Bassant

With the advent of spring Basant Festival is celebrated with pomp and show in
mid February every year in Lahore. In other words this is the spring festival.

Alleging that kite flying is a Hindu event is also sheer ignorance. The sport
originated in China about 5000 years ago, when Hinduism was in nonexistent.
Why single out kite-flying then, especially when it is a source of joy for the old
and the young men and women? The simple reason is that Hindu at Basant Festival fly kites for enjoying
Basant. With times Muslims who were living together with Hindus in the sub-continent also join them in
kite-flying. Since then Muslims are taking participation in just kite-flying at the time of Basant connotating
it as Pala Urant. Now a days people of Lahore enjoy it by kite flying competition and by visiting the shrine
of saint Madho Lal Hussein, where they assemble to pay their benediction.

Lahore is becoming the main focal point for the celebration of this festival in
Pakistan. People traditionally fly kites on the roofs of their buildings. It is
commonly observed that rest houses, hotels and house of relatives of the
participants are fully packed with guests from all over the country. Moreover some five star hotels also
arrange this function on their roof top for foreigners and other high class gentry. They also arrange variety of
dishes with musical concert. Sometimes Lahorities on this occasion become emotional and in this state
create law and order problems for the administration. Some of them use metal thread for kite-flying. Their
such a deed oftenly imposes, besides life threat, a serious problem for WAPDA when the thread touches the
live wires.

Inspite of the fact Basant Festival which has no links with the Muslim culture is becoming very popular and
being celebrated in Lahore regularly every year with zeal and fervent.

Sibi Festival: (Last week of February)

This festival falls in last week of February at Sibi. Traditional sports, handicrafts
exhibition, folk music and dances.

Mela Chiraghan (Festival of lamps):

(Last week of March)
Mela Chiraghan (festival of lamps) a mega event for the people of Punjab and
especially for Lahorites is celebrated with traditional fervor and activities at the
shrine of the renowned Sufi Shah Hussain. This festival is held for 1 week outside
the Shalimar Gardens, Lahore. The festival attracts a large number of performing
artists who mostly sing Shah Hussain's kafees and dance to the drums.