Kalash Valley in Pakistan

Valley of Unique People of Kalash 

People of kalash are very beautiful and peaceful and they are living thier lives according to thier faith & culture.The culture of Kalash people is unique and differs completely from the various ethnic groups surrounding them. The Kalasha Valleys are valleys in Chitral District in northern Pakistan. The valleys are surrounded by the Hindu Kush mountain range. The inhabitants of the valley are the Kalash people, who have a unique culture, language and follow a form of ancient Hinduism and Kalash people are the smallest religious as well as the ethnic minority of Pakistan. Their customs and traditions are contradictory to the Islamic and Pakistani culture. The Kalash religion is polytheist faith and the people offer sacrifices to their gods. Their culture is interlinked with their religion and based upon numerous festivals and celebrations. People generally do not mix up with the local Muslims but neither are they hostile towards them. People are although under legal and constitutional protection of the State of Pakistan but face a serious threat from the Islamic Extremist militants in neighboring Afghanistan. As such, the Kalasha Valleys are a source of attraction for Pakistani as well as International tourists. There are three main valleys. The largest and most populous valley is Bumburet, Mumuret, reached by a road from Ayun in the Kunar Valley. Rumbur and Acholgah are side valleys north of Bumburet. The third valley, Biriu, Birir, is s side valley of the Kunar Valley south of Bumburet. They are polytheists and nature plays a highly significant and spiritual role in their daily life. As part of their spiritual tradition, sacrifices are offered and festivals held to give thanks for the abundant resources of their three valleys. Kalasha Desh, three Kalash valleys are made up of two distinct cultural areas, the valleys of Rumbur and Brumbret forming one and Birir valley the other, Birir valley being the most traditional of the two. Kalash mythology and folklore have been compared to that of ancient Greece, but they are much closer to Indo-Iranian traditions. This can be explained as Hellenic, Vedic traditions. Some of the Kalash people claim to be descendants of Alexander the Great's soldiers,however, extensive genetic testing has shown no connection.The Kalash have fascinated anthropologists due to their unique culture compared to the rest in that region, similar to the ancient Persians. The unique culture, simple lifestyle and beautiful valley attracted to local & foreign visitors. The Kalasha are a Dardic indigenous people residing in the Chitral District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. They speak the Kalasha language, from the Dardic family of the Indo-Aryan branch. They are reviewed unique among the peoples of Pakistan. They are also considered to be Pakistan's smallest religious community. They live together in small villages built on the hillsides near the banks of streams. Their houses are built of rough-hewn logs and are double storeyed because of the steepness of the slopes. Kalash are very lively people and are famous for their lively religious festivals called Chilimjusht.