Embroidery events dominate Day-4 of youth fest

The fourth day of the Inter-College Youth Festival at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) celebrated the state’s traditional artistry and youthful creativity. The day started with a lively display of indigenous craftsmanship, followed by thought-provoking competitions that showcased the richness of the state’s heritage and intellectual strength.

The events of the day were inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor, who was the chief guest for the morning session. In his inaugural address, the VC emphasised the importance of youth festivals in nurturing creativity, leadership and cultural values among students.

The morning events centred around the traditional crafts of Punjab, featuring competitions in phulkari kadhna (the art of Phulkari embroidery), pakhi bunna (the intricate handcrafting of traditional fans, known as pakhi) and bunai (knitting). Participants displayed exceptional craftsmanship and creativity, reviving time-honoured skills while infusing them with modern artistic sensibilities. The creative writing competition showcased the literary flair of students, who expressed their thoughts and imagination through poetry, short stories and essays.

The evening brought another round of artistic brilliance to the fore with guddiya patole banauna (the making of traditional dolls) and dasooti embroidery (cross-stitch embroidery) competitions. The intricate detailing and cultural symbolism expressed through these crafts reflected the students’ immense talent and skill in preserving these age-old crafts and folk traditions of Punjab. Alongside these artistic displays, a debate competition ignited intellectual dialogue among participants as students presented well-reasoned arguments on a contemporary topic of social and academic relevance, ‘E-resources are a must for improving the future education.’ The event witnessed lively discussion and healthy exchange of ideas, underscoring the youth’s role in shaping informed and responsible perspectives.