Festival in Pakistan | Uchal festival

The Kalash tribe is known to have origins from Tsiam, but no one is really certain. They are most likely have roots from Indo-Aryans (2000 BC) tribe. Some people believe that they are the children of Alexander the great soldiers. Book Uchal festival tours from Pakistan.

Kalash Tribe:

The Kalash tribe resides among the Birir, Rumbur, and Bumburet valleys in the Chitral area of Pakistan. The Kalash tribe is known to be the only minority non-Muslims residing for miles. They are known to be a little shy but usually are very welcoming to people who wish to seek knowledge of the Kalash tribe and their way of life.

The Kalash tribe comprising 3500 people, resides in unique wood and stone houses that are constructed on steep mountain hillsides. Their house roofs are upon one another as one roof is another person’s home.

Kalash Tribe Livelihood:

The Kalash tribe makes their livelihood by goat herding and growing crops like wheat and lentils. Their lifestyle is very traditional, and there is proper division between work for women and men. Cattle or sheep herding and crop harvest are their main area of livelihood along with the occasional festivals events.

The Kalash women usually go to their Bashaleni house during their childbearing period and during periods of women menstruating. The Kalash tribe people handle many societal aspects to be either segregated or communal, and marriages among the tribe are usually done by mutual arrangement.

Kalash Tribe Celebrations and Beliefs:

The Kalash tribe people are quite popular worldwide due to their unique dress style and amazing festivals. The Kalash people are known to have a unique style when it comes to dressing. There is also a unique tradition of dancing around the Kalash elders while they sing folk songs and tell stories about their cultural legends.

The Kalash tribe women dance to the beat of drums among open places as they are served local wine in large quantities. The festivals of Kalash are celebrated on certain fixed dates according to their people's harvests.

Kalash tribe’s summer festival (Uchal) offers an amazing and unique cultural experience to be viewed among the Hindukush mountains. The cultural festival's importance has been recognized by UNESCO and has been listed as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” in the year 2018 during UNESCO 13th session of the Intergovernmental committee held in at Mauritius.

Kalash Tribe Unique Rituals The Kalash people’s unique customs, are known to have similarities with some of the ancient cultures of Greek as they claim that they are descendants of the old Greek people, but up until now, there has been little evidence to prove their claim.

The Kalash tribe people’s special way of clothing, special jewelry, unique ways of creating wine, and unique architecture do show some resemblance to the old Greek culture. They even have different Greek words included in their customs, special language, and culture.

Kalash People Tribe The Happiest Community Kalash tribes are known as one of the happiest living communities around the world, known for their unique dances, content, cheerfulness, peacefulness, and enjoying simple life while expressing and showing gratitude.

Kalash People Tribe Beliefs The Kalash tribe people worship various gods like Balomain, the demi god of Kalash tribe Balomain spirit of Kafiristan. The Kalash tribe people believe that Balomain’s spirit will return to them and pass in the valley to take them back to Tsiam(mystical Kalash land).

The Kalash tribe people believe that they reside in the Kalash paradise(heaven) and therefore are content with their given food and resources, which are plenty for their families and children. The Kalash tribe people are not money-oriented or greedy; their first priority is love and peace for all.

The Kalash tribe people have unique faith toward’s pureness of things and believe in the purity of the soul so they do not get involved in any kinds of harmful acts and enjoy their unique traditions because they believe those who embrace peace are pure heavenly souls.

The Kalash tribe people enjoy most of their events either individually or with their people groups. Their tribe's social structure is arranged in such a way that it promotes respect, tolerance, love, peace, and happiness towards all.

Kalash Tribe’s Uchal Festival :

The Kalash tribe celebrates various festivals throughout the year, like Uchal (Summer festival), Choimus (Winter festival), and Chilam Joshi (Spring festival). The Uchal summer festival is starting from the 20th Aug 2022 to 22nd August 2022.

Purpose of Uchal Festival:

The Kalash tribe Uchal (Thanksgiving) festival is celebrated to pay homage to the almighty for giving them blessful crops season, and abundant food. The Kalash tribe people make special items to celebrate and rejoice in their Uchal festival, like preparing special foods, cheese, buttermilk, wine, corn, and cornbread.

Kalash Uchal Festival Traditions:

The tradition of the Kalash tribe, Uchal festival is to celebrate their annual harvesting season accompanied by dancing, singing, and giving homage and tribute to nature for blessing their tribe with good wheat and barley harvest every year in August.

Uchal Festival Traditional Dances:

The Kalash tribe people are known for their love of music and like to dance to the various drum beats. Women of Kalash tribe dance in unique circle groups among various local folk songs while the elders sing and chant stories of their local legends.

The Kalash tribe people celebrate the Uchal festival to thank their creator, and dancing shows that the people are grateful and thankful to their creator. The dancing of the Kalash tribe takes place among a crowd of people gathered along a bonfire where they sing various songs along with the beating of drums.

Uchal Festival Ceremony:

The Kalash tribe girls wear special dresses for the Uchal festival, which are made with beads, coins, and cowry shells, along with special headwear and hair braiding. The girls present their special dressing for the occasion to their uncles.

The girls of the Kalash tribe adore special jewelry for the Uchal festival, which includes necklaces that are created from apricot kernels and are a unique traditional item. The Kalash tribe girls are expected to get suitable husbands during most Kalash festivals.

Uchal Festival’s Beliefs:

During the Kalash tribe, Uchal festival purity is highly important and celibacy is forced so that all people attending the event have pure minds when their ancient Balomain visits. All Kalash tribe people must ensure cleanliness by taking the ritual bath a week before the main festival.

During their unique purification ceremony, the Kalash men are not allowed to sit for the entire day, and the special scarified goat blood is applied on their faces at night. The Kalash men are provided special bread that is specially baked and prepared for them that they must consume during their purification time period.

The Kalash people tribe carry out their dances in special dance halls that are designated for the event, decorated with unique goat-type figurines and wooden pillars. The Kalash tribe’s music and dances are unique performances set among songs like the Cha or various simple clapping songs that the tribe’s elders sing.