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20.04.2025 update

Chawmos Festival – Chanja Rat: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

Chanja Rat is the day of the big bonfire to bid farewell to Balimain, and it can be considered the climax of the Chawmos Festival. Even people from other villages come to take part in the Tchattai ceremony from early morning.

Young girls all dressed up in the morning.
People visiting from other villages. The men will then head to Sajigor to perform the Tali Histik ritual.
The women who cannot participate in the ceremony chat in the square among themselves. They also partake in recreational singing and dancing.
The men head to Sajigor.

Tali Histik – Pray for the prosperity

Tali Histik is a ritual where people pray for the prosperity of the Kalash and for the birth of more boys. A willow tree branch—of which said tree luckily has many—is prepared for each male member of the family. It is said that the many small branches give the image of a family with many children. If there are 10 men in a given family, an additional branch is added to make a total of 11, at which point the male representative of the family throws the whole bundle. Among the number of men counted are the boys who just completed their passage rites the day before.

Willow branches prepared for the ritual
The men getting ready to throw the branches.
The willow branches are thrown all at once towards the altar.
On their return from Sajigor, the men made their way toward the square while forming a line with their hands on each other’s shoulders.

In the square, people chat and the Chawmos songs and dances continue. In the afternoon, they take a short break in preparation for the evening’s torches and bonfire.

Chanja Rat  – The big bonfire to bid farewell to Balimain

Finally, the climax of the Chawmos Festival, the great bonfire to bid farewell to Balemain, takes place. The actual experience of the chanja rat was truly a “ceremony of fire”, both fantastic and full of vitality.

After sunset, large pieces of wood for the bonfire are carried to the square.
The girls sing around the bonfire while waiting for the torches to be brought.
People carrying torches begin to descend from the village on the mountain.
People coming down the mountain carrying torches.
Groups of people merge, and the light of the torches grows stronger.
People carrying torches head for the square.
The fantastic sight of the Kalash holding torches.
When they arrive at the square, they throw the torches into the bonfire, fueling the fire and making it grow huge.
People singing and dancing around the fire.
For the Kalash people, Chawmos is the festival they enjoy most the whole year.
Chanja Rat: bidding farewell to Balimain.

Witnessing Chanja Rat that night proved to be a dreamlike experience for me. Seeing the Chawmos festival for yourself is a wonderful opportunity to deepen your understanding of Kalash traditions and faith.

 

Text: Mariko SAWADA

Photo: Mariko SAWADA & Jamil

Visit: Dec 2024, Kalash Valley – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

＊The information presented here is based on interviews with people in the area. Please note that the descriptions and explanations of the rituals may differ depending on the source.

 

＊Chawmos Festival – Kutram: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Shishao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Pushao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Chanja Rat: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊The Joshi Spring Festival: A Kalash Ritual

 

＊Contact us, Indus Caravan for more information or to make arrangements for visiting Kalash valley.

＊Please follow us on Youtube, Instagram & Facebook

 

Category : - Kalash Valley > ◆Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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09.04.2025 update

Chawmos Festival – Pushao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

The period of the Kalash Chawmos Festival known as “Ditch” is considered to be highly sacred. On the day of Pushao Adu, two sacrifices are performed: the first, called “Pushao Marat,” is a sacrifice to the gods done at Sajigor, and the second, “Istongas,” is a purification ritual for men. At the same time, a children’s rite of passage known as Goshnik is also performed.

At the guesthouse, the people were all abuzz with chatter. I heard them proclaiming that Balimain has arrived, and that the earthquake they’d had the previous night was actually the sound of Balimain’s arrival. They say that Balimain will stay to watch the sacrificial ceremony and the large bonfire at night, before moving on to the Bumburet Valley.

In the morning, all men in the valley wash their bodies and put on new clothes and shoes. The women wash all dishes and clean the house. After this, in addition to the existing rules about not touching Muslims, new rules are added until the sacred period is over. These rules state that no cleaning is to take place, that bread made before yesterday must not be eaten, and that bread must be made with new flour. Because of this, new dough was not available in time, so we had to have rice from Ayun for breakfast (which was very tasty).

Villagers singing and dancing from the early morning.

Pushao Marat – Sacrifice to God　

In the morning, the villagers gathered in the square to sing and dance, and at about 10:00 a.m., the large male goats selected from each family were taken to Sajigor. The men began to walk to Sajigor alongside the animals. Since women are not allowed to participate in the sacrificial ritual, this photo was taken by a Kalash man. While the ritual was happening, the women celebrated by singing and dancing.

