The winter solstice Kalash festival–Chitirmas or Chaumos was concluded after continuation from December 17 to 21. Grand ceremonies were undertaken in three of the Kalash villages in the first night by organizing the torch bearing procession, where a greater Kalash population participated and which culminated in their respective Jastakhan in Birir, Bumborate and Rumbor valleys. Both […]
The First Snowfall and Global Warming in the Hindu Kush
The scene of the first snowfall of the year in the Booni village, northern Chitral, the Hindu Kush region, which gets much snowfall as compared to the southern hemisphere. Sometimes the snowstorm damages road infrastructure, bridges, electricity transmission system. It is worth mentioning here that the prospect of global warming has had its visible impacts […]
Football–the popular sport of Chitral
Football—after the free style polo—is another famous sports amongst the people of Chitral. In mega cultural and sporting events like Jashan-e-Chitral and Jashan-e-Qaqlasht, as many as 50 soccer teams participate. At present the sport is gaining rapid popularity amongst the young generation of the Chitral. The reason perhaps is that through dish antennas they have access to watch international […]
Free Style Polo-the Threatened Culture Heritage of Chitral
Free style polo is an important component of Chitral’s cultural heritage. It is outrightly free style and the only rule of the sport is that there is no rule at all. In the local Khowar language the sport is said to be‘ve ghongoro zhan’ or ‘a battle without sword.’ The sport has great popularity amongst […]
Booni–a growing tourist destination in Northern Chitral
Booni is a growing destination for tourists. The village has cool orchards, fruitladen-trees of apricot, mulberry, apple and pears besides the peaceful, friendly and hospitable people.
Chitral, the hidden paradise for tourists
Tourism has enormous potential in Chitral, northern Pakistan given the rich Kalash and Khow culture of the region, particularly after the opnening of the Lowari tunnel which will provide all-weather route to the visitors who came to the region for 6 months in summer. But now more tourists will be diverted to the region by […]