Origin and Religion

The Kalashas are a non-Muslim minority and follow a unique polytheist religion that is similar to ancient Hinduism. They worship a pantheon of 12 gods, including Daezoo, the creator, or Jastak, the goddess of family, love, marriage, and birth, Balumain, Dezalik, Indr, Munjem, and others.

They speak the Kalasha language, which is a Dardic Indo-Aryan language with no proper script. Their distinctly fair-skinned and colored-eyed features have in the past sparked curiosity amongst many scholars and historians on their origin in Pakistan. It is believed by many that their roots can be traced back to Alexander the Great or his Greek soldiers, who accompanied him on his journey to India. Many of the Kalasha deities are found to be similar to original Greek gods and goddesses as well, and the light skin color of the Kalashas bears testament to their possible European origin. However, this theory has not yet been proven.

Other theories link this tribe to a region in South Asia called ‘Tsiyam’ and Nuristan in Afghanistan.

The Kalasha tribe has made consistent efforts, despite their dwindling population numbers, to preserve their unique culture, and that is what makes a Kalash Valley tour truly enlightening.

Kalasha Culture and Living

Dressing is what makes the Kalashas the most distinct amongst the rest of the people living in Chitral. While the men dress mostly in a traditional Pakistani shalwar kameez with a woolen hat adorned by a feather, the Kalasha women are always seen in uniquely elaborate, dark, and colorful flowy dresses, called ‘cou’, adorned with multiple layers of beaded jewelry, and embroidered headgear (known as ‘kupas’) often decorated with white, shiny rows of cowry shells and feathers. In some varieties, this headgear continues down to their shoulders in a colorfully decorated woolen cover.

For most travelers, this vibrant display of colorful garb brings first-hand experience of this indigenous tribe’s way of life.

Their homes are mostly wooden shacks with minimalistic and humble interiors. Within their homes, they prefer their privacy and are quite serious about limited access to outsiders. While their hospitality is exceptional, if you get a chance to stay with a local family, it will be best to stick to communal areas of their homes or your designated rooms and not venture about to other rooms.

Similarly, the Kalasha lifestyle is also a balanced fusion of conservative traditions and open-minded notions. For instance, on one hand, the women in the Kalash Valley are free to dance, sing, consume local wine, and marry whomever they wish to, while on the other hand, they often prevented from attaining proper higher education and resort to the olden ways of life in this remote village.

Many everyday facilities that are enjoyed in big cities are considered a luxury here, like WiFi and 3G/4G access, fully functional hospitals, or electricity.

Arts & Crafts

The Kalasha women are often experts at sewing and embroidery, which can be seen in their colorfully elaborate dresses. Hundreds of local artisans still practice their old-age craft of backstrap weaving. Sheep shearing is done to produce fibers that are then used to create local handicrafts and textiles.

Other than that, glass-beaded jewelry in multiple layers of necklaces, bracelets using locally found precious stones, beaded earrings, wall-hangings, and purses are made and sold here. Weaving also often includes baskets and bags of twigs, while carved wooden decoration pieces and ornaments can be found here as well.

The Kalashas do lack access to the mainstream markets due to difficult commutes to outside cities. They are unable to properly benefit from their unique crafts and so are dependent on local tourism for selling these handicrafts. If given access to international markets, their traditional crafts have the potential to bring in exponential revenues and economic upliftment.

Food & Local Cuisines

The way of living in the Kalash Valley is simple and humble, given its remote location and limited access to food varieties. Rice, beans, vegetables, maize, walnuts, walnut bread with soup stock, yogurt, and cheese are mostly the staples here.

Famous in their humble cuisines are the stuffed walnut bread baked on coal, known as ‘jau’; round balls of cottage cheese, known as ‘gulak’; ‘Mosau’, a kind of meat bread made with small pieces of meat, walnuts, pomegranate juice, and coriander, and ‘Rondijhzu’, a local delicacy comprising of roasted mutton seasoned with salt. Soups are also an integral part of their local cuisines, and their various kinds include the Chitrali noodle soup, Kawirogh, Lajhaik, and Leganu.

Much of the breads, cheeses and locally-produced honey are sold in the markets to attain household income instead of everyday usage by the local families. Grapes, apricots, mulberries, walnuts, and wheat are grown in abundance here as well, while maize is sifted and stored in large quantities for the winter season when fresh produce for consumption is not available.

A majority of grapes’ harvest is used to make the local grape wine used during the festivals and celebrations by the Kalasha community.