Thanks to the new managers of the Kalash Culture and Heritage, who are
thoughtfully planning and writing a long list of Development Projects since
I have been able to read the Newspapers.
Every year, I read that such and such amount of money has been allocated for
such and such project. If that amount of money would have been spent in a
right way, three of the Kalash valleys would have been turned into a
so-called Kalash paradise.To allocate and to announce a project is a very
easy job, but to look after it and to manage it, is a very big
responsibility. It’s a shame, how they build and how they use the money; by
the end of the project what I can see is, the building gives such an awful
environ and is a completely different building, from what it was supposed to
be ie a Jeshtak-Han or Bashali house, fully concreted, fully cemented,
fully tin roofed.
Talking of Money for one project:-Last year in October, I was talking with
one of the Kalash guy who had taken the responsibility from another
contractor from the down city. I asked him, how much money has been
allocated for this Jeshtak-Han? He “smiled” and replied Rs.120000 “(Bara Lac
rupaya)” I shook my head and asked him, "so you have got the Bara Lac
Rupayas?" He said “no” I asked “Why” he said “I have been given only Rs
700,000. I asked “What happened to the rest? He said that “well the other
contractor has taken the rest”. Without doing anything, the contractor has
taken the money? Now shall I give a Shabash (well-done) to the big bosses
or to the person who has got the responsibility to keep check and
balance?
My Question from the big bosses:- Now I am afraid to say that, the
planning officer or the contractor, will tell me that well if we are using
tin roof, concrete and cements, they could be stronger as we were hit by a
harsh earth quake in 2005. This was or could be the best answer to my
question. Now I think that no, I should not ask such questions anymore. But,
the Kalash houses or any religious buildings, they still are surviving, they
are stronger then cemented, concreted and the tin roofed buildings. Why not
to learn and improve the same architecture? The Kalash old traditional
buildings can tolerate any harsh season, be it a hot summer or harsh winter.
In the winter time you can feel warm inside and in the summer time you feel
like there is a central cooling system side.
Talking of Tourism:- No, no again my brain goes to the line in the
Newspaper, it says that “The Kalash Culture is very unique and attracts lots
of tourists from all over the world”, right yes I would agree with you, but
now, after building the new Jeshtak-Han’s and Bashali houses,
A:-Will you show to the tourists those entire new concreted, tine roofed and
cemented buildings?
B:-Do you think the tourists will be interested to see if you proudly say,
well do you know this building is just built last year? It’s a very new and
it has got lots of characters i.e.; cemented, concreted and tin roofed by
the blessings of the new managers of the Kalash Heritage.
C:-Shall we call it a tourism attraction?
Kalash way of building and architecture:- When we are talking about
the Jeshtak-Hans and Bashali Houses, in the Kalash culture they mean
something and the meaning is a part of our religion. The carvings mean
a lot; there are a lot of styles of carvings which have got different
meanings. There are symbols of (Me~sh) Ibex at both side of the door and two
horses nearby the Jeshtak. In this way, one should be very careful; I do not
want to disappoint the contractors from down cities. Simple is that it is a
matter of Kalash religion. Now some of the new jeshtak-han’s have been
carved on birds and flowers. If you study the carvings from the old Jeshtak-Hans,
I have never seen a bird, flower, moon or a very funny thing I saw is a LOVE
heart, an arrow is crossing through the middle of heart. Maybe this is taken
from some of the funny greeting card or love card of the Valentine’s Day or
one of the Sharukh Khan’s movies.
Few suggestions might be helpful :
1.There should be a Preparatory Committee, who will pass the bill to build a
new building if necessary.
2.The old buildings should not be demolished, if needed some repair work
could be done by the appointment from the Preparatory Committee.
3.Extra care should be given to the old buildings. (None of the old Jeshtak-Hans
are left now, they were built by our grand fathers, and they were around
40-50-60-70 year old).
4.The
building should be build under the supervision of Kalash expert or
architects. 5.The contractors should be advised about the Kalash
traditions;“Pure” and “impure”.
Zarin Khan
Village Anish
Bumburet,