The Dawn, By Our Staff Reporter
1/20/2003
http://www.dawn.com/2003/01/20/local10.htm
KARACHI, Jan 19: A large number of people, accompanied by their children
dressed up in colourful clothes, participated in the Karavan Sea
Karnival and had fun to their hearts' content as performers kept them in
thrall.
The Karavan Sea Karnival was organized by the Heritage Walley - Friends
of the Heritage Foundation at the Beach Avenue in Defence Housing
Authority on Sunday afternoon.
Over 160 stalls had been set up along the avenue, a roughly two
kilometre long stretch. It had been turned into a pedestrians' zone to
facilitate the people who had come in droves to participate in the
event.
The stalls were offering peshmina shawls from China and Nepal,
handicrafts, toys made of clay, wood carvings, embroidery, bangles,
foodstuff, dry fruits, tiles, glass-work, scuba diving gadgets, electric
appliances, etc.
Young karatikas were displaying their self-defence and fighting skills
at their stall. Stalls where the artists were face-painting the children
were drawing huge crowds as kids tugged at their parents' sleeves to
divert them to these stalls so that they could also get their faces
painted the way their friends had had theirs.
The march-past started with various bands playing sundry tunes. The one
composed of special children captivated the audience the most.
Various districts had sent floats displaying artisans making handicrafts
and folk artistes crooning and feet-tapping.
Snake-charmers also displayed their skills with their specific
flute-like instrument, locally known as "Been", with the snakes dancing
to their tunes.
The float carrying the Baloch singers and dancers won a big round of
applause as they lilted the popular "Wash Maley" song, their feet
thumping in rhythm.
Some male dancers exhibited their balancing act. With a slim, metal pole
resting on their heads and a pitcher (Matka) perched atop it, they
pranced about all over the place without this Matka falling to the
ground.
Police teams displayed their fighting skills - some mock displays of how
to conduct an anti-terrorism operation, rescue hostages from robbers'
custody or disarm the criminals.
A long mural - stretching over two kilometres - was the event's key
attraction. Comprising paintings prepared by city schools, mostly the
government-run, the mural embodies the dreams of Karachi's children
concerning their city.
Sindh governor and chief minister on Sunday urged the people to forge
unity, foil the evil designs of the vested interests and work hard to
make Karachi a peaceful city it once was.
Ibad said that with the help from the people, the government will
restore law and order in the city, and once again make it the city of
lights.
Maher said that with improved law and order situation, the investors
would feel secure and be encouraged to come here and invest their money.
He said Karachi was the engine of the country's economy. Once its
economy was revived, it would improve the country's economy at large.
He said the government would try to provide quality education and
training to the youth so that when they grew up they became good
citizens, and when they went overseas they succeeded in their respective
fields, earning laurels for the country.
He hoped that the Karavan Sea Karnival Parade, with its theme of peace
through propagation of heritage, culture, arts and crafts, would be made
into an annual event so that Karachi was portrayed as a city of peace.
Earlier, Yasmeen Lari of the Heritage Foundation, gave a brief resume of
the Karavan Karachi which she said had been organizing programmes
highlighting the heritage and history of the city.
She said that these programmes were an instant hit as the people related
with the issues as they saw these old and historical buildings daily
that were being vandalised by the vested interests.