Qaqlasht is a flat terrain that is located about 80 kilometers to north of Chitral town approachable by a smooth drive of one and half hour. When early spring sweeps through the valley, this place transforms into a gorgeous picnic resort with a carpet of tiny yellow flowers stretched miles and miles that attracts a great number of people from different parts of the Chitral district.

Qaqlasht is a venue of ‘Jashan-e-Qaqlasht’, the old-age festival of the people of northern Chitral with a history of more than 2000 years. Rais rulers used to organize it in the remote past to be continued by the Kator dynasty, which not only assiduously patronized this particular cultural event, but also promoted other festivals e.g. Jashan-e-Qaqlasht, Jashan-e-Shandur and Jashan-e-Chitral.  

However, after the status of Chitral as an autonomous princedom came to an end in 1969, the festivals of the indigenous mountain communities ceased to be celebrated until 2003 when Jashan-e-Chitral for the first time was revived through the support of UNESCO after its discontinuation for 27 years and Jashan-e-Qaqalsht after abandoning for 35 years.

It would be pertinent to highlight that the culture of the communities in the mountains of Chitral is replete with lessons from friendship and tolerance coupled with an inherent aspects accommodation, hospitality, friendship and peace that is so desperately needed in today’s world.

This year Jashan-e-Qaqlasht will be organized from April 15 to 18 with a purpose to showcase the traditional sports and cultural events of the surrounding local communities so that both both national and international tourists could be attracted apart from encouraging the trendency of tourism-related enterprises simultaneously. Furthermore, some of the forgotten traditional sports e.g. bodi dik and folksongs/folkdances e.g. ‘chong righishi’ and ‘tatali wawali’ , and ‘mamashish’ etc could also be revived.

The festival will feature free style polo as a major item to be participated by a number of polo teams from different villages. At the festival venue during this time, there would be riding opportunities available for interested people. Horseback riding with natural splendor of the spot could certainly afford a remarkable photographic opportunity with lush green playgrounds and snow capped peaks as backdrop.

Football will be another significant sport throughout the festivals. It is worth mentioning that the youngsters of Chitral have high skills in football with tough stamina so characteristics to high altitude.  

Tug of war will be a further traditional sport of the festival with sturdy village-based teams who will demonstrate sheer power of tugging each others. Likewise, shot putt and bodi dik, the oldest living sports, are included in the mega cultural event. Marksmanship with ‘chikit’—the oldest locally made nuzzle-loader gun—and traditional wrestling will also be arranged.  

The most exciting aspect of the event is the cultural music of reed instrument, pure Chitrali sitar, pasture flute, reformative poetry and many more. There will be evening musical programs in the festival venue for the entertainment of those coming for night stay. --(Shamsuddin)