Islamic Republic of Iran Vice President Mohammad Mohandis Bokei visited Lok Virsa (National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage) at Shakarparian on Friday. The Iranian vice president who is accompanying Iranian president in his official visit to Pakistan was warmly received by senior museum officers on his arrival at Lok Virsa. He was briefed on the functioning of Lok Virsa as a specialised body aiming at documenting, preserving and disseminating the tangible and intangible culture of Pakistan. Later, the distinguished guest was taken to the Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology, popularly known as Heritage Museum, depicting cultural traditions and lifestyles of the people of the country and spreading over 60,000 sq feet covered area.
The Iranian vice president was very much impressed while going through the museum link passage presenting Pakistan’s historical cultural relations with the brotherly Muslim country Iran. Several exhibits/artifacts were also contributed by Iran. He was told that Pakistan and Iran shared commonalities in most of crafts and cultural artifacts such as weaving, miniature, painting, calligraphy, metal, brass and copper as well as architectural heritage, including blue tiles, tile mosaic work, mirror work and marble intarsia.
The other three-dimensional displays that attracted the Iranian vice president were hall of textiles, hall of silk thread, nomadic life of the people of Kaghan, Kalash and wedding rituals of Cholistan desert. The Iranian vice president wrote in the visitors’ book, “Pakistan has a beautiful cultural heritage. Lok Virsa deserves commendation for showcasing the life and indigenous traditions of Pakistani people/tribes in such a professional manner. We pray to Allah for the success and prosperity of Pakistan and its great people”. The guest left the Lok Virsa premises amid the beat of traditional drums and famous folk and national songs presented by a group of folk artists and musicians.
