Steemit Engagement Challenge Week 2 | Share your Country's Culture | by @nafeela

Asslamu Alikum and Hello,
Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia, mostly famous for it's nuclear power and perhaps the most grounded armed force in world.
Pakistan has a unique culture that is based around Islamic values and with a coordination of elements from various invading cultures from the earliest days. The largest cultural activity in Pakistan is the Annual National Folk Festival (Lok Mela), which is held in October each year in all the provinces of country. Previous year I had this golden opportunity to attend that festival in Islamabad held at Lok Virsa Museum (as I'm a local resident here)

This is a participation post for the Steemit Engagement Challenge, Week 2 organized by @steemit-pak "Share your Country's Culture" (Favorite cultural or religious festival. How are they celebrated In your country?).

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Lok Virsa Folk Festival

In the past decades, the festival has turned into a national pride for the artists and performers who participate on their own and show their commonplace culture. Moreover, the festival has made people active on an international level to take part from all over the world. Here (in Islamabad) the event continues for 10 days. I had a great time getting to know the cultural aspects of Pakistan in more detail (I've never been to any festival before). Following is what i learned;

Punjab:

Punjab (the land of five rivers) is the largest land area in Pakistan and is well known for its culture. Punjabi cuisine, philosophy, poetry, artistry, music, architecture, traditions, and history are some of the important aspects of the culture of Punjabi people.
People_ Punjabi people are very warm hearted, they are famous for their hospitable and loving nature and sarcastic attitude. People of Punjab have strong beliefs on superstitions (pir-faqeers, jogi, taweez). people mostly do farming some work in factories and offices to make their ends meet.
Dresses_ The costumes are a blend of varieties, and excellence. Punjab is well known for the use of phulkari (embroidery) in its costumes, people wear Pagri, dhoti/lacha, kurta, gharara, paranda, khusa and shalwar kameez.

_{pinjabi men doing bhangrah, while wearing cultural dress.}
Cuisine_ Punjabi use ghee, clarified butter, spices in their dishes. The food is eaten with either rice or roti. dishes Mah Di Dal, Paratha, Makai ki rotti, Saron Da Saag, Choley, Haleem, Baryani and other spicy foods are popular, people are likewise partial to Zarda, Gulab-Jamuns, Kheer, Jalaibi,Samosy, Pakorey etc. Tea is farmost the fav refreshment of this land alongside lassi, doodh-soda, aloo bokharey ka sharbat, lemonade and so forth.
Dance_ Bhangra is most normally known Punjabi music genre and dance style. Different forms of dance in Punjab are: Loddi, Dhamal, Sammi, Kikli, Gatka, Bhangra, Giddha and Dandiya.
Arts and Crafts_ Punjab is the significant manufacturing industry in Pakistan’s economy. The main crafts created in the highlands and other rural areas of Punjab are basketry, pottery, famous for their advanced and traditional designs all over the world. bone work, textile, cloth woven on handlooms with stunning prints is embroidered in the rural-areas and the weavers produce beautiful materials like cotton, silk etc. embroidery, weaving, carpets, stone craft, jewelry, metal work along with wood works. The craft of Punjab is it's fundamental soul and create entity.

_pottery

Sindh:

The province of Sindh has been named after the well known River Indus. In Sanskrit, the province was named Sindhu meaning an ocean. It has always been the land of peace, love, romance, and great cultural and artistic values.
People_ people are secular, loving, caring, great hosts and sincere in their nature. Sindh has a rich and varied folklore. This land has extreme temperature which reflects a different attitude of people from its neighboring areas.
Dresses_ people wear Sindhi ajrak, turban, a round embroidered cap, as their cultural code. dhotī, tunic and skirt along with pent shirt and shalwar kameez.

