By Sadia Khatri
Dawn,14 April, 2016
Hint: lots of Hyderabadi friends were made, music by Mai Dhai, The Sketches, Zoe Viccaji and Gumby was heard
Lahooti Mela — the Sufi festival — was taking place after a long hiatus
During our two days in Hyderabad we made at least twenty new friends, all of whom exchanged their numbers with us and promised to meet when they were in Karachi.
There was the duo who carried a guitar and strummed tunes as we walked along; the girl we stopped to ask for directions who became our friend later; two Karachiites who had hopped on a bus to the festival just a few hours ago; their poodle Tina; the policeman who shared smokes and life experiences with us; the twins who were poets and artists; KU students who wanted to talk radical politics; the large crowd of music loving friends who huddled everyone into a crowd so they could sing for us; and the group of high school students who had just decided to volunteer their time to the festival, because as they said, “things like these rarely happened in the city.”
Tina, the poodle. One of the friends we made on our way.
Organised by Lahooti Live Sessions (the brainchild of The Sketches’ Saif Samejo), Lahooti Mela — the Sufi festival — was taking place after a long hiatus. When we planned our trip, it was the music we were thinking about, not so much the people attending.
Sounds of Kolachi, Mai Dhai, The Sketches, Zoe Viccaji, Gumby and Sara Haider — all in once place, in two days, and of all places —Hyderabad.
The Lahooti Mela took place after a long hiatus
The two days were quiet and serene when they weren’t filled with bursts of music. In the morning, this came from the hordes of men setting up the stage, erecting tents and lifting instruments.