The Chilim Jusht Festival is celebrated by the Kalash people residing in the valleys of Birir, Rumbur and Bumburate in Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The four day festival is the Kalash way of welcoming the spring season.
The beautiful valley of Chitral is at its best during the month of May. The arrival of spring and the weather conditions make the valley an ideal place to visit during the festival that’s why you can see a lot of tourists in Chitral at this time of the year.
The Kalash are extremely hospitable people and welcome the visitors with open arms. They are cheerful, generous and ancient people who love to celebrate their cultures and traditions to its fullest. They are known for their for their dance and music festivals.
The Chilim Jusht Festival starts in on 13th of May. The locals begin preparing for the festival by making new clothes, renovating and repairing their houses and buying new utensils to replace the old ones. Singing, dancing and feasting are part of the festival.
Milk and honey is distributed among the participants from every house in the village. A mass wedding ceremony is the main feature of the festival. This ceremony is attended by the whole tribe. People pray for the safety of their fields and animals.
The festival begins at Rumbur; from there it moves on to Bumburate. The festival ends at Birir after four days. The festival concludes with the dance performed by the women in their traditional costumes.
While enjoying the gaieties of the festival, you can also check out the local handicrafts and the food and participate in the regional sports. Hiking and sightseeing are the other things you can do or you can simply lay back and enjoy the abundant beauty around you.
