ISLAMABAD: A week-long programme on ‘Kashmiri Folk Crafts: Engagement with Artisans’ began at Lok Virsa on Wednesday to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day.

The programme is part of the Craft of the Month series Lok Virsa began in September 2015, under the slogan ‘Harnessing Culture with Education’.

The programme began with a colourful opening ceremony featuring live folk music performances.

Students from various Islamabad model colleges and the Directorate General of Special Education performed popular national songs, and Kashmiri patriotic and folk songs including Mera Wattan Teri Jannat Mein Ayen Gain Ek Din, Kashmir Ki Jalti Waadi Main, Man-i-Di Mauj Wich Hasna and Sammi Meri Waar.

The Lok Virsa dance group also performed to famous folk music from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

Kashmiri artisans had set up stalls of various indigenous crafts, including papier-mâché, wood carving, embroidery, jewellery and more.

The artisans taught children who attended the programme about the various techniques and tools used to carve wood or make traditional Kashmiri embroidery.

Master artisans at the event included Sheikh Mohammad Yousuf, 65, who taught children Kashmiri embroidery, Mukhtar Ahmad Dar, who taught Kashmiri namda and gabba, Irfan Ghulam Nabi who taught wood carving and Liaquat Ali, who taught traditional jewellery making.

Two women, Asifa Ali and Yasmin Akhter who showcased Kashmiri papier-mâché also attended the programme through the Potohar Organisation for Developing Advocacy.

Speaking to Dawn, Mr Nabi said Kashmiri wood carving is unique in its detail and broad canvac.

“Kashmiri work is done with minute details, which is why it is much more beautiful than other work and very expensive as well. I have been in this field for many years, and I feel the market for this work is shrinking,” he said.

Mr Yousuf said there is a lot of demand for Kashmiri embroidery, but children need to learn the craft and pass it on to their next generation.

The federal secretary for Kashmir affairs and GB, Pir Bukhsh Khan Jamali, was invited to the event as the chief guest.

During his address, he said: “Kashmir is a core issue between Pakistan and India.

The government is taking every possible step to resolve this issue in light of the resolution passed by the United Nations to provide the people of Kashmir with the right to self-determination.”

Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fouzia Saeed said during her welcome address that the month-long programme would focus on indigenous Kashmiri folk crafts.

“[The objective is to] highlight the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people struggling for their right to self-determination in held Kashmir through a cultural perspective,” she said.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2017