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CHITRAL: The Kalasha “Chilim Jusht Festival 2018” concluded today at Bumburate with mesmerizing traditional music and dance.
The three-day festival to welcome spring season was celebrated in Bumburate, Birir and Rumbur valleys of Chitral District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
The tourists were captivated by Kalasha people bedecked in their traditional dresses, dancing to the beat of the drum. At the final ceremony, elders narrated stories and legends about the tribe. This was followed by another traditional dance.
Foreign tourists from various countries – including France, Italy and Austria – participated in the festival. For the first time, the event was open to media and a large number of journalists also participated in the festival. A group of 60 journalists and columnists of Pakistan Federation of Columnists joined the festival on the invitation of Deputy Commissioner Chitral.
Students from universities across Pakistan and people belonging to civil society also visited the valley to partake in Chilam Jusht Festival 2018.
Narjis Kazimi, Anchor-person of Radio Pakistan from Islamabad, said that she thoroughly enjoyed her time in Kalash. “This was a memorable and sensational trip,” she said. “The Kalasha are loving and peaceful. After this trip, I will definitely recommend my listeners to visit the charismatic Kalash Valley,” added Narjis. “We must preserve this civilisation rather than turn a blind eye to it.”
Deputy Commissioner Chitral Irshad Sodhar also paid a surprise visit to the camping sites late night to inquire about the issues. The tourists were jubilant to have Deputy Commissioner Chitral among them.
As the festival concluded Deputy Commissioner Chitral Volunteer Task Force, officials of TMA Chitral began the mass cleanliness campaign and dustbins were also been installed for Solid Waste Management in the valleys to ensure cleanliness was maintained during the festivity.
On the last day of the festival, Deputy Commissioner Chitral Irshad Sodhar also distributed free food for entire Kalash valley.
Wazir Zada from Rumbur valley said that “this happened for the first time in the history of Kalasha that Administration arranged a grand feast in the festival.” He expressed his gratitude to the DC Chitral for such hospitality.
“This year the traffic management was smooth and smartly managed by the authorities,” said a local tourist.