Chilam Joshi is the most vivid moment of the Kalasha year. For four days in mid-May, the villages of Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir fill with drumming, circle dances and the deep, resonant voices of the community singing in Kalasha-mun.
Every May the Kalash valleys burst into song and dance for Chilam Joshi a festival of spring, love and renewal.
A festival of spring
Chilam Joshi celebrates the arrival of spring, the safe return of shepherds from the winter pastures and the blessing of newborns and livestock. Milk is offered at the altars of the ancestors and to the mountain gods.
Music, dance and courtship
Circles of women in bright embroidered robes and cowrie headdresses move slowly, hand in hand, while men beat large drums and sing in call-and-response. It is also a traditional time for young Kalasha to declare love and, sometimes, to elope.
Visiting with respect
Travellers are welcome to watch and photograph, but always with permission. Dress modestly, ask before entering sacred spaces and follow the guidance of your local host the festival is a living rite, not a show.
"You do not just watch Chilam Joshi you feel it in the ground under your feet."
Written by
Emily
Travel writer, Kalash Tours