CHITRAL, Aug 21: A day-long Kalash festival known as Uchaw will be held in all three valleys of the Kalash tribe on Wednesday. The festival is essentially a thanksgiving ceremony in which people express gratitude to god for providing fruits, milk and grains.

A young Kalash, Wazirzada, told Dawn that there was an abundance of fruits and milk in the valley for which the Kalash paid thanks to god once in a year and prayed for the same for the next year.

The festival starts with a ceremony in Sajigore, a worship place, where milk products and fruits are distributed. Special thanksgiving rituals are observed and people then assemble at a dancing place called Natikayen where boys and girls sing and dance.