Popularly referred to as ‘Janadriyah festival’, the National Heritage and Cultural Festival has been held since 1985, following a Royal Decree issued by late King Fahd. When the event was held for the first time, it was met with such a rousing welcome that it has since become an important event in the Kingdom’s cultural calendar.
Over the years, the Janadriyah festival has been showcasing the lifestyle that citizens of the Kingdom led before the discovery of oil. Organised by the National Guards, the festival also exhibits traditional dances, wedding rituals, food and everyday-life of the past.
Courtesy of Fahad Bahada
Prior to the year 1985, the only cultural event held in the Kingdom was the camel race that attracted wide participation and audience. Today, the camel race marks the beginning of the week-long cultural extravaganza. Inaugurated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, the race attracts around 1,000 contestants and the prize winners are rewarded by himself.
Following the camel race, cultural activities like poetry sessions, lectures, art exhibitions, book shows, debates and operas are also held to honour the works of poets, artists, thinkers and speakers. Symposiums throw light upon debatable topics like Islamic unity and interfaith dialogue to voice out concerns surrounding the topic.
Courtesy of Fahad Bahada
Colourful pavilions, small and large, display a range of stalls and activities to represent the diverseness within the culture of Saudi Arabia. Each of the seven provinces in the Kingdom has different heritage buildings, folklore, tribal and family traditions and this is highlighted during the festival.
The visitors can also witness the various handicrafts made by the artisans like pottery, handicraft items made from date palm fronds and other materials. Women also prepare traditional culinary dishes that can be sampled by all.
Courtesy of Fahad Bahada
Over the years, the festival gates were thrown open exclusively to male visitors. However, from 2009, separate days are allotted for families and only ladies. This move to encourage participation from women and children indicates the interest by the Kingdom to move to a less-conservative level.
Not content with being just visitors, women poets have also participated in the poetry sessions and made a mark for themselves. In a land that is yet to allow women to drive cars, this is a great achievement, indeed!
Courtesy of Fahad Bahada
In early 2010, the organisers introduced a mascot to the festival to attract the interest of kids. Swayyer, the mascot is a brainchild of Dr Iqbal Al-Arfaj, the Chairwoman of the Women’s Culture and Heritage Committee. Images of Swayyer were used on t-shirts and other memorabilia to be distributed in the festival. This was done primarily to create a fondness for the festival in the hearts and minds of the children.
Janadriyah festival holds a whole new meaning to the future generation of the Kingdom who have little or no idea about the past of their grandfathers and those who lived before them. The festival remains a link to their past and holds a key as to how they should lead the future.