Shoru festival in Ramboor attracts crowds

Shoro is the traditional festival and has been very famous among the Skeikh Khan tribes and Kalash tribes of Kalash valley in the past. It is celebrated in the autumn after the harvesting season. The festival was attended by Ms. Jam Shahi (newly-elected women councilor as chief guest) along with Mr. Shah Wali (District Forest Officer), Mr. Inayat, (newly-elected union council nazim), Mr Hussain Shah (Chairman Chitral Gol Community Development and Conservation Society) and a large number of local community of Kalash and Sheikh Khan tribes. The festival was attended by almost 2,000 local community members with enormous participation from the women of the area. Children also participated in the event and performed different role plays. During the day-long festival, different stalls were arranged consisting of local embroidery, arts and crafts items made by Kalashi female artisans. Traditional welcome to guests According to local traditions, a guest was welcomed by Kalashi females presenting local bread (Tiki) and traditionally embroidered neck bands. Traditional local welcome dance A traditional local dance was performed by Kalashi women to welcome the guests from outside of Rambor valley. This is a century old tradition in the Kalash communities. Potghal (traditional polo on feet) Unlike traditional & free style polo played in other parts of Chitral , in Kalash valley polo is not only played on horses but also played on feet by young boys .This is interesting in many ways because both teams have same goal post to defend .This polo is played for 40 minutes and both team run with ball in same direction having their separate ball and team which reaches to goal post with ball first and make goal is stand up as winner . Buz Kashi (Persian word for goat killing) Buz Kashi is considered as one of the most dangerous game played in the world. This game is equally popular in mountainous communities of Chitral, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Being migrated tribes from Afghanistan people of kalash valley widely play this sport. In the game of buzKashi,a goat is slaughtered first and .Both teams have to snatch slaughtered goat from each other and player, who snatches the goat has to complete round of marked circle and has to put goat in to ditch and the team which made three successful attempts is declared as winner and goat is awarded to winning team and winning team prepares a feast from the meat of this slaughtered goat. Traditional wrestling Traditional wrestling is one of the favorite sports of tribes especially young boys eager to participate in wrestling to show their physical strength and stamina because according to local tradition youth with strength is consider as good omen for family. Traditional archery Archery has been century’s old sport of local tribes’. In ancient times it was given shape of sport so that soldiers could keep them in practice and in case of battles with enemy they could mark enemy soldiersaccurately and precisely and in the practice could producenaturally talented archers. Other traditional Items presented · Kasy (Single-legged wrestling) · Shiwat(shot-put) · Mountain race · Night traditional music show · Singing · Tug of war · Storytelling · Ozal.]]>