Cholistan cultural fest concludes.

LAHORE -- The two-day Cholistan cultural festival titled 'Rohi di Ajab Bahar' concluded at the auditorium of the Institute for Art and Culture (IAC) with spectacular performance of Ajoka Theatre's acclaimed play 'Kala Meda Bhes' here on Saturday evening.

Directed by late Madeeha Gauhar, the play is an attempt to revive Swaang, an ancient form of theatre in Punjab. It was based on a real life incident that took place in a desert village, where a woman was exchanged for an ox.

The play was not just a tale of woe and misery but a tribute to the resilience and determination of people of Cholistan and it also celebrated the rich and dynamic culture of south Punjab with dazzling costumes and delightful songs. Ajoka team received enormous applause from the audience for their flawless performance.

On the second day of the festival, IAC Vice Chancellor Prof Sajida Vandal, Ashgar Nadeem Syed and Imtiaz Lashari participated in a panel discussion on Hakra civilisation titled 'Imagining Hakra'. A documentary highlighting the wildlife of Cholistan was also screened, where as Hassan Ali Sukhera read a paper on the bio-diversity of the desert region, Salman Rashed on Channan Pir experience. Dr Muzammil Bhatti and Mussrat Kalanchvi presented their papers on the women of Cholistan.

The special feature of the festival was live musical performances by Cholistani singer Sitara Lal and Lalo Bheel group. Both the singers performed folk songs of...