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1. Kafirstan is a geographical expression
used to describe a small tract of land in
the Chitral District of the North West
Frontier Kafirstan is a geographical
expression used to describe a small tract
of land in the Chitral District of the
North West Frontier Province of
Pakistan. The land comprises of the
following three valleys:
1. BIRIR: It lies at the southern-most
tip of Chitral at a distance of 34 kms
(21 miles) and is easily accessible via
Ayun. It is ideal for those not used to
trekking.
2. BUMBURET: It is 36 kms (22 miles)
from Chitral and is the largest and most
attractive of the Kalash Valleys.
3. RAMBUR: Valley It is located 32 kms
(20 miles) from Chitral.
The climate of these valleys is alpine.
The people live in small villages built on
hill-sides, near streams. Their houses are
made of rough-hewn logs. To
accommodate the steepness of the
slopes the houses are usually double-
storeyed.
KALASH TRIBE: The inhabitants of the
area are known as the Kafir Kalash
meaning 'Wearers of the Black Robes'.
They are primitive Pagan tribes whose
origin is uncertain. It is said that when
Alexander the Great passed through this
region in 327 B.C., some of the soldiers
from his army settled here and are the
progenitors of the Kalash.
The Kalash men distinguish themselves
from the non-Kalash by wearing Chitrali
woollen hats to which they add
feathers. The traditional dress is
reserved for festivals and is of coarse
home-spun cotton or wool in grey,
brown, green or blue. They wear long
woollen belts and their shoes are often
of goat skin laced with woollen or
leather thongs. The women wear black
gowns made out of home-spun cotton in
summer and wool in winter. They wear
especially interesting headgear made out
of black woollen material encrusted with
cowrie-shells, buttons, and crowned with
a large colored feather. This weighs
between three and four pounds.
Dance picture
The Kalash are extremely fond of music,
and the instruments commonly used are
drums and flutes. They love to dance
and consider it as a sign of friendship if
others also join them. They are famous
for their lively religious festivals. Kalash
celebrate the following festivals each
year:
Name of Festival Dates
Cheelim Jusht (Spring Festival) 2nd week of Ma

2. Uchal (Summer Season Festival) 2nd week of August
Purr (Autumn Festival) 2nd week of October
Cheetermas (Winter Festival) 3rd week of December
EFFIGY: The Chitrali Kafirs are Kalash.
They are famous for their unique
culture, Customs, traditions and rites.
Their funeral rites are interesting as well
as marvelous. They do not bury their
dead. The corpse is placed in a rough
coffin and after the usual ceremonies, it
is taken to the cemetery and left in
open. Large stones are placed on the
top of the lids of coffins to keep them
in place. One year after the death of a
Kafir of adult age, an effigy is created
in memory of the departed soul. This is
both a duty and a privilege and
consequently has to be paid for by
feasting the community. The style of
image to be created depends entirely on
the amount of food to be distributed.
One day's feasting is sufficient for a flat
common affair, but to have an effigy
placed on a throne or astride a three
days banquet would certainly be
required. Women as well as men are
glorified after death by pious relations,
and the female effigy is placed at par
with male one by being given a throne
to sit upon. The faces of the effigies
are carved precisely like the idols and are
provided with matchlocks, bows and
arrows, axes and daggers carefully and
have a cart wheel-shaped ornament in
the middle of the back. The effigies of
male have turbans on their heads while
those of female have a peculiar head
dress which is a rough imitation of
horned cap.
Graveyard picture
The effigy sent for exhibition at the
galleries of "Musee du Quai Branly"
France is a female figure shown on a
throne decorated with geometrical
patterns. The effigy wears a two
horned cap and there is one necklace
round her neck while the other hangs
on her breast.
Both the effigy
and throne are
carved in a single
pieces of oak wood
and is about 5'-
10"x1'-10" feet in
size. The effigy
alongwith eleven
others was
donated to
Peshawar Museum
by the "Mehthar"
(Ruler) of Chitral
during the British
period where it
has been kept well
preserved.

3. CHITRAL: Chitral town lies by the
Chitral river at an elevation of 1518
metres (4980 feet). It contains the
Shahi Masjid (Royal Mosque) against a
backdrop of the Trichmir Peak (7690
metres/ 25, 264 feet). The ex-ruler's
Fort and the Khowar houses of the
Chitralis are sights worth seeing. The
bazaar offers a fascinating array of
handicrafts and there are many polo
tournaments from April to July and
September to October.
INTERNATIONAL FAME
SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL (CHITRAL)
World famous Shandur Polo Festival is
celebrated at the world highest polo
ground near Shandur lake which lies at
the Frontiers of Chitral & Gilgit. Shandur
is a frozen lake at a height of 12200
feet above sea level and is surrounded by
snow peaked mountains.
Thousands of foreign tourists from all
over the world enjoy the series of
matches. Tracing back history, Polo was a
training game of the Cavalry units for
the King's guards/elite troops of Persia in
the beginning which later on developed
into a popular game of Tibet, China &
Japan also. It was introduced by a
British officer at the end of 19th
century in Chitral. The festival is
celeberated in the IInd week of July each
year.
For information please contact
SARHAD TOURISM CORPORATION
13-A, Attached Department Building Complex,
Khyber Road, Peshawar, NWFP, Pakistan.
Phone: 92-091-9211091 & Fax: 92-091-9210871
E-mail: stcnwfp@psh.paknet.com.pk
Visit us: http:stcnwfp.8m.com
HISTORY OF WOODEN EFFIGY
FROM KAFIRSTAN
N.W.F.P. PAKISTAN
SARHAD TOURISM CORPORATION
NWFP, PAKISTAN
Main Source
Directorate of Archeology, NWFP &
Peshawar Museum
valleys:
1. BIRIR: It lies at the southern-most
tip of Chitral at a distance of 34 kms
(21 miles) and is easily accessible via
Ayun. It is ideal for those not used to
trekking.

