Chilam Joshi Festival is a festival celebrated by the Kalash people, living in the Chitral District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. It marks the commencement of spring within the Kalasha community and is celebrated from the 13th to the 16th of May each year.[1][2]

Activities

The four-day festival is held in the middle of May. It serves both spiritual and social purposes.[2] The Kalasha people pray for their livestock's wellbeing, invoking their deity, Goshidai.[2] The festival also facilitates the search for potential marital partners, with announcements made at its conclusion by those successful in this quest.[2][3] Essential activities of the festival are song and dance, with women traditionally wearing new clothes, and community-wide dances welcoming the spring season.[2]

While the festival spans the three Kalasha Valleys, Bumburet Valley sees the most visitors due to its greater accessibility.[2] Over time, the festival has evolved in sync with shifts in Kalasha culture, as suggested by anthropological studies.[2] It has become a platform for the community to exhibit their culture to a wider audience, contributing to their economy by attracting tourists.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Chilam Joshi Festival starts on May 13 at Kalash Valley". Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nawaz, Muhammad Asif. "The Festival of Colours: Chilam Joshi". Youlin Magazine.
  3. ↑ Mumtaz, Nihal (23 July 2017). "Lets go to gathering (translated from Urdu)". Jahan Sunday Magazine.
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