All you want to know about Chilam Joshi

07 May 2022
Muhammad Nofel
Domestic Tourism
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Chilam Joshi is an internationally famed festival where you will see waves of laughter, dance, merriment, and colors all at once. In this festival, the indigenous Kalasha people celebrate the beginnings of Spring and fertility in this festival. As you know it starts on 14th May and ends on 16th of May and takes place in three valleys - Bamburate, Birir, and Rumbur. Folks! This festival is all about spreading love, peace, and harmony among the Kalasha community which the tourists heartily cherish and appreciate (since it is quite rare in the modern world). So, you must be geared up to be a part of this harmonious culture!

(photo by https://www.apricottours.pk/tours/chilam-joshi-festival/)

Kailasha people start preparing for the event two months before. They visit the forests in search of flowers, adorn their houses, and make gatherings for preparations. So you may arrive days earlier to enjoy the process along with the celebrations and book your rooms on a first-come-first-served basis.

(photo by https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kalash_festival.jpg)

Kalasha people strongly believe in Gratitude so they pray for their coming times, their fields, animals, and their lives. The first day marks "Milk day" where Kailasha people wholeheartedly give the offerings of milk that they save ten days before the festival.

(photo by https://www.tourradar.com/t/204218)

The most beautiful view in Chilam Joshi is the sight of beautiful women in traditional attires. These women wear their traditional long black robes called Black Kafirs. These robes are embroidered with cowrie shells, colorful beads, and caps. You will see their laughs rising in the air and the way they dance to the beats of drums is just amazing. You'll feel the loyalty moving in their steps, gazes, and bodies.

(photo by https://tribune.com.pk/story/709300/ray-of-hope-kalash-spring-festival-ends-in-chitral)

The festival is a great source of happiness for young boys and girls. They get a chance to choose their partners for life. Isn't it charming to experience a festival uniting young people for the sake of love?

(photo by https://www.arabnews.pk/node/1346971/pakistan?page=1)

The last and the most exciting part of the festival is dance. You will see the kids, the young and the old dancing to the beat of drums and music. Kalasha festival is all about music, isn't it?