Fraying Kites, Forged Joy: State, Modernity, and the Emotional Landscape of Spring in Lahore (1950-2010)

• Nimra Ghafoor

  Author

This analysis explores the complex relationship between seasonal spring festivals and the public expression of happiness in Lahore from 1950 to 2010. It investigates three central cultural events: the traditional kite-flying festival of Basant, the Sufi-affiliated Mela Chiraghan (Festival of Lights), and the state-sponsored Horse and Cattle Show. During the latter half of the twentieth century, these celebrations served as primary forums for communal joy, deeply tied to the agricultural rhythms of spring and the ripening of the wheat harvest. The Pakistani state, recognizing their potential, intervened by nationalizing or patronizing these festivals, beginning with the Horse and Cattle Show in 1954 and later Basant in 2000. These interventions aimed to advance specific economic interests and project a liberal, peaceful image of the nation, effectively shaping and channeling public happiness. Concurrently, rapid modernization—marked by urbanization, industrialization, and technological change—altered how Lahoris celebrated. New technologies like searchlights and chemical kite strings transformed Basant, while social shifts changed participation patterns. Despite these profound transformations and the eventual prohibition of Basant, the deep-welled cultural association between the spring season and the collective pursuit of happiness endured, embedding itself in the city's historical identity.

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