CHITRAL: The Chitral valley has been enveloped in autumn colours of red, purple and orange, giving it a spectacular view and attracting tourists from across the country.

The apricot, mulberry and poplar trees have started shedding leaves, giving the valley a striking yellow look, while the Chinar trees wore a purple and red colour almost in every village of the valley.

Hotel owners told Dawn that after a break of two years, the autumn tourism had revived once again as a result of respite in the Covid-19 pandemic. They said most of the rooms of their hotels had been booked by tourists in advance, who would be reaching here by next week when the autumn colour phenomenon peaked in the central parts of Chitral, Garam Chashma, Booni, Sheshi Koh and Kalash valleys.

Din Mohammad, a taxi driver attached to one of the hotels in the city, said during the past two weeks he had been heavily engaged by the tourists, who had stopped coming here when the pandemic raged, rendering him jobless.

He said the pleasant weather this year had elongated the autumn colour.

The autumn season-related festivities are also in full swing in the villages as these have a special significance in the local culture. Most of the marriage ceremonies are also scheduled in this season amid festivals of Binisik and Gharikhomik.

The autumn season has found frequent description in the folklore, including poetry and songs, giving it a romantic touch, and in the local literature, the word ‘chanchhori’ (the falling foliage) has a special connotation.

Zakir Zakhmi, a local poet and writer, said the autumn season had its own fascinations for the local people, while women preferred to wear stitched yellow dresses to commensurate with the season.

He said most of the Khowar folk songs and folklores were replete with the description of autumn season, while the former rulers of Chitral organised festivals in different sub-valleys of Chitral to rejoice in the autumn colours.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2021