PESHAWAR: The Chilim Jusht festival kicked off in Bumburet valley of Kalash on Monday with its first ritual of ‘chirik pipi’, milk distribution by shepherds to welcome the spring.

According to a press release issued by the Chitral Deputy Commissioner Irshad Sodhar here on Monday, he had inducted a ‘Hospitality Platoon’ in Chitral Levies to facilitate tourists. He said for the first time women Levies staff had been deputed for the event to facilitate families.

The release said the local administration was committed to celebrating the event with great pomp and show.

The deputy commissioner also invited media personnel to cover the event so that a positive image of the district and its people could be projected to the world. He said this would help in promotion of tourism industry and attraction of foreign and national tourists to Chitral.

The Joshi festival is the spring festival that lasts for four days. The festival honors the fairies that safeguard the goats and shepherds before they go to the pastures. Before the festival the women and girls gather from all over the valley and decorate their houses. Inside the houses local wine and milk products are shared. The women then sprinkle milk on goddess ‘Jestak’, the protector of their children and home.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2018