Chilimjusht festival kicks off in Kalash valleys

CHITRAL: The Chilimjusht festival kicked off simultaneously at the scenic Bumburet, Birir and Rumbur valleys in Chitral on Monday.

The festival, which is also called Chilim Joshi, is a spring festival that is held every year in Kalash valleys. The festival will continue for three days.The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) has established a tent village for the tourists. The arrangements have been made to facilitate the tourists and the visitors did not face any difficulties.

The festival started with ‘Milkday’ on which Kalasha people offers milk that had been saved for 10 days prior to the occasion.The festival is the most important event of the Kalasha people as it signifies the end of chilling cold in the mountainous region and the people celebrate the arrival of spring and summer seasons.

The Kalasha people make arrangements for taking their herds for the summer pastures.Small kids wear new clothes and they are baptized. The ceremony of baptism of kids is called Pich Injek while a young man sprinkle milk on the newborns and their mothers.

A number of foreign tourists including French, Italian and Australian families have already arrived Chitral to enjoy Chilimjusht.The French, Italian and Australian tourist families stayed in Chitral for several days to enjoy the local culture, traditions, tourist attractions and festival in the scenic valleys of the district.

A group of motorcyclists is also in Chitral to participate in the adventure tourism activities during the Chilimjusht festival.The local Tourist Information Centre (TIC) staff members are cooperating with the foreign tourists and they are briefed on the culture, traditions, tourist attractions, religious rites, particularly the Chilimjusht festival.

The tourists were informed that this year the local people were very enthusiastic and were impatiently waiting for the festival to celebrate it in a befitting manner. They launched a cleanliness campaign well before the commencement of the event.

The tourists evinced a keen interest in the local culture and traditions.The people of Kalash celebrate the festival while dancing to the traditional music and drumbeats.They thank god Goshidai as they believe it protects their herds during spring and summer seasons.