Kalash winter festival continues to attract tourists

CHITRAL: Domestic and foreign tourists thronged the Kalash valley to enjoy the mega winter festival - Chawmoss or Chitirmas.

Officials of the district administration said on Wednesday that local and foreign tourists had come to the valley in large numbers to see and enjoy the unique culture, traditions and religious rites of the Kalash people.

The festival began on December 7 and will continue till the 22nd of the current month, the phase of bonfire competitions in the Chawmoss festival was completed in which a number of children participated.

The children gathered at their sacred place, collected twigs and branches of pine trees and made a bonfire to show skills in making high flames and smoke.

Making high flames and smoke is meant to welcome peace, prosperity, minerals, green grass and love among the people of the indigenous tribe in the ensuing winter and spring seasons.

The children while holding green leaves and branches of trees also sang songs and performed a chorus to enjoy the festival.

The provincial government is providing fool-proof security, lighting and transportation to the tourists and local residents so they could celebrate the event in a befitting manner.

The Kalash winter festival “Chawmoss” is the biggest festival of the year. As winter starts around mid-December, the Chawmoss festival begins.

The festival is celebrated for the divine, the living and dead relatives, crops and the goats to be safeguarded, while the community, the village and the valley are purified prior to the coming year. Sighting a fox is a

good omen and great

efforts are made in this regard.

At dusk, torch-lit processions are taken out from all the nearby villages. The processions then culminate at the “Charsue”, which is the main customary dancing place.

Most of the festivities are indoors where the local wine is handed around as the dance gathers momentum. It is carried out till late in the night around the bonfire.