The Students of Centennial Model School Go on Exposure to Booni/Qaqlasht Festival 2011

An exposure visit for the students of Centennail Model School Chitral was organised through the support of Tourism Corporation Khyber Pukhtunkhwa under its project titled 'Revival of Indigenous Cultural Heritage (RICH). As many as 36 students were taken on one day trip to participate in the Qaqlasht Festival 2011.

The purpose of the exposure visit was to introduce extracurricular initiatives at school level so that maximum learning opportunities could be afforded to young students who have to shoulder the responsibilities in future.

Qaqlasht Festival 2011 Celebrated

Jashan-e-Qaqlasht 2011(Qaqlasht Festival) was organised from April 14 to 18 this year. The mega event of the people of northern Chitral attracted a great many local, national and international toursits and media personnel. The event was somehow marred by intermitent rain. But the overall weather condition was ideal in uper Chitral and the festival venue.

The purpose of the festival is to revive the old-age cultural heritage of the people of Chitral.

A range of traditional sporst such as free style polo, tug of war, bodi dik, falconry in addition to a series of new games that were introduced during the festival.

The festival was sponsored by Tourism Corporation Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (TCPK) to be implemented by Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism)

Please visit the following website link for details:

http://chitralupdate.blogspot.com/2011/04/qaqlasht-festival-continues.html

A Day for Cuisine and Culture Show on Nauroz Day

The Tourism Corporation Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa(TCKP) and Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism (CAMAT) joined hands to celebrate Navrouz and, with it, to honour the beauty of Chitrali culture and cuisine.

A festival of indigenous cuisine and local music was set up here in Chitral town with a purpose to market the local culture through the tourism industry. Shoshp,Chhira Shapik,Ghara,Shoshpalaki,Chamborogh,Sanabachi,Mol and Lajeik were showcased.

Cooking and food generally associated with women in the entire region and linking this sort of tradition with mainstream economic activity would primarily translate into empowering women of Chitral economically. This will also help to aggrandise the interest of the women in the Home Economics.

On the other hand, it is a general observation that the mountains areas of Pakistan are going through identify crises as globalization; modern communications and economic mobility have brought in external cultural trends that easily can wash out the indigenous originality. Lack of awareness has taken the youth away from their identity. Most of the people of Chitral have forgotten the names and tastes of the traditional foods. The purpose of the activity on Navrouz was to catch up that deficit.

Discussions were made among the participants and visitors about how originality, hospitality and quality service can be patched up with Chitral tourism. Suggestions were made that formal training about cooking and smart service skills should be initiated. Arrangements were made by CAMAT with the help of volunteer work by the Girls Guides of Dolomoch, Chitral town.

Evening was festive too as Music and Cultural dances were arranged. A large number of people participated and enjoyed the evening. Folk singers; folk dancers, instrumentalists filled the air with tunes and melodies.

Folk dancers whirled with some forgotten dances like Anaphari, Tatali,Wawali,Chon Rigishi and Barwazi. The music of pasture flutists also featured in the musical show. The instrument is played by shepherds while herding the cattle in the summer pastures. Its plaintive notes echo in the rocks and makes melancholic resonance that enthral the listeners.