Kalash Festival
The Kalash Festival is a one-of-a-kind celebration that is often considered taboo by many people in Pakistan and other parts of the world. The festival is celebrated by the Kalasha tribe, who honor several festivals throughout the year. Among these festivities, the Chilam Joshi, Choimus, and Uchal are the three most significant Kalash Festivals. The Chilam Joshi Festival, also known as the Spring Festival, is celebrated in the spring, while the Choimus Festival, also known as the Winter Festival, is held in the winter season. Finally, the Uchal Festival, also called the Summer Festival, is celebrated in the summer.
We offer a variety of holiday options for those interested in attending any of the three Kalash Festivals. The table below provides details on our holiday packages for each of the festivals.
All three are explained below:
Kalash Festival – Chilam Joshi (Spring)
The Chilam Joshi Festival is a significant event in the Kalash calendar, also known as the Kalash Spring Festival. The festival lasts for four days and is celebrated across all three Kalash Valleys of Rumbur, Bumburet, and Birir, attracting a considerable number of domestic and foreign tourists every year.
The festival commences with “Milk Day,” which takes place ten days before the festival. During this period, the Kalasha people start collecting milk from their households. On the day of the festival, they offer their libation and seek blessings from God. The festival serves as a reflection of their unique cultural richness, the harmony within their society, and their message of peace to the world. They pray for a prosperous year of agriculture and the health and safety of their herds.
The primary objective of the Chilam Joshi Festival is to enable Kalasha men and women to find a spouse and get married. Women wear traditional attire with lively colors and hair dresses adorned with flower patterns. They also wear beaded necklaces that complement their dresses and headgear. Men, on the other hand, wear traditional Shalwar Kameez with a woolen waistcoat. They dance and sing together in a circle on drum beats, creating an atmosphere of joy and celebration. The festival brings happiness to the bachelors and spinsters of Kalash Valley tribes, giving them an opportunity to choose their life partners and announce their names on the last day of the festival.
Cost - Kalash Festival
Kalash Festival: Uchal (Summer)
The Uchal Festival, also known as Utchal, is a significant summer festival celebrated by the Kalash people. During this festival, the Kalasha people pay homage to God by celebrating the harvest and thanking Him for blessing them with good food and crops. To celebrate the occasion, they prepare corn, buttermilk, and cheese.
The festival commences with a procession to a high plateau located outside the village of Balangkuru. They offer prayers to God, and the long night of dancing and celebration begins. The Uchal Festival is a mobile festival, and it is celebrated in various locations across the valleys. The festivities continue for several days, and people of all ages participate in the celebrations.
The Uchal Festival is a testament to the Kalash people’s gratitude towards God for providing them with abundant harvests and the food they need to sustain themselves. The festival is an opportunity for the Kalasha people to come together as a community, celebrate their cultural heritage, and seek blessings from the Almighty for the continued prosperity of their land and people.
Date & Cost Details
Kalash Festival – Choimus (Winter)
The Kalash Festival of Choimus is one of the most significant events celebrated by the Kalasha tribe. This winter festival also known as Chitirmas or Chaumos, commences on the winter solstice and holds great importance among the Kalasha people. The festival signifies and predicts the prosperity of the village and its people in the coming year. The locals perform rituals for purification during the festival at the dawn of the new year.
During Choimus, people venture out in search of foxes, which are considered a good omen to spot during this time. Torch-lit processions arrive from nearby villages at the main traditional dancing place called a “Charsue”. The festivities are held indoors and go on late into the night, as the local wine is passed around the bonfire.
On the day of the new year, tribal elders gather at hilltops to watch the rising sun, and goat sacrifices are made to the Goddess, “Jastak”. The blood is sprinkled at the temple Jastarkhan. The Kalash festival of Choimus is an event where the entire community comes together to celebrate their unique cultural heritage and reaffirm their traditions.
Date & Cost Details
Dates & Time for Kalash Festivals
Dates & Time for Kalash Festivals 2023
Kalash Festival Booking
Cultural Tours of Pakistan
Submit You Review Here
Tourist Reviews
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.