Male goats for sacrifice go to Sajigor. The most magnificent male goat from each stable is chosen.
Upon arrival at Sadigor, preparations for the ritual begin.
A goat with fine horns like a markhor’s.
More than 30 male goats were sacrificed to the gods that day.
The altar of sacrifice.
The meat of the sacrificial goats is eaten especially during the sacred period and also used in a stew called Pushao Mos.

Goshnik – Rite of passage for children　

Goshnik is a rite of passage for children, after which the boy or girl becomes a member of Kalash and observes its commandments. The parents of the child who is to receive the rite prepare fruits and gifts for the uncle who performs the rite. The uncle offers a male goat as a present. The relatives gather for the celebration, and the parents serve fruit and wine. I also saw visiting relatives give money to children undergoing this rite.

An uncle performing the ceremony dresses his nephew in ceremonial garb.
Relatives receiving fruit, dried fruit, and wine from parents.
Two brothers who underwent the ceremony. Boys undergo the Goshnik ceremony twice, once between the ages of 3~5, and the second time between the ages of 5~8. Parents save money by having both brothers perform the ceremony at the same time. Incidentally, girls only have to undergo the Goshnik ceremony once.
Villagers travel around the houses singing and dancing, bringing blessings during the Goshnik ritual.
Villagers clap their hands and sing. The children respond by taking part in a ritual dance.

 Purush Istongas – Sacrifices for the Purification of Men

Sacrifices are performed on the roof of the goat stable. The blood of the sacrifice is sprinkled on the faces of the lined-up men in a purification ritual. The Istongas ritual is held in the evening. This photo was taken by a Kalash man.

The roof of the goat stable is purified and sacrifices are performed.
Blood is sprinkled.
A Kalash man who has now been purified.

The sacrificial goat will be dismembered here and become the meat that is eaten during this sacred period. On this day, I learned a great deal about the beliefs and lifestyle of Kalash, a place where the ritual of sacrifice is still alive.

 

Text: Mariko SAWADA

Photo: Mariko SAWADA & Jamil

Visit: Dec 2024, Kalash Valley – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

＊The information presented here is based on interviews with people in the area. Please note that the descriptions and explanations of the rituals may differ depending on the source.

 

＊Chawmos Festival – Kutram: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Shishao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Pushao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Chanja Rat: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊The Joshi Spring Festival: A Kalash Ritual

 

＊Contact us, Indus Caravan for more information or to make arrangements for visiting Kalash valley.

＊Please follow us on Youtube, Instagram & Facebook

Category : - Kalash Valley > ◆Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Tag : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
14.03.2025 update

Chawmos Festival – Shishao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

The ceremony to welcome the god Balimain of Kalash had finally begun. The following is a report on the women’s purification day known as “Shishao Adu.”

The day before Shishao Adu is a day for preparing the stone slab with which the Shishao, the bread for the women’s purification ceremony, will be made. The men go into the mountains to look for suitable stone slabs and leave them in a safe place, so that the women don’t touch them until they are ready to use. Meanwhile, the women prepare the flour used to make Shishao.

A man carrying the stone slab to be used in the making of Shishao.

On the morning of Shishao Adu, women gather on the riverbank to prepare for the purification. They bathe in the hut and wash their hair. After this, they cannot bathe until the sacred period is over.

Girls making themselves ready.

Shishao Adu is a day of purification for women. After this day, no newcomers are allowed to enter the Rumbur Valley. No exception is made for foreigners, nor for Muslims living in the valley—they are likewise not allowed to enter the village of Kalash. The female Kalash relatives who come from Bumburet to celebrate the children’s rite of passage known as “Goshnik” must also undergo this purification. We foreigners were also purified. When I walked around the village, people asked me if I had showered, and if I was wearing new clothes. They believe that if anyone who does not follow the regulations of the Kalash religion is in the valley, it will bring them misfortune.

Shishao making begins at the Temple.

A man kneads purified dough to be used for the making of Shishao. The men’s hands are purified, and they are not allowed to touch anything other than the ingredients for Shishao—including themselves.

Using stone slabs and stones from the mountains, the men crush the walnuts which will act as filling for the bread.

Men are required to bake five Shishao for each female member of the family, and in families with many female members, baking Shishao can start even in the early morning.

The women’s purification ritual, Shishao Suchek, had begun. The women prepared new clothes, and some of the girls were dressed up almost as much as they are during the spring Joshi festival.

First, one must purify their hands with water.
Five pieces of “Shishao” (walnut bread) are handed out.
The women are purified with smoke from a flaming juniper branch.

A woman with a very innovative headdress. She said her mother made it for her.

A traditional-style headdress known as a Kupas. Its colors are very modern. The traditional materials and colors that are typically shown in books are nowhere to be seen these days. It seems that Kalash women are always chasing the latest fashions.

