Lok Baithak Launched To Promote Folklore, Folk Music

National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Lok Virsa launched a new fortnightly series of folklore and folk music called "Lok Baithak" here Wednesday to revive the informal sittings of the traditional and rural communities

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jan, 2019 ) :National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Lok Virsa launched a new fortnightly series of folklore and folk music called "Lok Baithak" here Wednesday to revive the informal sittings of the traditional and rural communities.

With the advent of new year, "Lok Baithak" programme was presented by Research and Media section of Lok Virsa. The programme will be arranged on alternate Wednesdays.

The main purpose behind "Lok Baithak" is to revive the informal sittings of the traditional and rural communities. These Lok Baithaks were multifaceted and used to serve the multiple purposes of associationalism, camaraderie, entertainment, social cohesion, knowledge sharing, creation of disciplinarian and organizational spirit, and above all hub of promotion of art and culture in the general communities.

"Lok Baithak" at Lok Virsa would be run while being true to the mandate of Lok Virsa i.e. the promotion of folk and traditional heritage of Pakistan. This programme is open to the people of all age groups and to all ethnicities, in the style that they themselves would be the speakers and listeners with Lok Virsa as regulator and facilitator only.

Agenda of the next Baithak sittings would also be set in the general meetings of the Baithaks making people feel this as their very own program.

The star artist of first "Lok Baithak" was Muhammad Ali a renowned ghazal, semi classical and folk singer. He learnt music from Ustad Mehdi Hassan, Ustad Shokat Manzoor and Ustad Allah Rakha. Among accompanist Ustad Nizakat Ali Khan on harmonium and Ustad Amanat Ali Khan on Tabla also showed their skills.

"Our audience is encouraged and allowed to bring their musical instruments and crafts that they specialize in. They would be mobilized to share the values, knowledge, wisdom, stories, songs, tales, fables, epics, jokes, traditional games, riddles etc and everything within the domain of folklore of their respective regions. Singers and musicians among them would sing and play music. Lok Virsa would make its contribution through inviting a folk/ semi classical / classical singer or through musical performance. We would also invite traditional treasurers (gunny, sughars people etc.) who have a lot to share about the folk and traditional heritage of their respective regions", said the organizers.