CHITRAL: The Uchal festival of Kalash people that simultaneously began in Bumburate and Rumber valleys on Wednesday will conclude on Friday in Bubmruate, which is held as a thanks-giving occasion for the harvesting of wheat and barley crops in the valleys.

The festival started with the ritual of Ucaw Bandek (announcement) in both the valleys in which the Kalash elders announced beginning of the festival, followed by distribution of fresh flowers symbolising purification from grief.

A portion of the fresh crop of wheat was separated in every household for consumption in the rituals to be held in the high pastures on the second day of the festival.

Emran Kabir of Bumburate valley told Dawn that on the second day of the festival, people carried the sacred wheat flour to high-altitude pastures for prayers and a communal feast, which they had separated on the first day.

Event marks harvesting of wheat and barley crops

He said that rituals of the second day are locally called Jajai Zhuk and on this day, the shepherds living in the high pastures returned to villages with fresh cheese and butter, some of which is offered at village altars.

“On the third day, each Kalasha village conducts prayers at their respective high altars (Dewa dur, Maha dew, Shinghun) and holy bread and cheese are distributed after sacrifices, which are eaten at the altars or shared with male guests.

On this day, celebrations begin after evening prayers (sual) and continue till dawn in which children celebrate with drumming and singing at sacred sites (Pragehen Tok, Wenaw Shay) while community gathers for music, dance, and prayers.

Shepherds rejoin their families, reinforcing social bonds and the festival embodies gratitude, hard work, and collective joy after the wheat harvest and the Ucaw sual prayer is held at dawn at Sajigor, the highest altar as last item of the festival”, he concluded.

Meanwhile, Kalash Valleys Development Authority (KVDA) has made elaborate arrangements to facilitate the Kalash community to perform their rituals with ease and providing maximum facilities to the tourists coming to the valleys on the occasion.

The director general of KVDA, Minhasuddin, told Dawn that after consultative meeting with the Kalash elders well before the commencement of the festival, his organisation has chalked out a comprehensive plan.

He said that after special cleanliness of the venues of festivals and the valley for which sanitary workers and community labours were hired while special repairs of the valley roads were carried out which were in dilapidated condition.

He said that the arrangement of parking and lighting was also made as per requirement in and around the places of festival where seating capacities were enhanced while tourist facilitation centers had been established in Dubazh, Krakal and Brune while local youth volunteers were hired to guide the tourists.

Mr Minhasuddin said that integrated command and control system has been put in place to coordinate the inputs of different departments of the government which will ensure coherence among their activities.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2025