::Chamos Routine::

Chamos from men’s Prospective:

 

Chamos is one of the biggest festival in Kalash community, due to its significance male are very concern for the activities which the have to perform in their daily routine during the festival, Chamos has great importance compared to the rest of festivities like Zoshi and Uchaw etc.

 

A short detail of the daily routine during Chamos:

 

Dec, 7^th:

 

Bandek:

The person who has specify to announce the festival to be celebrate goes village to village regarding the festival, and then every house hold will make new flavor for the night called “Ishpayri” its means also to prepare the affected family for the feast which the are arranging for the people on Dec, 8^th.

 

Dec, 8th:

 

Pushmuc’a Dek:

All the elders gather at one place then go to the village where families are suffering from certain sorrows, this is concern the time to request them to take part in the festival and ceremonies to put on the gents what we called it “Japan” a long dress like overcoat, and also give the family members gift called “Push mu ja deky” The family arranged food and other fruits for the people who are coming to the affected family to finish the time of sorrow.

 

Dec, 9^th:

 

Chutayak Sarazari:

Elders include boys and grills are used to go at the high places where the “Sarazari” takes places, the exact time of the beginning of the “Sarazari” is about 5 or 6 PM.

Where boys and grills make two separate fires and last moment both of them puts the brunches of Cider on the fire, and it makes a big smoke. Then the male offers a pray putting the grapes, walnuts and mulberry on the fire with juniper branch, after that they starts to moving towards the homes, but before they arrive home there are 7 steps which are specified where the stops for some minutes and sings the traditional songs, then comes to every home sing the most prominent songs of the event ‘Kolanijast o’, It continues till late night some time till morning, every family has to offer some food and fruits to the boys and grills.

 

 

Dec, 10^th:

 

Ghona Sarazari:

This is same as above mentioned activities, but the only deference is that this night they must spent all the time in singing songs using same methodology mentioned in 1^st day of the Chamos. Then early in the morning boys and grills make two separate fires and puts the basket which they are collecting before the start of Chamos, then the collected walnut and mulbary are distributed among the villagers. But having another important thing is that during this time the family having anyone pregnant has to bring some traditional foods to give the people who are there, as especial prays offer for the child before his/her arrival in the world.

 

Dec, 11^th & 12^th

 

Cew bew mod’ik or Piran mod’ik:

These days are simply known as preparation day for “purification day” everyone has to wash their cloths include bed sheets and their homes means everything which are said to be essentials for the purification day.

 

Dec, 13^th

 

Cu’inari:

The occasion comes after few days of the beginning of Chamos festival, during this day boys and grills went to  high places where the offer prays and comes to down the village as a form of chains and enters to the “Han’ then complete three circling steps in Han. If there are two or three Hans in a village but must go to every one of that, after the end of the chains like steps, the younger boys and grills went to collect the rough woods from walnut trees, and make a fire of that woods, then the Dow has to keep in some pots for tomorrow that turns to black ink, now its ready to use for painting, early in the morning boys and grills goes to the Han to make some drawings on the walls. In the night everyone house hold has to cook walnut breads for tomorrow.

 

Dec, 14th

 

Kut’amru:

Simple its known as the distribution day of walnut breads to the “Jamili” the female member of the family, its like the (Eid day where the younger boys and grills distribute the rice to neighbors and relatives), but Kalash people are used to distribute the walnut breads as a traditional food, as a reward the relatives gives some gift to the boys and grills.

 

Dec, 15th

 

Madahik:

This day is known as “the day for soul of death people” all the day every body spent quietly and every family prepares food including fruits and every thing which the dead ancestors being used. All the family bring the foods and fruits to Han where they make a special fire for the dead souls and in the Han every one hold the wood candle of acorn trees, during this moment everyone will be silent for the above mentioned time. After the end of candle moment the different foods has to distribute among the people, there is a songs activity till late night.

 

Dec, 16th

 

Sawel’ik Hari:

After the end of Madayik the 1^st Sawelik Hari comes in Kraka’ village where the people arrange local music include some fun and songs competition among male and female which continues till late night in some extents.

  

Dec, 17^th

 

Sawel’ik Hari:

Then 2^nd Sawel Hari celebrates in Anish village having same activities which are mentioned in the date of 17.

 

Dec, 18^th

 

S’is’au (day), Istongas (evening) and Gos’nik au (night):

This day and night is one of the very important days in Kalash community, which is known as “purification day” during this occasion certain significant activities are performed. The S’sawho is purification of women which had to be done before 7 pm of the day, then the Ishtugaas comes in the evening which is known as purification of males, after having all these major performance all the males and women comes to home and immediately starts the cooking of Gosni awao.

 

Dec, 19^th

 

Gos’nik (day) and Pushaw rhat (evening till night)

During day the young boys and grills are becomes member of the family, they day is known as Gosni male has to put on traditional uniform on this day and female children’s also should have to put on the traditional dress. The maternal uncle’s and other relatives come with gifts for the boys and grills that are being, comings the new member of the family. And they family has to give food and fruits to all villagers. During the night comes the newly member of the family purifies with sacrifice goats, and elder go to the place known as Ingaw to sacrifice the goat which were left to the name of Creator known as “Chirhistalay Bira” then in the morning the meant are distribute among the villagers.

 

 

Dec, 20^th

 

Ghona c’anj’a (day and night)

Most of Kalasha having torch of acorn trees go to the holy places for pray.

This day is again the most important one all the males goes to “Indrian” which is open air place and having very importance in Kalash culture, only in a year all males gather there for especial prayers during the day women makes “Indrian Gruhonak” and sing the traditional songs, and male goes to shepherd’s  house where the makes different breads from walnuts and wheat, then around 10 pm all women and men having local torches of acorn trees and moving towards the place what we called “Indrian” its located in Batrik village the women gathers in two places in Brun and Batrik and male goes to Batrik village near the mountain of Batrik. After offering pray some of the men returns to Brun and Batrik Village and some of the male remains at “Indrian” till morning and performing all the activities around 5 am the starts to  coming towards the village singing the traditional songs, at different points they have to stop and offer prays.

 

Dec, 21st

 

Rest Day:

This day is usually rest day, but some extent boys and grills remain in competition till sunset event the time of snow falls whatever there are seem to be very emotional regarding their festivities.

 

 

Dec, 22nd

 

L’awak Bi’ik;

This day is known as “Fox day” boys go to near jungle to catch fox then at 10 am the festival starts boys dress up like grills but cover their face and grills dress up like boys and cover their face with thin Sholes, and there are having lot of fun singing a song competitions and some local music.

                                               

 

Dec, 25^th or 26^th

 

Da’utatu:

The day of “Beams” during this occasion grills goes to home and sing a songs, boys help them to collect beams and the evening the gathers in Han to cook the beams and little bite music at evening till 11 to 12 pm, and then morning the cooked beams has to distribute among the villagers.

 

Dec, 31st or Jan, 3^rd

 

Ka’ga’yak:

This celebration is the last event from the Chamos festival, during this occasion every house hold are cooked walnut plus meant bread for the dinner and spent all the night singing songs and cooking food and eats some fruits and in the early morning cooked some beams and see off to the Chamos by throwing beams and walnuts in the fields for bird.