Why ban Basant festivities?

Author: Editorial
Publication: Dawn, Karachi
Date: February 15, 2001

THE Karachi administration has banned the celebration of Basant in District South, thereby effectively prohibiting all major hotels and exclusive clubs from organizing any events to mark the advent of spring. The ironic thing about this is that the Punjab government is fully behind the current Basant celebrations. Pakistan Television too has planned several musical and other programmes to mark the occasion. Basant is generally regarded as a celebration of the arrival of spring, a way of welcoming nature coming alive after a somewhat withering and wilting spell of winter, so to speak. Whatever the origin of this festival, it has now taken on more of a cultural connotation than anything else and provides people a chance to enjoy themselves for a change, putting aside the cares and anxieties of daily existence for a while. Why grudge them this innocent respite for no rhyme or reason and why deny them an opportunity for a little bit of joy and jollity in step with nature itself assuming a new visage of colour and profusion?
 

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