Lesson No. 2 - Festivals of Pakistan

FESTIVALS OF PAKISTAN

Festival is a public celebration of an event to create a sense of brotherhood, selflessness, peace and sacrifice among the people. The celebration allow the people to rejoice themselves by leaving the routines which have 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 and some are held to refresh the deeds of national heroes and political events.

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Shab-e-Barat, a night of blessings, is celebrated on 14th Shabaan, 8th mointh of the Islamic calendar. The Muslims illuminate their houses and Masajid. Devotional prayers are performed throughout the night to seek the blessings of Allah.

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After the fasting in the month of Ramadan the Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fiter on 1st of Shawal. Eid prayers, mostly on open fields are performed after sunrise. After the prayers the Muslims greet each other. They spend the whole day in feasting and rejoicing.

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Eid-ul-Azha is the greatest event when millions of Muslims throughout the world gather at Kaabah to bow before Allah at the time o f Hajj. Those who can't go there offer special prayers after the sunrise on 10th Zilhaj. After the prayers the Muslims greet one another and offer sacrifice of a goat, a sheep, a cow or a camel to honour the sacrifice of the Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). The meat is divided in three parts one for the family, second for the relations and third for the poor.
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Eid Milad-un-Nabi is celebrated on 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, a birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWW). The buildings and bazaars are illuminated. Seminars are conducted to induce the devotees to follow the life of Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW).

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Some festivals are celebrated to refresh the memories of great saints. These are held at the shrines o f great saints. The Mela Chiraghan is held at the shrine of Hazrat Madhu Lal Hussain. The Urses of Bab Farid, Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh, Imam Bari, Saachal Sar Must and Abdul Latif Bhitai are held at the shrines o f these saints. People from far off places gather at the shrines to pay homage to the great saints.

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The day of the Pakistan Resolution (23rd of March 1940) and Independence Day (14th of 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 freedom movement of Pakistan and the sacrifices made by the leaders in getting a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia.

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These festivals also provide the opportunities to the artisans to display their handicrafts, which depict their cultural heritage. They attract the tourists from all over the world. Lok Melas are also arranged alongwith these exhibitions to enable the people to develop a sense of brotherhood among themselves. They are necessary to keep the people united and to honour the social activities of the people of different areas.
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EXERCISES
Q:1 Answer the following questions:

i) How would you describe the word "festival"?
Ans: Festival is a programme that is usually held at regular intervals, often in one place. It is a public celebration of an event.

ii) What is the purpose o f celebrating a festival?
Ans: A festival is celebrated to create a sense of brotherhood, selflessness, peace and sacrifice among the people. It allows the people to rejoice themselves. It also creates a cultural harmony among them.

iii) When does Shab-e-Barat take place? What is the importance of this blessed night to the Muslims?
Ans: Shab-e-Barat takes place on 15th Shaban, 8th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a night of blessings. The Muslims perform devotional prayers through out the night to seek the blessing of Allah.

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iv) Name the religious festivals of the Muslims are: Shab-e-Barat, Eid-ul-Fiter, Eid-il-Azha, Eid Milad-un-Nabi etc.
Ans: The religious festivals of the Muslims are: Shab-e-Barat, Eid-ul-Fiter, Eid-il-Azha, Eid Milad-un-Nabi etc.

v) When and how are the national events celebrated in Pakistan?
Ans: The day of the Pakistan Resolution is celebrated on 23rd of March and Independence Day is celebrated on 14th of August every year. The nation as a whole celebrates these occasions every year to refresh the greatness of these events. On this occasion the people are given the knowledge and information related freedom movement of Pakistan and sacrifices made by the leaders to in getting a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia.

vi) What is the importance of Lok Mela?
Ans: Lok Melas create a sense of brotherhood among people. These are necessary to keep the people united and to honour the social activities of the people of different areas.

vii) What important religious event took place on 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal?
Ans: Our beloved Holy Prophet (SAWW) was born place on 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal. Therefore it is the most important day for Muslims.

viii) What is the importance of the 14th August in the history of Pakistan?
Ans: The 14th of August is Independence Day for the Muslims of South Asia. They got their separate homeland, Pakistan on this day.

ix) What kind of opportunities do these festivals provide to the artisans?
Ans: On these festivals, the artisans display their handicrafts which depict their cultural heritage. Their hand made things attract the tourists from all over the world.

x) Write an account of a religious or any other festival that you might have seen in your own village or town.

Ans: A VILLAGE FAIR

Every year, a fair is held in our village. It is held in the memory of a saint Baba Shah Muhammad. Arrangements for the fair are made long before the fixed day. A sort of bazaar, consisting of rows of stalls, is set up where all kinds of things are sold.

On the day of the fair, crowds of villagers begin to pour in Men and Women, old and young are dressed in their best clothes. They sing songs, dance and make merry. Women ion their coloured garments and beautiful ornaments come to see the fair. In the bazaar there are shops of sweet sellers, fruit sellers,, toy sellers and many other. In the open space we see jugglers, acrobats, snake charmers, monkey man and bear man.

They all perform their tricks to earn money. Jugglers show their tricks to the spectators, snake charmers play on the pipe and show cobras to the people around them. The monkeys amuse the people by their funny tricks. There are some merry-go-rounds where children assemble to have a ride. There are wrestling bouts and Kabaddi matches. Races of animals especially camels and horses are also held in the fair.

Q:2 Choose the correct answer from the following:

Please note that the correct answer is shown in BLUE colour.

i) The eighth lunar month is
(a) Ramadan (b) Rajab (c) Shaban and (d) Safar

ii) Sacrifice is offered to honour the sacrifice of
(a) Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW) (b) Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) (c) Saints and (d) the people

iii) Shab-e-Barat is celebrated on
(a) 14th Shabaan (b) 1st Shawal (c) 10th Zilhaj and (d) 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal

iv) Mela Chiraghan is held at the shrine of
(a) Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh (b) Abdul Latif Bhitai (c) Ban Imam and (d) Madhu Lal Hussain

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Q:3 Write down the following sentences in the Past Tense.

i) Festival is a public celebration.
Ans: Festival was a public celebration.

ii) They bring the people closer.
Ans: They brought the people closer.

iii) They illuminate their houses.
Ans: They illuminated their houses.

iv) After the prayers they greet one another.
Ans: After the prayers they greeted one another.

v) Lok Mela are arranged to create a sense of brotherhood.
Ans: Lok Mela were arranged to create a sense of brotherhood.

Q:4 Tick (-/) the true sentences and cross (x) the false ones.

i) Festivals are not celebrated with fervor. (x)
ii) People mourn on 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal. (x)
iii) Festivals create enmities. (x)
iv) Festivals bring cultural harmony. (-/)

Q:5 Connect the part sentence - with relevant part of sentence
These sentences are connected with numbers e.g.

Shab-e-barat (1) connected as a night of blessing (1)

Shab-e-barat (1)
on 1st of Shawaal. (3)
The Shabaan is the (2)
the sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) (4)
The Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr (3)
on 10th Zilhaj. (5)
Eid-ul-Azha commemorates (4)
8th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. (2)
The great event of Hajj is performed (5)
a night of blessings. (1)
The 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal (6)
on 23rd March 1940. (7)
Pakistan Resolution was passed (7)
is the birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) (6)

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