CHITRAL: Residents of the Chitral Valley have voiced a collective nostalgia and genuine concern over the steady disappearance of cherished autumn traditions that once defined the rhythm of their community life.
Speaking at a seminar on “The Waning Traditions and Customs of Chitral” held at the press club on Sunday, local intellectuals and writers of folk heritage said that, with the passage of time, the encroachments of modernity were dissolving cultural practices that served as the social glue binding villagers together for generations.
They pointed out that the departure of social cohesion and the weakening of social bonds among the people, along with social upheaval and unrest in society, were the corollaries of the loss of socio-cultural events, most of which related to the autumn season.
They said that autumn in Chitral was more than a season; it was a vibrant tapestry of community festivals and essential ceremonies—a period of shared labour and exuberant merrymaking.
Call for Reviving These Vital Customs That Once Defined Community Life
The seasonal calendar was marked by significant events that fostered unity and celebrated the cycle of life and agriculture. The flurry of activities brought community members closer to each other, they said.
Historically, the season kicked off with the symbolic bringing down of cattle from the high-altitude pastures, known as Ghari Khomik in mid-October, a thanksgiving event for the abundance of milk and milk products.
This was closely followed by ceremonies surrounding the crucial cultivation of wheat, vital for the valley’s sustenance, locally called bi-nisik, when the eldest man of a small village formally threw a handful of wheat grains into the field before ploughing began, the speakers said.
They added that a locally prepared sweet dish based on milk was distributed among villagers, and it was during these activities that villagers fully cooperated with each other in farming tasks collectively.
The speakers further explained that one of the most significant social events was the mass circumcision of baby boys, an occasion of immense communal pride and festivity, where families shared joy and support when festivities were held simultaneously in many households.
The annual visit of the metal smith to villages, for sharpening household tools and agricultural gadgets, became a week-long communal event, with a temporary forge (workshop) established by the community.
The speakers noted that most marriages were also scheduled for this specific period, which added colour to the autumn season. Villagers used to be free from farming activities, which they performed manually, as tractors and other farming machinery had not yet been introduced.
The intellectuals and writers said that such occasions provided essential opportunities for interaction, reinforcing social bonds through shared work, traditional music, dance, and communal feasts.
Today, the sentiment among elders is one of profound loss, as modern times have streamlined processes and altered lifestyles, leading to the abandonment of these time-honoured rituals.
“We have lost a part of our soul,” lamented an elderly resident of a remote village, reflecting on the silence that now fills the autumn air where laughter and music once echoed.
“The festivals are no more. The youth today are busy elsewhere, and the old ways are forgotten.”
Through a resolution, the speakers called for action, urging local authorities and cultural organisations to document and potentially revive these vital traditions before they are lost forever, preserving the unique social heritage of Chitral for future generations.
Those who spoke on the occasion included, among others, Dr Inayatullah Faizi, Zafarullah Parwaz, Shahzada Tanveerul Mulk, Mohammad Irfan, and Muhkamuddin.
Published in Dawn.
Related:
Modernization and Chitrali core values.
Veil of romanticism: preserving Chitrali culture’s rich tapestry.