Basant

I recently received a calendar from Jalebi Junction featuring carigraphic paintings of Lahore in days of yore. With a bit of rooting around on the web I found that they are actually watercolour paintings by one Dr. Ajaz Anwar.
I particularly like the one titled ‘Basant’ because it brings back childhood memories of Pakistan, especially of Lahore and Sialkot where ‘Basant’, or the kite festival, is celebrated with such fervour. The family home in Lahore has about seven floors, the top most being only big enough for one person to stand. This floor is exclusively for kite flying so you can see how important this hobby and festival are.
During the festival, the object is to obviously have fun but by trying to cut the strings of others’ kites by wrapping your own around it. This takes an awful lot of skill and once you’ve managed to do it everyone shouts “kutta!”
When I visited Pakistan in 2001, we arrived the day of Basant and standing on a friend’s roof I’ve never seen such a Kodak moment. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera. Typical! But come mid-February, don’t forget to send out your Basant greetings cards.

13 comments

  3. :-O
    omg. im from balsall heath too!
    what a small world…speaking of the roti juction, ever tasted their naans with mince inside of em? mmmm

  10. nadia, that’s a very negative comment don’t you think? i worked in balsall heath for three years and met people who were determined to make it a better place, and some of it paid off. don’t knock it.

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