Erosion of Kalasha’s Religio-Cultural Identity in Northern Pakistan: Context, Causes and Implications by Aamer Taj, 2018

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The religions of the Hindukush. Vol I The religion of the Kafirs by Karl Jettmar 1986

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Art and societies of the Kafirs by Max Klimburg

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Mrachwaki Joshi 2024

 

Mrachwaki Joshi

It is the festival of the berry harvest. Mrach are the berries and waki is the harvest season. Berries are a very nutritious food for Kalash. In addition to fresh, the residents dry them. There are many types of mulberry and each type produces different berries in terms of taste, texture, size, color and beneficial properties. For each of these, the language of the Kalash has a special word. Dried berries are stored to be eaten in winter.

The events of the berry harvest festival mark the beginning of preparations for moving the herds to the mountain upper pastures.

The ripening of the berries is combined with the melting of the snow and the appearance of grass for the herds.

The "observers of the movements of the sun" announce the preparation of the events for the festival. The climax of the celebration includes the shepherds' invocations to the god Mohadeo before their departure for the mountains.

The day before, preparations are made in the area of ​​the stables, corrals. All offerings, breads, dairy products mainly white cheese, flour are placed in bags [formerly in leather pouches]

On the day of the small Joshe festival, the inhabitants of each settlement gather in the dance area and with the rhythm of the sacred drums prepare for the events of the day.

Before sunset the shepherds of the valley ascend to the altar of Mohadeo in Batrik village, carrying with them all the produce which they had prepared in their corrals. First the Saras ceremony takes place and then they dedicate the offerings to the altar. The shepherds turn to Mohanteo, the ruler of their valleys with prayers and supplications concerning their protection during the ascent and stay in the mountain upper pastures.

After the ceremony they distribute their cheeses to all the men and boys present.

Then everyone descends from the altar to the old choir stand above Bashali in the village of Batrik. Together with the women holding mulberry leaves they all proceed together to Batrik's great dance hall where they will dance the last dances of little Joshi.

The berries are harvested by the women and children of each family. A boy climbs the tree holding a long stick and tries to shake the branches with ripe berries. Women and girls spread sheets around the trunk. They collect the berries and put them in "saveo" {disc-shaped baskets}, and place them on the roofs of their houses to dry.

Re-open the Bashali in Batrik , Kalasha valleys, with the help of donors and Koinotopia.

 

The existing anthropological literature about the Kalasha menstrual house  assumes  that  the  bashali  (basˇa´li)  is  a  place  where  women  are restricted, confined, exiled (Schomberg 1938; Siiger 1956; Graziosi 1961; Palwal 1972; Robertson 1896).

An image of the goddess Dezalik was kept in the Bashali, or women’s house; Men are not allowed to enter the Bashali, where women are relegated when they are in a state of impurity.

The segregation of women during the menstrual period and at childbirth is of course practiced among many different peoples. The horror felt for their state, considered impure, leads primitive communities to take all the necessary precautions to avoid dangerous contacts between impure women and all other members of the group.

 

The Bashali in the village of Batrik did not work for a long time due to major damage to the electrical and plumbing systems and the lack of water drainage.

Batrik's women were obliged to go to Bashali who were in other villages.

All start with a meeting.

A meeting of the representatives of the residents of Batrik was held, consisting of them, Ghani,Jani Gul, Rumeela, Kamazar, Jamlana, Gurum, Khorma Gul, Anwas Bigim, Zakhira, Gulshana, Nasira, Fatima, Sabira, Gul Mer,  Rashi Beg, Rahmat Ullah, Gul Mia, Noor Shairan, Basir Muhammad, Ghazi Muhammad and it was decided to immediately start work on the restoration of the site.

Who will get in?

Is it necessary to purify or even sacrifice an animal?

The materials were purchased from the city of Chitral and after 7 days of intensive work Bashali was opened again for the women of Batrik.