CHILIMJUSHT: A Spring Festival Of Kalash People

There are many festivals according to the long-term traditions of the people, found everywhere in the world. Some of them are still strange to the modern mind due to being very ancient and natural. These all depend on the people, place and on the environment.

If we think about the strangeness of these festivals, the festival �Chilim Jusht� of the people Kalash of Chitral is one of them. The festival inherited it�s wonders from the life style of Kalash people.

Historically, Kalash are the decedents of the five soldiers from the legion of the Alexander of Macedonia, who settled here in 331 B.C, and were pro-genitors of this tribe. Kalash people live in three narrow valleys of Bomburait, Birir and Rombur about 40 km to the southwest from Chitral town.

Though, Kalash celebrate many festivals in a year yet �Chilimjusht� is a majestic one of them. It is celebrated on 12th to 15th May, and is called spring festival. Because this time spring season in the valleys is on its peak, the girls pick flowers and the people begin to shift their cattle�s to the summer grasslands.
Strangely, the people pre-planned for the festival by storing milk and local wine. The use of milk is considered prohibited till the start of the festival. Then with the start of the festival people prepare many delicious foods made of milk, meat and other things and exchange to each other�s. They visit each other�s feasting and drinking.
The most interesting thing in the festival is a music show in which both men and women participate and perform a commemorative dance. Then the goat sacrifice is carried out in the Malush (a sacred place the tribe )

Every year a large number of tourists, lovers of natures and anthropologists come to the valleys to participate the festival.

And thus, people from all walks of life from different part of the world are seen in this occasion in the valleys of Kalash. Most of the foreigners become� greatly inspired of the strangeness of the festival. So, they spend their precious time in these valleys by doing various types of developmental and research works. Infect all these are the result of the natural beauties that are found here in the valleys of Kalash, attract them to be inclined to come again. The festival Chilimjusht is also part of these natural beauties.

We wish the festival Chilimjusht always be held in its majestic style.

Zahoor Ahmed
Chitral