Basant Festivals in Pakistan

A man flies a kite at sunset after a day-long kite flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, 09 February 2003, as officials said around 100,000 people from inside and outside the country had arrived in the city to celebrate the occasion. Two people died and more than 100 were injured during the annual kite flying festival marking the advent of spring in Pakistan. Public parks and rooftops were crowded with revellers celebrating the festival which started with music concerts and dinner parties organized privately or as public events late Saturday.


 


Pakistani children run to catch a kite during a kite flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 09 February 2003, as officials said around 100,000 people from inside and outside the country had arrived in the city to celebrate the occasion. Two people died and more than 100 were injured during the annual kite flying festival marking the advent of spring in Pakistan. Public parks and rooftops were crowded with revellers celebrating the festival which started with music concerts and dinner parties organized privately or as public events late Saturday.



A professional prepares special thread used in kite flying on a roadside pavement on the eve of the annual kite-flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 07 February 2003. Basant is celebrated at the onset of each spring with an orgy of kite-flying, roof top soirees, garden parties and equestrian events.



A shopkeeper gives the final touches to a kite decorated with a dragon and slogans to symbolise the Indian occupation in disputed Kashmir, on the eve of the annual kite-flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 07 February 2003. This is first time that kite manufacturers have printed slogans about the current affairs of the world during the Basant festival. Basant is celebrated at the onset of each spring with an orgy of kite-flying, roof top soirees, garden parties and equestrian events.



Pakistani kite lovers carry away a big kite decorated with the upcoming cricket World Cup 2003 slogan on a donkey cart on the eve of the annual kite-flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 07 February 2003. Basant is celebrated at the onset of each spring with an orgy of kite-flying, roof top soirees, garden parties and equestrian events. The cricket World Cup 2003 is being held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya this month and next.



Young Pakistani women dance to the beat of a drum during the colourful spring festival locally known as 'bassant' in Lahore, 17 February 2002. Thousands of kite lovers celebrated the famous and traditional Bassant Festival in Lahore by arranging parties and musical shows.


Pakistani kite loves try to catch a kite during the colourful spring festival locally known as 'bassant' in the eastern city of Lahore, 17 February 2002. Thousands of kite lovers celebrated the famous and traditional Bassant Festival in Lahore by arranging parties and musical shows. Seen in the background is the Grand Badshehi Mosque of Lahore.



Lahore citizens buy kites on Basant, the spring festival, 16 February 2002. Basant fever is at its hight as people make last minute preparations to celebrate this spring festival which begin Saturday night. An estimated sum of Rs 200 million rupees, (3.33 million dollars) will be spent on strings, kites and partying.



Workers of Pakistan's tourism department display a huge kite on the eve of the traditional kite festival locally known as Bassant in the eastern city of Lahore, 16 February 2002. The festival will be celebrated with the start of the spring season tomorrow by flying hundreds of thousands of colurful kites throughout the day.


People are busy shopping for kites on the eve of Basant - a kite festival in Pakistani eastern city of Lahore, 17 February 2001. The Kite festival will be celebrated tomorrow in this city where kite flying lovers will fly thousands of colourful kites through out the day along with other cultural activities.

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