The Potohari Arts and Crafts Village located at Shakarparian will have a soft opening on February 19th and will be open to the public from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Potohari has been planned as the definitive display of Pakistan’s finest crafts — a place where the country’s rich and varied cultural heritage will be accessible to the public.

Set in the vicinity of the Rose and Jasmine Garden of the Capital, Potohari is Islamabad’s showcase for all that we should be proud of about Pakistan. The rest of the village will take some time to be completed as some areas are still under the process of being developed. It includes craft shops, regional food restaurants, ‘chai khanas’, (traditional tea stalls) craft shops, art gallery, exhibition halls, design centre and every other facility to promote our worth preserving culture.

Thanks to CDA and the Indus Heritage Trust — a voluntary organisation assisting the CDA with the project — this space has been specifically created to champion the cause of struggling Pakistani artisans and craftsmen and craftswomen. A two-week rotational system of showcasing different crafts has been evolved so that all the talented artisans can get a chance to display and sell their products in one central location and avoid being exploited by ‘middle-men.’ The skills displayed in the first few weeks will include paper mache, stone carving, carpet weaving, beadwork, jewelry, shawl weaving and several different types of embroideries.

The best part of this project is that most of the craftspeople will be actually working at their crafts for the public to observe, so it is a wonderful opportunity for youngsters and school children to come and learn about their country’s heritage. There is nothing like first-hand knowledge of the passion and skill that goes into the making of a beautiful item to make us appreciate its worth. The Lok Virsa used to have an annual festival that followed the same policy of showcasing artisans at work but unfortunately the festival has been put on the back burner because of security concerns. Potohari will fill this gap somewhat as far as the artisans and their work goes.

It is hoped that the citizens of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will play a role in keeping their heritage alive by coming to support this venture. It will not only provide them with a beautiful environment for their enjoyment but they will be able to purchase some of these wonderful crafts at very reasonable rates and in consequence help struggling artisans who can then afford to pursue their craft and revive this country’s tradition of art and craftsmanship. Mark the date in your calendar!