Chitral traditional festivities to be revived with ‘Mulki Polo Tournament’

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Chitral's traditional festivities to be revived with ‘Mulki Polo Tournament’

CHITRAL: In an effort to revive the traditional festivals, Chitral will hold the centuries-old ‘Mulki Cup Polo Tournament’ in its historical form.

The tournament which had been discontinued since 1968, will now be held once again from 3rd to 13th May 2018 at the district’s iconic Polo Ground.

The decision was made by the local government in an attempt to preserve the culture of Chitral and breathe life into the traditional festivals of the region.

Aside from the Polo tournament, the celebration will feature a multitude of cultural events that include folk dances and songs, with Music of Reed Instruments featuring pure Chitrali sitar and pasture flute along with Khowar poetry, folklore and fairytales. The festivities will offer a variety of traditional cuisines along with ample other sports like volley ball, tug of war and archery.

After the conclusion of the Mulki Cup Polo Tournament, the Kalash Festival (Chilim Jusht) will be celebrated from 14th to 16th May 2018, along with Jashan-e-Chitral that will be participated by locals as well as international tourists.

Chitral District is known for its resonant and concrete cultural legacy that reflects starkly from the way of life of those that dwell in the region. The area’s valued cultural traditions were conserved and upheld by the rulers of the land, since the time it had been a princely state.

However, after the district joined the Federation of Pakistan in 1969, the culture, traditions and festivities had largely been neglected, up until 2002 when the District Administration in Chitral made efforts to restore them.

 

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Islamabad: The historic Qaqlasht festival in Chitral is one of the best places to experience the vibrant culture, music and traditional sporting prowess of the mountain communities of Pakistan’s Hindu Kush and Karakoram region.

This 2,000 years old festival is celebrated by the people of Chitral every April.

The four-day Qaqlasht festival (April 12-15), taking place 2,500 metres above sea level at a tourist resort near Booni, in Upper Chitral, attracts a large number of spectators.

This year the festival was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irshad Sudhar, along with famous artiste Dul Khan and noted sitar player Mir Wali.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of people, including tourists and students.

Speaking on the occasion, the deputy commissioner Irshad Sudhar said Chitral was a paradise for tourists.

“The scenic district is a treasure trove of culture, beauty and above all an exemplary peaceful environment for tourists to enjoy,” he said.

He invited national and international tourists to visit and enjoy the natural beauty of the lush green valleys, with snow-capped mountains and multi-hued landscapes, as well as the rich cultural heritage of the serene hills.

Photo: DC Chitral office

To encourage the youth to take part in healthy activities, Irshad personally kicked off the event with a rock climbing activity.

The festival includes different sports competitions including cricket, football, hockey, polo, table tennis, volley ball, archery, paragliding, zip lining, rock climbing, skeet shooting, marathon race and tug of war.

Also included are sports activities for the physically challenged persons.

The event featured traditional food stalls, cultural show, and music night which attracted many youngsters.

However, some locals complained that the festival should have been organised a few weeks later as the otherwise lush green meadow of Qaqlasht looked dusty at this time due to lack of rain.

Briefing the participants about the programmes and activities, Sultanul Mulk, chairman Jashan-e-Qaqlasht committee, said a grand music night would also be part of festival featuring traditional dances and chorus. It includes performance of reed music instrument (flute) and pure Chitrali sitar as well as folk dance ‘chong righishi’ and ‘tatali wawali’, and ‘mamashish.’

Mastuj Tehsil Nazim Fakhruddin also spoke on the occasion highlighting the importance of the festival.

‘Jashan-e-Qaqlasht’ (Festival of Qaqlasht) is a centuries old festival of the people of northern Chitral with a history of more than 2000 years. The festival of the indigenous mountain communities was revived in 2003 when Jashan-e-Chitral festival for celebrated after 27 years and Jashan-e-Qaqalsht after nearly 35 years.

The culture of the Pakistan’s communities in the mountains of Chitral gives the message of peace, friendship, hospitality and tolerance.

This year’s fiesta has been jointly organised by Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) and district administration Chitral while Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), Telenor, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, Tehsil municipal administration Mastuj sponsored the vibrant event.

 

[Valar.]

Amazing !

 

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