FAIZ FEST Series –II

The Faiz Fest celebrated a diverse array of art forms, including performing arts, music, dance, and instrumental performances, which served as an integral part of the festival. These creative expressions provided a welcome respite from the intellectually stimulating sessions, injecting vibrancy into the festival. The mesmerizing blend of movement, flowing colors, melodies, and radiant artistry transformed the festival into a kaleidoscopic spectacle of entertainment.

The Faiz Fest at Alhambra Hall burst into vibrant life with the rhythmic ‘Dhaak Dhamaa’ drumming of traditional ‘dhols’, trailblazing a novel musical experience in Pakistan. The cadence began modestly, with simple beats by a band on a lush lawn, gradually drawing in a crowd of keen onlookers. As the audience joined in, clapping along with the drummers, small ‘unidrums’ were passed from hand to hand, weaving a spell of infectious energy. The crowd, fueled by the pulsating beats, swelled into a sea of clapping, dancing revellers, with latecomers joining the fray, creating an electrifying atmosphere. As the ‘tumbaknaris’, a traditional Sindhi drum, joined the main drummers, the music built into an explosive crescendo, with the audience screaming for more. The ‘dhamaal’ continued for three consecutive evenings, with the crowd flowing, playing, and passing on the drums in clockwork precision, creating an unforgettable experience. – “It was a electrifying ‘dhamaal’!” exclaimed a group of girls and boys as one of them -Talha aptly put it – “Faiz Festival is the cultural, linguistic, and performance-based extravaganza that Lahoris eagerly await every year.”

“Lahore Grammar School, a stalwart participant in the performing arts, presented a powerful dance piece choreographed by Adnan Jahangir, inspired by Faiz’s iconic poem ‘Sar-e-Wadi-e-Sina’. This potent, symbolic, and metaphorical masterpiece enthralled the audience, as actor-dancers, contorted in anguish, emerged from the ‘graves of oppression’, while ghostly figures, shrouded in cellophane, performed a haunting dance. The soul-stirring performance exposed the darker aspects of society, issuing a poignant cry for........

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