CHITRAL: The Uchal festival of Kalash tribe concluded in Bumburate with the daybreak here on Saturday as those singing and dancing throughout the night in the Jastakkhan (dancing place) left for their homes.

Uchal is a thanks-giving festival celebrated in the Kalash valleys of Bumburate and Rumbur for the harvest of wheat and barley in the villages as well as the dairy products which they had obtained in the high pastures.

On the third and final of the festival, the merry-making continued in Rumbur valley from morning to afternoon in the central jastakhan while it resumed simultaneously in three different jastakhans of Krakal, Broon and Anizh soon after the sunset.

The day-time rituals of the festival were offering of prayers in each village of both the valleys in the altars known as Dewa dur, Maha dew, Shinghun. Also on the day, holy breads and cheese were distributed in the altars which were eaten there as those were not allowed to be brought to homes or given to women or children.

The shepherds started coming back to the villages with the cattle from the high altitude pastures to which they had ascended soon after the chilim jusht festival in the month of May.

The festival was attended by a large number of tourists including foreigners who had reached the valleys specially for attending the event of the primitive people after reading and hearing in the media about its fabulous charms.

A couple from France, Laurent and Alba, told Dawn in Krakal jastakhan that it was an unforgettable experience for them to be with the people who wielded a civilisation which was unparalleled in the world and today they were enjoying themselves by watching different rituals of one of their popular festivals.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025