SOME ATTRACTIONS OF CHITRAL
In the Kalash culture Bashali or Bashalani which is also called as the women community home, enjoyed an important feature where the Kalash women spent nearly five days during the menstruation period and for three weeks on the delivery of the child.
Bashali is a simple ten to twelve feet long room with no furniture except one or two poles and heap of grass. In cold weather the ladies bring their own beds and other consumables. Strict vigilances are made and no outsider is allowed near, Bashali. There is a fireplace in the room where the menstruating women live. Old ladies help in the delivery of the pregnant. The pregnant women take out all her clothes for delivery and give birth to child nakedly. There is a statue of Dezalik in the room, which is a deity of Kalash who prayed for safe delivery. After staying at the Bashali, no women folk is allowed to go her house before cleaning herself at the nearby stream and changing the clothes.
Kalash people eat simple food. They like fruits very much. They often eat bread with apricots and grapes. During the festivals they spend open heartily. They use to eat milk and dairy product more in the festival. They love cow and goat meat. Cheese is put in a big mud pot and kept for along time and when it is rotten and smells bad than they like it. It is used for daily eating as well as for cure. The kalash women use ornament. They do not use gold in their ornament. They prefer red and white colors. Ogle is a necklace worn by almost every woman.
Dance and singing is part of Kalash culture. Dance and singing have brought Kalash in lime light of the international world. The Kalash are great lovers of music and singing and are infact called as music addicts. Dancing and singing is part of every body`s life. It seems that Kalash live to sing and dance, no matter it is an occasion of festivity or on the bereavement as well as prayer to their deities. Dancing enters greatly into the inner life of the Kafirs. It is a religion exercises a spectacular performance, and amusement.
It is necessary to describe also the occasion which gives rise to the exercise. Following are some of the major events that involve excercise:
- The dances of the jast to the gods.
- The dances to the illustrious dead (ancestor to hero worship).
- The homicides thanks giving dance to Gish.
- The woman’s dances to the gods while the men are raiding.
- The dances on the death of a Kafir.
- The dances in the celebration of the erection of effigies.
By Shahzadi.(38/10)
