Festivals of Pakistan ¦ short essay ¦ Pakistani culture

 

A festival is a public celebration of an event to create a sense of brotherhood, selflessness, peace, and sacrifice among the people. The celebrations allow the people to rejoice by breaking the monotonous routine that has made their life dull and boring. They bring the people of different areas closer to create cultural harmony among them. Some of the festivals are religious while others commemorate the deeds of national heroes and political events. 

The Shab-e-Barat, a night of blessings, is celebrated on the 15th Shabaan, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. The Muslims illuminate their houses and masajid. Special "nawafil" are offered throughout the night to seek the blessings of Allah.

After fasting in the month of Ramadan, the Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on the 1st of Shawwal. The Eid prayer, held mostly in the open areas, is offered after sunrise. After the prayer, the Muslims greet one another. They spend the whole day enjoying and sharing Allah's blessings with fellow Muslims.

Hajj is one of the greatest events. Millions of Muslims from all over the world gather at Arafat on the 9th Zilhaj to bow before Allah. Those who cannot go there, offer a special prayer after the sunrise on the 10th Zilhaj and celebrate the Eid-ul- Azha. After the prayer, the Muslims greet one another and sacrifice a goat, sheep, cow, or camel to honor the sacrificial tradition of the Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim A.S. The meat is divided into three parts: one for the family, the other for the relatives and the third for the poor. 

Eid Milad-un-Nabi is celebrated on the 12th Rabi-ul-Awal, the birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The buildings and bazaars are illuminated. Seminars are conducted to induce the devotees to follow the life of Hazrat Muhammadﷺ. 

Some festivals are celebrated to refresh the memories of great saints. These are held at their shrines. The Mela Chiraghan is held at the shrine of Hazrat Madhu Lal Hussain (Rahmatullah illaeh). The "Urses" of Baba Farid, Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh, Imam Bari, Saachal Sar Must, and Abdul Latif Bhitai (Rahmatullah illaeh) are held at their shrines. The people from far-off places gather at the shrines to pay homage to them. 

The Pakistan Resolution Day (23rd March 1940), and Independence Day (14th August 1947) are the most remarkable days in the history of Pakistan. The nation as a whole celebrates these occasions every year to refresh the greatness of these events. They also give us the knowledge and information related to the freedom movement of Pakistan and the hardships faced by the leaders in getting a separate homeland for the Muslims of the South Asia. 

These festivals also provide oppurtunities to the artisans to display their handcrafts,  that depict their cultural heritage. They attract tourists from all over thhe world. Lok-Melas are also arranged along with these exhibitions to enble the people to evelop a sense of brotherhood among themselves. They are necessary to keep the people united and to honor the cultural activities of the people of different areas.