Kalash tribe celebrates Chaumos Festival across Chitral valleys

Traditional rituals draw locals and tourists, as Tourism Police ensure safe access to Kalash Valley

CHITRAL:

The religious festival of the Kalash tribe, Chitermas (Chaumos), is currently underway in the Kalash Valley, drawing both locals and tourists to one of the region’s most significant cultural celebrations.

The festival is being observed across all three Kalash valleys—Rumbur, Bumburet, and Birir—where community members are performing a series of traditional religious rituals that mark the arrival of winter. Among the key rituals held during the celebrations is Shara Berak, an important ceremonial practice central to the Chaumos festival.

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Chaumos is celebrated as a symbol of joy, peace, and renewal during the winter season, and also marks the arrival of the Kalash New Year. As part of the festivities, bonfires are lit, adding to the historic and cultural significance of the event.

To facilitate visitors, Tourism Police personnel have been deployed along the Lowari Tunnel and on routes leading to the Kalash Valley, where they are providing assistance and ensuring the safety and convenience of tourists. Authorities have advised visitors to seek information and guidance prior to travel by contacting the Tourism Helpline 1422.

Organised under the supervision of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Archaeology and Museums, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the festival highlights the rich cultural heritage of the Kalash community and continues to attract attention as one of Pakistan’s most distinctive indigenous celebrations.