Wonderful coverage of Kalash people. Extraordinary photos and narration. You transported me there, literally.

I just hope that we will able to preserve them as they are much older than present days religion/beliefs... and sometime we can survive direct attack from outside but not from the greed lurking within... Please don

It is a very informative article. Thank you.

I Love the diversity of your country. You should celebrate this rich diversity instead of attacking and killing minorities.

Long live chitral and kalash.

excellent work, I have been to Kalash and I know how difficult it is to get these pictures taken. KUDOS!

Infact very informative article as very few people know about kalash valley civilization. We, the people of Pakistan, with the help of government make every endeavour to protect this heritage and must ensure the protection of life and culture of kalasha people. Moreover, as past, these people should never ever become victim of so-called Islamization. Indeed, these people are a precious gem in the beauty of Pakistan. Long live Kalasha...Long live Pakistan!

amazinggggggggg!

we must not interrupt their culture in the name of development or religion. its great to see them preserving their centuries old, yet different life style.

Preserve and save the jungles, forests, trees of Pakistan. Check this unchecked and unplanned growth and land grabs happening in these precious areas. Don't let these become another big city, let these areas become smart cities and smart towns who are ecologically and environmentally sound. Stop this internal population migration and don't allow just anyone to come in and buy land in such area. Their citizens should be given rights and privileges to be able to preserve their culture and to be able to thrive.

its really awesum...

It really informative articte. I liked the suggession to put the kalash people under protection of UNESCO's

It really informative articte. I liked the suggession to put the kalash people under protection of UNESCO's

Good to read this article. I think the author must see the link between Hinduism, Sanskrit and Persian. Some of their names are Sanskrit names such as Joshi, Kalash etc and also in several orthodox Hindus it was not uncommon to keep menstruating women and after childbirth away (mainly for cleanliness and infections after child birth etc). There are now some tribal pockets in the sub continents (Todas of Nilgiris is another example). One hopes that missionaries and mullahs don't go and introduce their views on them. As Nehru's said "Let them be examples how societies existed before we entered their civalization"

Prying into some elses biz is one characteristic of mankind, only if its not your's.

great job

@Mira If you stop sponsoring them then it will help us in that cause, btw thank you for your appreciation

Beautiful and lovely people of Chitral and Kalash...

Kalash valley is an amazing place, i too have visited it twice. It is interesting however that Kalashi's too have changed. A Kalahi lady might ask for money if you want your pictures taken with them. Tourists are a major source of revenue for them. They sell everything from beads to headdress and all kinds of hotels specially in Bhubret cater to the tourists. Kalash is a region, a language and a religion! Some of the Kalashi by choice have converted to Islam. They too are living side by side with their Kalashi family. Obviously I would hate to see a culture as rich as this disappear but if they choose to convert to Islam, then that is their choice.

I feel so much strange that why these people are still non-Muslims in Pakistan.

these people have as said in this article survived for 3000 years and will continue to do so untill outside funding and interference comes in.please dont disturb these peaceful people ,thanks

Kalash need lots of help from the open minded Pakistanis morally, politically and financially to preserve their culture. Their homeland be given the status of a province, though it is very small and the province be allowed to function as an autonomous region. Diversity within a country is a beauty it should be allowed to flourish and not dragged to the stage of extinction.

" Our land is taken by strangers"! Isn't that what happened to most of us? We lost to others. Then we took from others! and the cycle continues!

I hope this phenomenon of multicultural diversity in Pakistan flourishes , unlike now,it seems like its diminishing mainly due to religious intorence

Kalash religion is similar to the religion that was practiced by Rigvedic aryans. The Kalash people are unique in their customs and religion.The Hindukush area shares many of the traits of IIr. myths, ritual, society, and echoes many aspects of ?igvedic, Before their conversion to Isl

wonderful coverage

Thank you for this! didnt know about these wonderful ppl! But as the sikh incident highlighted today we need to do so much more as a nation!

Surely this is a group of Hindu culture, this kind of vibrancy not possible in Islam!

The beauty of art and culture in Pakistan is under a severe threat - of religious, sectarian or ethnic extremism. Pakistan is a country rich in such treasures. I fully agree that we need to celebrate our rich diversity including our minorities, be they the ethnic or religious. Everybody who lives and loves this land, has every right to honorably live and prosper in this land of the pure and everybody who is a Pakistani, is pure, no matter which religion or belief he belongs to or practices. Killing of Pakistanis by the Pakistanis, in the name of religion, sect or in the name of language or the race must stop otherwise we will neither have the identity nor the country nor our existence as a people.

I like Kalash people and their simplicity no doubt they are civilized people and fighting for their survival and they should be provided with identity so they can live freely everywhere not only in specific area. yeah its really embarrassing when people stare at kalash people like they are people of forests i have best wishes for the people of kalash. If anyone here is from kalash valley must contact with me my email: zubaireagle@yahoo.com i want to have chat with the people of kalash and i have been in search of kalash people from many years but i never succeeded

Excellent piece Taimur. Very informative and enlightening.