Spring Celebrations in Pakistan

 Spring Celebrations in Pakistan..
 The society and culture of Pakistan (Urdu: ثقافت پاکستان) comprises numerous diverse cultures and ethnic groups: the Punjabis, Kashmiris, Sindhis in east, Muhajirs, Makrani in the south; Baloch and Pashtun in the west; and the ancient Dardic, Wakhi and Burusho communities in the north. These Pakistani cultures have been greatly influenced by many of the surrounding countries' cultures, such as the Turkic peoples, Persian, Arab, some parts of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.

In Pakistan, spring celebrations are locally known as ‘Jashn-e-Baharan’. People all over the country celebrate the arrival of spring in the most festive way. When it comes to spring celebrations and festivals, Pakistani celebrations have a league of their own. Spring is celebrated with gardens full of multi color flowers, dancing people, music, trained animals and sky full of colorful kites.

Spring celebrations are full of different festivals which are celebrated through the country. But Pakistani celebrations of spring’s arrival are at its peak in Lahore. Exciting fun filled activities with kite flying being the main attraction. Here are some the details of the festivals which are the part of spring celebrations in Pakistan.
• Basant:
Basant is a festival of Pakistani celebrations on the arrival of the spring season which is celebrated in the entire country but Lahore has its own charm for the spring celebrations. The cultural city of Lahore is famous for its basant and kite flying. Basant is not only a kite flying event but also a cultural festival of foods, dresses, dances and music. During Basant, an excess of colorful flying kites cover the skies of Lahore and you will hardly find a space in the sky without a kite. And not forgetting to mention the tradition of battle during kite flying in this celebration of spring. Night time kite flying is another highlight of the spring celebrations in Lahore where the dark sky is illuminated with heavy lights and thousands of white colored kites competing with each other for their survival in the sky.
Men with yellow scarves, women with yellow dresses and Gajras, amazing foods, music, dances, kites, bangles, beautifully decorated boats and floats displayed on the Lahore Canal and handicrafts makes it an extraordinary event for spring celebrations however kite flying has been banned in Pakistan due to some unfortunate fatal incidents. Due to that basant hasn’t been celebrated in the past years and the Lahories are surely missing such festive spring celebrations.
• Horse and Cattle Show:

The horse and the cattle show is also one of the popular Pakistani celebrations at the arrival of the spring season which is held in the month of March every year at the Fortress Stadium Lahore. While its celebrated in the last week of February in Sindh at Jacababad. This event of the spring celebrations features traditional sports, horse and cattle show, of handicrafts and dresses, tent pegging, horse and camel racing and dancing, cultural floats, dances and folk music. Jashn-e-Shikarpur and Jashn-e-Larkana are somewhat similar to the Horse & Cattle show.

• Joshi /Chilimjusht:

Joshi /Chilimjusht is another one of the spring celebrations celebrated by the Kalash people living the valleys of Chitral. It is celebrated in the middle of May. Women gather from all over the valley and decorate their houses. Wearing their traditional black robes, ornate cowries shelled head dresses, the women dance in a circle then the men join in.
These were some of the Pakistani celebrations at the arrival of the spring season. The spring celebrations in Pakistan will always be enchanting forever.