CHITRAL: The recent heavy snowfall in Chitral has provided the Kalash people with an opportunity to play their popular winter sport kregghaal (snow golf) in the Kalash valleys of Bumburate, Birir and Rumbur, which is played in a snow-covered field.

In this regard, an inaugural match was played in Aneezh village of Bumburate valley on Tuesday between the teams of married and unmarried youth of Kalash tribe.

Apart from the Kalash people, a good number of tourists witnessed the match, which was won by the bachelors with a margin of three goals.

A Kalash youth Khosh Wali of the winning team was declared as ‘Metar’ (king of the day) who slaughtered a bull and three goats to give a feast to the players as well as elites of the valleys in the evening.

After the match, the ‘king of the day’ was lifted on shoulders by the villagers amid singing and beating of drums to celebrate the victory.

The game is played in all the three Kalash valleys till melting of the snow.

An interesting feature of this winter game is that there is no specified number of players of a team and it is also not necessary that both the teams must have the same strength. However, the number of players of a team should not be over 100.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2020