CHITRAL: The three-day Uchal festival of the Kalash people concluded in the Bumburate and Rumber valleys on Saturday.
The festival celebrates the successful harvest of wheat and barley and is a key cultural event for the Kalash community.
The festivities began on Wednesday with the Ucaw Bandek ritual, where elders formally announced the start of the festival and distributed fresh flowers to symbolize purification. Portions of freshly harvested wheat were set aside in households for use in the second day’s rituals.
Thursday, known as Jajai Zhuk, involved carrying sacred wheat flour to high-altitude pastures for prayers and communal feasting. Shepherds returned from the mountains with fresh cheese and butter, some of which were offered at village altars.
The final day featured prayer ceremonies at high altars in villages such as Dewa Dur, Maha Dew, and Shinghun, including sacrifices and distribution of holy bread and cheese among male guests.
The festival concluded on a festive note, highlighting the Kalash community’s rich traditions and agricultural heritage.
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