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kalash Festival Phoo, Chitral

Posted in : Discover, Fairs / Festivals, KPK, Chitral

(added few years ago!)

Kalash region is home to Kalash people who live in three isolated mountain valleys of Chitral.

Nature plays a highly significant and spiritual role in their daily life. As part of their religious tradition, sacrifices are offered and festivals held to give thanks for the abundant resources of their three valleys.
Although festivals are held throughout the year but four of them are significant and mark special events to thank their gods for his blessing on harvest & good living. 
 
Phoo festival (End of September)
 
The festival is held only in Birir Valley to celebrate the grape & walnut harvest.
On a particular day, grapes are picked; this is an occasion for joy and merry making. The shepherds also start returning from high pastures before start of winter.
 
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Kalash Festival Uchal, Chitral

Posted in : Discover, Fairs / Festivals, KPK, Chitral

(added few years ago!)

Kalash region is home to Kalash people who live in three isolated mountain valleys of Chitral.

Nature plays a highly significant and spiritual role in their daily life. As part of their religious tradition, sacrifices are offered and festivals held to give thanks for the abundant resources of their three valleys.
Although festivals are held throughout the year but four of them are significant and mark special events to thank their gods for his blessing on harvest & good living.
 
Uchal festival (Month of August)
 
The festival is celebrated in Rumbur & Bumboret Valleys. 
It marks the harvest of wheat and barley and bringing down of cheese from the high summer pastures.
Young girls & boys dance on alternate days to safeguard the maize crop.
 
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(added few years ago!) / 2734 views

Sibi Mela, Balochistan

Posted in : Balochistan, Discover, Fairs / Festivals

(added few years ago!)

Sibi, Balochistan at a distance of 160 km south east of Quetta is the annual meeting place of Balochistan tribes since 15th century.

 
This annual meeting called Jirga is combined with a Festival (Mela) where thousands of Baloch Tribesmen gather along with their animals in mid February. The festival lasts for one week.
 
The main attractions of SIBI MELA are horse and cattle shows, folk dances, cultural shows, tent pegging, camel race and exhibitions of handicrafts, tribal dresses.
 
This Mela is also a market place where people trade animals. Thousands of best camels from the deserts are brought to the show and tended by colorful tribal people.
 
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Kalash Spring Festival Chilimjust, Chitral

Posted in : Discover, Fairs / Festivals, KPK, Chitral, Punjab, Lahore

(added few years ago!)

Kalash region is home to Kalash people who live in three isolated mountain valleys of Chitral.

Nature plays a highly significant and spiritual role in their daily life. As part of their religious tradition, sacrifices are offered and festivals held to give thanks for the abundant resources of their three valleys.
Although festivals are held throughout the year but four of them are significant and mark special events to thank their gods for his blessing on harvest & good living. 
 
Spring Festival “Joshi /Chilimjusht” (Middle of May)
 
It honors the fairies and also safeguards the goats and shepherds before they go to the pastures. 
Prior to start of festival, the female members decorate their houses. Inside the houses local wine and milk products are shared. The women then sprinkle milk on goddess “ Jestak “ the protector of their children and home. 
The festival begins at Rumbur where the Shaman (a kind of priest) and tribal chiefs lead a procession to the “ Malosh altar” , high above Grum, to sacrifice goats to the gods . Later the festival moves on to Bumboret and ends up at Birir a few days later.
Dancing and rhythmical chant to the beat of drum echoes in the valleys on every religious ceremony. The women wearing their traditional black robes, ornate cowries shelled head dresses and adorned with colored necklaces, dance in a circle. Then the men join in: it may be a man and a women or a man in the middle with a women on each side, lovers being free to intermingle. One hand is held round the waist of the partner and the other round the shoulders. Tribal chiefs in colorful dresses narrate stories of bygone days and events.
 
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Mela Chiraghan, Lahore

Posted in : Discover, Fairs / Festivals, Mela Chiraghan, Punjab, Lahore

(added few years ago!)

Mela Chiraghan is a major event in Lahore. It is called Festival of Lights. 

The event is a three day annual festival celebrated to mark the URS (death anniversary) of Punjabi Sufi Poet & Saint Shah Hussain 
The Urs is held at his shrine in Baghbanpura, adjacent to Shalimar Garden. The saint died in 1599 and is buried here along with his friend Madho Lal Hussain who converted to Islam from Hinduism.
Around half a million people from every corner of Pakistan and every religion come to attend and enjoy this colorful, cheerful and extravaganza event in Lahore. 
Cultural dances are performed; dervish dances, folklore singing to the drum beats along with qawwali are the main attractions. Shah Hussain’s kafi is recited by the faqirs.
Pilgrims sit by a bonfire where by doing so they believe their prayers will be answered and others come and toss candles into the bonfire hoping that their wishes will be granted. 
The devotees never let up extinguishing of this fire, a symbol of inner fire of the saint. It is kept on burning for 72 hours till the end of Urs. 
 
