Each year, from May 13 to 16, the Kalash people of Bumburet, Rumbur, and Birir valleys celebrate Chilam Joshi, a vibrant spring festival that marks the arrival of a new season and the renewal of life. The Kalash, a unique community of around 4,000 people living in Pakistan’s remote north, joyfully embraced the event. During the festival, the Kalash worship the spirits of nature and their polytheistic gods. In each ritual, people follow customs that have been practiced for centuries.

Chilam Joshi is a Kalash spring festival celebrating nature, love, and the renewal of life through centuries-old rituals.

Qazi Hateullah, a religious leader, said that before Chilam Joshi, they prayed for their fields, animals, and family. Dancing is a way to demonstrate our appreciation to our gods and forefathers. At the beginning of the festival, Kalash people poured milk they had saved for ten days to seek the gods’ blessing. Villagers place walnut leaves and wildflowers on goat stables near the newborn’s home as part of the blessing rituals. They also gifted the new mother dried mulberries and walnuts.

In the village, villagers participated in special rituals and finally performed the “Ghona” ceremony. Traditional drums reverberated in the air, while Kalasha men and women danced in circles, showing how united they were. Black robes, decked out with colorful beads and shiny cowrie shells, were worn with the typical headpieces having a floral design by the women. Men wore traditional shalwar kameez paired with handwoven woolen waistcoats.

Matchmaking was a special tradition present during the festival. People in the Kalasha culture dance together and, if they wish, select one another as partners. Finally, people chose their companions in front of the cheering citizens. According to Zainab Bibi, who lives here, love and freedom are essential aspects of our lives. We do not marry people from our clan but pick our spouse. Chilam Joshi is the time we celebrate love, freedom, and look ahead with hope,” she added.

Kalash women symbolize strength and independence, managing community disputes and pursuing education despite hardships.

In all aspects, Kalash women are considered a testament to strength, courage, and independence. Several women in the area, such as Sharia, Razia, and others, go beyond their assigned roles. Life may be tough, but we’ve learned to find joy in our traditions,” said Shahi Gul. Our husbands and the culture we have both let us handle our women’s conflicts and settle them. Education is becoming accessible in the valleys, where many girls can attend schools and universities. Still, infrastructure challenges remain. A shortage of electricity, poor roads, and a lack of medical amenities make daily life difficult.

Jan-e-Gul emphasized that hospitals are essential for women’s health in their village. “There’s only one maternity home. The patients in serious condition must visit Chitral from now on. Even though Kalash Valley is very appealing, its tourism sector has not kept up with progress. Although various improvements are visible during the festival due to the efforts of private tour companies and the Culture and Tourism Authority, poor roads and deficient services prevent many visitors from attending. Javed Iqbal, a visitor from Lahore, voiced his concerns about road conditions to the authorities.

The roads are so bad that it is challenging to drive on them. The place is gorgeous, though traveling is not easy. Nonetheless, every individual from Pakistan must visit it at least once. In his second visit after 18 years, Australian filmmaker Kropik acknowledged the new interest in Australia’s culture. Many Pakistanis are journeying to retrace their ancestral roots. That’s beautiful. This living heritage deserves not only recognition but also preservation on a global scale.

Kalash leaders urge government action to protect their living heritage, ensuring the culture thrives beyond symbolic gestures.

The unique traditions and cultures practiced by the Kalash people are precious to Pakistan’s diversity. However, the community is still at risk since progress is moving faster, and more people are converting to other religions. Locals urge the government to go beyond symbolic gestures.

A statement by Zurab Gul says it is essential to preserve the language, manage the building of schools and clinics, and encourage safe tourism. People from all around the world want to know what we are like. We don’t want our culture locked in museums. We want it to flourish in the real world,” said Zurab Gul. As the drums stop and summer takes over the valley, the Kalasha return to their farms and homes, hoping that the blessings they prayed for during Chilam Joshi will be granted and their story won’t be forgotten.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.