4. 2. BUMBURET: It is 36 kms (22 miles)
from Chitral and is the largest and most
attractive of the Kalash Valleys.
3. RAMBUR: Valley It is located 32 kms
(20 miles) from Chitral.
The climate of these valleys is alpine.
The people live in small villages built on
hill-sides, near streams. Their houses are
made of rough-hewn logs. To
accommodate the steepness of the
slopes the houses are usually double-
storeyed.
KALASH TRIBE: The inhabitants of the
area are known as the Kafir Kalash
meaning 'Wearers of the Black Robes'.
They are primitive Pagan tribes whose
origin is uncertain. It is said that when
Alexander the Great passed through this
region in 327 B.C., some of the soldiers
from his army settled here and are the
progenitors of the Kalash.
The Kalash men distinguish themselves
from the non-Kalash by wearing Chitrali
woollen hats to which they add
feathers. The traditional dress is
reserved for festivals and is of coarse
home-spun cotton or wool in grey,
brown, green or blue. They wear long
woollen belts and their shoes are often
of goat skin laced with woollen or
leather thongs. The women wear black
gowns made out of home-spun cotton in
summer and wool in winter. They wear
especially interesting headgear made out
of black woollen material encrusted with
cowrie-shells, buttons, and crowned with
a large colored feather. This weighs
between three and four pounds.
Dance picture
The Kalash are extremely fond of music,
and the instruments commonly used are
drums and flutes. They love to dance
and consider it as a sign of friendship if
others also join them. They are famous
for their lively religious festivals. Kalash
celebrate the following festivals each
year:
Name of Festival Dates
Cheelim Jusht (Spring Festival) 2nd week of Ma
Uchal (Summer Season Festival) 2nd week of A
Purr (Autumn Festival) 2nd week of October
Cheetermas (Winter Festival) 3rd week of Dece
EFFIGY: The Chitrali Kafirs are Kalash.
They are famous for their unique
culture, Customs, traditions and rites.
Their funeral rites are interesting as well
as marvelous. They do not bury their
dead. The corpse is placed in a rough
coffin and after the usual ceremonies, it
is taken to the cemetery and left in
open. Large stones are placed on the
top of the lids of coffins to keep them
in place. One year after the death of a
Kafir of adult age, an effigy is created
in memory of the departed soul. This is

5. both a duty and a privilege and
consequently has to be paid for by
feasting the community. The style of
image to be created depends entirely on
the amount of food to be distributed.
One day's feasting is sufficient for a flat
common affair, but to have an effigy
placed on a throne or astride a three
days banquet would certainly be
required. Women as well as men are
glorified after death by pious relations,
and the female effigy is placed at par
with male one by being given a throne
to sit upon. The faces of the effigies
are carved precisely like the idols and are
provided with matchlocks, bows and
arrows, axes and daggers carefully and
have a cart wheel-shaped ornament in
the middle of the back. The effigies of
male have turbans on their heads while
those of female have a peculiar head
dress which is a rough imitation of
horned cap.
Graveyard picture
The effigy sent for exhibition at the
galleries of "Musee du Quai Branly"
France is a female figure shown on a
throne decorated with geometrical
patterns. The effigy wears a two
horned cap and there is one necklace
round her neck while the other hangs
on her breast.
Both the effigy
and throne are
carved in a single
pieces of oak wood
and is about 5'-
10"x1'-10" feet in
size. The effigy
alongwith eleven
others was
donated to
Peshawar Museum
by the "Mehthar"
(Ruler) of Chitral
during the British
period where it
has been kept well
preserved.
CHITRAL: Chitral town lies by the
Chitral river at an elevation of 1518
metres (4980 feet). It contains the
Shahi Masjid (Royal Mosque) against a
backdrop of the Trichmir Peak (7690
metres/ 25, 264 feet). The ex-ruler's
Fort and the Khowar houses of the
Chitralis are sights worth seeing. The
bazaar offers a fascinating array of
handicrafts and there are many polo
tournaments from April to July and
September to October.
INTERNATIONAL FAME
SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL (CHITRAL)
World famous Shandur Polo Festival is
celebrated at the world highest polo
ground near Shandur lake which lies at

6. the Frontiers of Chitral & Gilgit. Shandur
is a frozen lake at a height of 12200
feet above sea level and is surrounded by
snow peaked mountains.
Thousands of foreign tourists from all
over the world enjoy the series of
matches. Tracing back history, Polo was a
training game of the Cavalry units for
the King's guards/elite troops of Persia in
the beginning which later on developed
into a popular game of Tibet, China &
Japan also. It was introduced by a
British officer at the end of 19th
century in Chitral. The festival is
celeberated in the IInd week of July each
year.
For information please contact
SARHAD TOURISM CORPORATION
13-A, Attached Department Building Complex,
Khyber Road, Peshawar, NWFP, Pakistan.
Phone: 92-091-9211091 & Fax: 92-091-9210871
E-mail: stcnwfp@psh.paknet.com.pk
Visit us: http:stcnwfp.8m.com
HISTORY OF WOODEN EFFIGY
FROM KAFIRSTAN
N.W.F.P. PAKISTAN
SARHAD TOURISM CORPORATION
NWFP, PAKISTAN
Main Source
Directorate of Archeology, NWFP &
Peshawar Museum