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Horse & Cattle Show

Posted in : Discover, Fairs / Festivals, Punjab, Lahore

(added few years ago!)

The agricultural centers of Pakistan e.g. Lahore, Sahiwal, Dera Ismail Khan & Sibi become alive for Horse & Cattle Shows which are held every year from February till March.

The National horse and cattle show in Lahore is held at the Fortress Stadium
These shows provide an opportunity to breeders to exhibit their stock and ex- change views and learn about cattle and horse breeding. 
In addition to that, folk dancing, camels and horse dancing displays, traditional music, military pipe bands give a colorful display. Tent-pegging competitions between different regions, cultural shows and handicraft exhibitions are also held.
 
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(added few years ago!) / 3877 views

Broghil Festival, Chitral

Posted in : Discover, Fairs / Festivals, KPK, Chitral

(added few years ago!)

The far off Broghil Valley in Wakhan Corridor of Chitral comes alive during Broghil Festival. The festival is held every year from 15th to 17th July. 

Shuwor Sheer (3690 m above sea level) is the festival venue. It is located at the junction of Chianter Glacier, the Zindikharam pass to Darkot and Yasin, the Kurambar pass down into Iskhumnan and the Darwaza pass into the Wakhan corridor.
 
Broghil Festival is famous for various events like wild mountain polo, Horse race on the wide pastures, Yak Polo and Yak race. The traditional sport Buz Kashi which is one of its kind in the World adds flavor to the 3 day event.
 
The Wakhi Sirikuli, Tajik & Kirghiz tribes who are scattered over the Broghil in Pakistan & Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan find this festival a wonderful opportunity to exchange pleasantries. It is an occasion where families meet, news shared and marriages formalized.
 
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Besakhi Festival, Hasan Abdaal

Posted in : Discover, Fairs / Festivals, Punjab, Hasan Abdaal

(added few years ago!)

Baisakhi Festival is held from 12th to 14th April at Panja Sahib Gurudawara in Hasanabdal near Taxila. 

 
This festival is of religious importance for Sikh Nation and is celebrated to commemorate the day on which they were given a clear identity and a code of conduct to live by.
 
Around 10,000 Sikh Yatrees from all over the world gather here where Gurdwara Purnja Sahib is located.
Besakhi is the 1st day of Sanskrit month of Besakh. The day is remembrance for Year 1699 when the 10th Guru of the Sikh religion initiating the first five people into the Khalsa (The Pure Ones).
 
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Wali Tangi, Quetta

Posted in : Balochistan, Quetta

(added few years ago!)

Wali Tangi is a beautiful gorge which lies in the North East of Quetta city, capital of Balochistan province.  It is known for beautiful sceneries and numerous small waterfalls formed by mountain springs and streams. 

This place remains cool even in the height of summer heat, so is very popular among visitors during hotter months. The place is ideal for casual day picnickers as well as serious campers and offers different spots suitable for many outdoor activities such as hiking, fly-fishing etc. A dam and many cold water streams along with greener trees give this valley a very picturesque look.

Wali Tangi can be reached through Urak valley from where a winding dirt track leads to this place. A pass is needed to reach the inner parts of the valley which could be obtained from garrison headquarter at Quetta cantonment as well as at the gate on the entrance of the valley.   

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(added few years ago!) / 7387 views

Aansoo Lake, Kaghan Valley

Posted in : Discover, Lakes / Dams / Barrages, KPK, Kaghan Valley

(added few years ago!)

Aansoo Lake is a high altitude lake in Kaghan valley (height 4245 meters). 

The name "Ansoo" comes from its tear-like shape meaning teardrop.
The lake is near Malka Parbat Mountain and can be reached by two different routes.
 The shorter one is via Lake Saif-ul Malook  (a 4 hours track). The second starts from village Mahandri, which is 40 km south to Naran. This trek takes at least three days of 12 hour trekking to reach Ansoo Lake.
There is no place to stay at Ansoo Lake. Some people may camp on the top of extremely cold and windy mountains but it is very risky and even the locals do not agree to recommend this.
 
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(added few years ago!) / 3223 views