_{the most famous sindhi print.}
Cuisine_ Sindhi food is typical of Pakistani Muslim cuisine, with distinctive Sindhi regional touches. rotī, is the normal food, eaten with dāl, sabzī, and yogurt. Few poorer Sindhis can afford meat. Fish is eaten by Sindhi people who live along the Indus River or near the coast (Karachi is famous for its seafood). Sweetened tea, buttermilk, or lassi, a drink made from yogurt, are well known drinks. Sindhis also prepare Mughal-style dishes such as tandoorī lamb or chicken, biryānī, and rice pilaf.
Arts and Crafts_ Sindh is particularly noted for its textiles, embroidery, pottery, and lacquered woodwork. Mirrorwork, the sewing of tiny pieces of mirror onto fabric, is typically Sindhi and decorates the brightly colored clothes of many Sindhi females. Blue-coated tiles from Sindh decorate masjids and shrines all over the country. Sindhis have a rich tradition of folk literature and mystical Sūfī poetry.

_{some faces of culture}

Balochistan:

It is the largest province in terms of land area, but is the most un-populated. The name "Balochistan" signifies "the land of the Baloch". It is a land of having unique and enhanced culture which is covered by the love, peace and harmony between the residents of this province, yet the land is somewhat dry.
People_ The aroma of the people of Balochistan is to love and to give warmth welcome and a great hospitality to their guests. the land has many tribes the commonly known and most powerful tribes are Baloch, Pashton, Brahvi.
Dresses_ The people dress up very pleasingly. Turban is the common headwear of Men with wide loose shalwar and knee-long shirts. Females wear a shirt with a big pocket (embroidery and embedded round mirror work in front) along with a big Dupatta/ Chaddar.
Dance_ Songs and Folk dances are part of Baluchi culture. The traditional folk dance of Baluchistan is called ‘Dochaap'. Other dances are Hambo, Latti and Lewa.

_{people dancing to baloch music, wearing cultural dress.}
Cuisine_ Roosh, Sajji, Khaddi kabad, Landhi, Kabli Palao, Tereeth, Abgoosht are some famous dishes of balochistan, balochstan is also famous for it's scrumptious naan.
Arts and Crafts_ The province remains relatively confined from the rest of the country, and in fact the world. Its cultural and aesthetic styles have developed over the centuries, independent of the broader Islamic arts and architecture, and free from nationalistic values. the needle work on dresses, cushions and bedsheets are a pride of balochistan, another significant craft is the carpets and wall hangings having magnificent designs.

_{some baloch embroidery patterns}

Khyber pakhtunkhwa:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the land of hospitality, mesmerizing landscapes, thorough culture, astonishing history.
This valley truly regards as a paradise on earth with its picturesque valleys, lush green fields, snowy mountains, and scenic lakes. khyber is well known as land of dry fruits.
People_ This province has a soft corner for all Pakistanis as they tend to be the sweetest. Their hospitality goes well with the beauty of nature that makes one smile. KPK enjoys all the seasons in brilliance and variety, providing scenic hilltop views for its visitors. people living here widely use mswak.
Dresses_ people wear traditional Peshawari chappal. Traditional men’s Pashtun clothing includes khet purtag and Peshawari shalwar, traditional headgear with a traditional forehead hat, turban. women wear abayas, with big chadar.

_{cultural dresses of peshawar}
Cuisine_ Peshawari Chapli Kebab, Kabuli Pulao, Peshawari Karahi, Dum Pukht, Lamb Chops, Namkeen Tikka are some of the favorite dishes of khyber people. kehva is favourite drink of this land.
Dance_ attan is the cultural dance of these people.
Arts and Crafts_ In fine arts, Pashtoons have committed themselves to the literature alone. Among the professions, they have adopted Agriculture and trade.

_{a wool carpet}

gallery

here are few images i took that evening;

Steemit Engagement Challenge Week 2, Share your Country's Culture by @steemit-pak

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Thanks for giving it a read. (don't forget to drop your comments)
JazakAllah (Thumbs up)
Nafeela