PESHAWAR: The city of Peshawar, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant floral traditions, has been transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors with the advent of the 48th Chrysanthemum Festival.
Organized by the Cantonment Board Peshawar, this annual event has become an integral part of the cultural fabric of the city, displaying the beauty of and variations in chrysanthemum flowers. It is one of the tradition’s oldest events that happen in December after being widely accepted by the people of the city, especially the residents of Peshawar Cantt, who await it for each passing year.
For this festival, the Cantonment Board Peshawar has decorated dozens of streets and alleys of the populated areas within the Cantt jurisdiction using beautiful designs and colorful flowers that fill the city air with fragrance and color.
According to board horticulturist Mehar Gul, the Chrysanthemum Festival is now embedded in the cultural calendar of the city, whereupon people commune with nature and appreciate the rare beauty seen during the occasion. With over 200 varieties of chrysanthemums being showcased, the festival is indeed a great attraction for flower lovers.
The nursery of the Cantonment Board Peshawar with an impressive collection of so many kinds of chrysanthemums is evidence of the board’s commitment to retaining the cultural inheritance of the city and keeping the floral traditions alive.
Mehar Gul states that this nursery, the largest and probably the most wonderful in the Peshawar Cantt area, has an extensive range of flowers grown and maintained by experienced staff of the board.
The preparation for the festival is an intricate procedure involving a certain amount of detailed planning. “It takes five days to prepare stalls of flowers,” Chaudhary Babar, Executive Officer, Cantonment Board, Peshawar, explains, adding that the preparations are done with utmost care.