The Shishao Suchek ritual at Temple Jestak Han had finally begun. Notably, it can also take place outside, in the open air.

Female members of the family gathering at the temple.
A girl receiving purification.
The female purification ritual, Shishao Suchek.

After this purification, the woman must remain pure for seven days. This involves a serious of strict rules, such as not touching Muslims, not eating chicken, eggs, cow’s milk & dairy products, honey, and so on.

Getting the opportunity to see these people live their lives and practice their faith was truly a beautiful sight.

 

Text & Photo: Mariko SAWADA

Visit: Dec 2024, Kalash Valley – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

＊The information presented here is based on interviews with people in the area. Please note that the descriptions and explanations of the rituals may differ depending on the source.

 

＊Chawmos Festival – Kutram: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Shishao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Pushao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Chanja Rat: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊The Joshi Spring Festival: A Kalash Ritual

 

＊Contact us, Indus Caravan for more information or to make arrangements for visiting Kalash valley.

＊Please follow us on Youtube, Instagram & Facebook

Category : - Kalash Valley > ◆Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Tag : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
27.02.2025 update

Chawmos Festival – Kutram: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

It is early December in the Kalash Valley. The harvests have all been completed and the livestock have come down from the mountains. The ceremony to welcome the God Balimain of Kalash has begun. It includes rites of passage, purification, and sacrifice—all culminating in a farewell to Balimain, complete with torches and a large bonfire. The following is a report on a trip that brought me into contact with the rituals of a deep faith that continues to thrive in the modern age.

During the sacred period of Chawmos, Muslims are not allowed to enter the valley. Since neither staff nor drivers from Islamabad could enter the valley, Kalash staff came to Ayun to pick me up.

In the village of Kalash, a lot of laundry was hung out to dry to ensure people can wear new clothes during the sacred period. Before the purification ritual, one must take a bath and put on new clothes.

Sharabira displayed in a house

I made it just in time to be able to observe the Sharabirayak ritual in the Bumburet Valley. The word “Shara” means markhor and the word “Bira” means male goat. After the women bake walnut bread with cheese to be distributed the next day, the men knead dough, which they shape in the form of either markhor or male goats. These statues are then baked in a fireplace. This ritual is called Kutram.

Sharabira making takes place at night. When I visited, there was no electricity in the valley, and I was able to glimpse the beautiful sight of a woman baking walnut bread by the light of a stove fire.

Afterward, the purified man kneads purified dough and begins to sculpt animal shapes.

He proceeded to bake them on the stove.

The completed sharabira on display

The ritual of Kutram is performed in each household as well as in the temple of the goddess Jestak. The wheat collected from each family is used to make a Shara (markhor) at the Jestak Han temple. At night, the men gather to make Sharabira and spend the night painting on the walls and drinking until early in the morning. At around 4:00 a.m., they make a “tchich tchich” sound—intended to resemble the call made when chasing goats—urging the Sharabira to go to a place called “Dezelawat.” The people of Kalash believe that the souls of the Sharabira go to Dezelawat, which is located near the Afghan border.

A drawing of Sharabira on the wall of the Jestak Han temple. Three Shara (markhor) are placed by the altar.

The drawings on the walls of the temple are painted with charcoal made from burning walnut bark prepared by the women.

A painting from Kutram in 2024

For those unfamiliar with the markhor, it is the national animal of Pakistan and is known to be extremely valuable for trophy hunting. In the 2024-25 winter hunting season, permission to hunt three Kashmir markhor was given, and each was auctioned off for between $231,000 and $271,000. It is said that 80% of the income from trophy hunting is returned to the local community, and in order to increase the number of trophies, conservation is carried out. Though this initiative has led to the number of markhor increasing, as someone who loves animals, I feel rather conflicted about this.

Kashimir markhor (Toshi Shasha game reserve)

The markhor is a highly sacred animal to the people of Kalash. They can be seen in Chitral Gol National Park and nearby game reserves. Males with large horns are usually found at higher elevations in the mountains, but during the winter breeding season they come down to lower elevations, making it possible to observe them. The variant in this region is a subspecies, and is known as the Kashmir markhor.

 

Text & Photo: Mariko SAWADA

Visit: Dec 2024, Kalash Valley, Toshi Shasha – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

＊The information presented here is based on interviews with people in the area. Please note that the descriptions and explanations of the rituals may differ depending on the source.

 

＊Chawmos Festival – Kutram: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Shishao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Pushao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊Chawmos Festival – Chanja Rat: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day

＊The Joshi Spring Festival: A Kalash Ritual

 

＊Contact us, Indus Caravan for more information or to make arrangements for visiting Kalash valley.

＊Please follow us on Youtube, Instagram & Facebook

Category : - Kalash Valley > ◆Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Tag : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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