KIDS OF KALASH VALLEY PAKISTAN

Life In The Kalash Valley Pakistan:

Kids in Kalash Valley Pakistan are crossing an old wooden bridge. The picture quality is not up to mark as it was scanned from a negative.  If you want to know more about Kalash Valley than read more here.

The Kalash or kalasha word is used for these people living in Chitral District of KPK in northern areas of Pakistan. They speak Kalasha language from the Dardic family of Indo-Aryan branch. These people are unique among other cultures of Pakistan. They are also minority group and mostly criticized by scholars. It is considered as a form of animism or ancient Hinduism.

The Kalash people are considered the most indigenous people in Asia. As history tells us their ancestors migrate to Afghanistan from long distance places of South Asia. This place is called “Tsiyam” and Kalash people sing this word in their folk songs and epics. Their traditions are unique and sometimes it looks like they are migrants or refugees. It is considered due to their history that they are an ancient drift north Eurasian stock.

Similarly, people of Kafiristan which is a neighbor province in Afghanistan. They were also followers of the same culture once with some distinctions. But in invasions of Ghaznavi in the 11th century and Timur‘s in 1339 these people converted to Islam. But there is some evidence that they still follow some traditions from their past. Similarly, the Kalash of Chitral valley has its own unique and separate cultural traditions.