relatives and tourists - both local and foreign -to join them in spring festivities, which commence after the first week of February and continue till the end of March.

Shandur Polo Festival

Shandur Polo FestivalHeld once a year during the months of July it is one of the most outstanding festivals that are held on Pakistan's North - The Shandur Polo Festival. The polo ground placed in Shandur (Chitral) is the highest polo ground in the world and visitors spend a whole week watching exciting polo matches with traditional music. A whole new world is built at Shandur before the event. Visitors take the advantage of having a breath-taking view of Shandur with its beautiful lush green mountains and not to forget its pure water lake.The festival provides visitors with the thrilling excitement of polo in its true form. Its true form means no rules and regulations, plus the traditional music played throughout each match. Along with polo, you will find hundreds of local and foreign tourists. The archrival teams of Gilgit and Chitral fight for the trophy. As hundreds of spectators watch the two teams take on each other.

Journey To Indian Occupied Kashmir

Welcome to the our blog http://picnicplaces.blogspot.com. Here you will find information about every single corner of Pakistan. Shandoor, Anso(Tear) Lake, Indus Valley System funs & festivals, traditional events and timeline of all such things.

But, before we go on to journey the whole Pakistan. Let's pay some tribute to the freedom fighters of Kashmir. Who are spending their days and nights under Indian occupation in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris had died since 1947 by the brutal Indian Army. You will not be able to find a single family in the whole Indian Occupied Kashmir, which had not yet sacrificed for their right of self-determination.

Killing and rape is the daily routine of Indian Army officers. They pick-up young and innocent women on false charges from their home and then, either kill or release these innocent girls after rape. Hundreds of youths had been killed by Indian Army in fake and bogus encounter to earn recognition, rewards and promotions from Indian Government.

Below is the fraction of the fraction of the beauty of Firdious A.K.A Heaven of Kashmir. The land of Firdious is, now a day, occupied by the aliens A.K.A India. The worshippers of Hindutva have transformed this heaven into slaughter house.

Heaven On Earth

A View of Sonmarg

Char Chinar Trees in the Dal Lake

Tourists on the Shikara in Dal Lake

Colors of Nature, Kashmir

Dal Lake at the Sunset

Adventure Games in the Ice

A Few Waterfalls

Evening View from the Hotel near the Lake

Frozen Mountains of Kashmir

Lost in Thoughts? This is the local boat called Shikara that the villagers use. It's completely made out of wood and cost's as much as 30-40,000 INR a piece.

Mirror image ! : posted this picture upside down. Can you really make it out ?? Besides the fact that the sky is lighter (below) and the water is darker (above)

A Beautiful View

Another Beautiful View

Beautiful Park Situated in Dal Lake, Srinagar

Is it a Road? Or a Waterfall? Probably Both!

A View of Kashmir from the Top

The Heaven Is Here

Beautiful Gulmarg: About 60Kms from Srinagar, 2Hrs Drive

Beautiful Gulmarg: About 60Kms from Srinagar, 2Hrs Drive

Beautiful Gulmarg: About 60Kms from Srinagar, 2Hrs Drive

A Warm Welcome by a Flower Guy Upon Arrival at the Dal Lake, Srinagar

The people of Kashmir will surely one day receive their right of Self-Determination and that day is not too far. When they will be spending their lives peacefully and according to their will, InshAllah.