Are you enthusiastic to explore and experience some former assimilation? Are you the one who is fond of living the life some other individual is living? Do you want to forget your own life just for a while and live differently among different people, in different places, and of course in a different domain? If yes! Then you are going to hold worthy more fun and also you will get a lot more to acquire from these people and places. Experiencing different things in life is positively much more interesting and quite fascinating so, I am going to make you familiar with one of the most engaging and improbable festivals of the Wakhi culture which is the Babaghundi festival celebrated with zeal and zest by the people of Chipurson valley.
It is celebrated at the shrine of revered Sufi saint Baba Ghundi to compensate adoration for his overhaul to spread Islam to the region. Chipurson valley lies in the gross northwest of Gojal upper Hunza region which is 20km from Sost and 220km from the city of Gilgit. Fundamentally the Chipurson valley consists of nine sub-villages with a population of 4000 individuals. This splendid valley has a geo-strategic grandness due to its edge over the two countries Afghanistan and Tajikistan and also its stunning beauty.
The festival is celebrated at the very last plot of the valley. This novel festival is basically a three-day festival celebrated between 20-25th of July which is held adjacent to Afghanistan’s wakhan region. It was inaugurated by the Force commandant of Gilgit Baltistan Major General Jawwad Ahmed and the ceremony was accompanied by the locals, officials, and tourists. This event was once the main asset to impart the two countries together. Initially, people from Afghanistan likewise arrives to take part in this festival but due to some surety risks and heavy snowfall on the border now they are ineffectual to take part in this festival if the border once gets open maybe their arrival will be possible and it will again confer the Wakhi speaking people from the two nations together.
This festival was initiated by the Chipurson local support organization in 2010 in unification with world touristy day and the intention of this festival was to give awareness close to the holly place Babaghundi, to entertain and engage people, to plan an expedition for people, to connect people through cultural interaction and also to promote touristy flow in the area. Initially, the entire arrangements regarding this festival were carried out by the locals of chipurson valley but gradually as it starts to procure wider the Gilgit Baltistan Government, Aga Khan rural support program, and the Aga Khan Cultural Service for Pakistan came into collaboration with the residents. Now it is run with the help of these three institutions in coaction with the local support organization. At the very first only a few people were part of this festival but gradually as it widened and spread all over the country, its popularity attracts a large number of people and foreigners also who attends this fascinating three days event every year.
Now it is reborn into a grant event and respective modifications have been done accordingly to the flow and influence of tourism in the area. In a very short period of time, it creates a profound tourism boom in the area and is now well-known throughout the globe. People from assorted parts of the world come to attend this incredible event and they have positive remarks about this event. Several activities are performed at the festival which is the key asset to attracting people to the valley it includes polo matches, yak safari, yak race, Sufi night, traditional sword dance, folk Wakhi music, and the delicious traditional foods make the whole scenario much more exciting and amazing. Artists from versatile parts of the country are invited and also the local musicians and singers take part in the festival. Several teams from different areas take part in the polo match, yak race, and other activities.
The event full of excitement on the huge ground between the stunning snowcapped mountains really catches the attention of the viewers and this is what the actual beauty of nature means. You will find an opportunity to ride a horse in the valley, travel in yak through the marvelous mountains, and taste the organic and traditional foods of the valley. Apart from that, the people of chipurson valley are very hospitable and they always welcome people to their houses, another benefit you will get is to visit their local or traditional houses and learn about their lifestyle away from luxuries. This festival has benefited the locals in many aspects as it creates tourism flow in the area therefore the locals are part of the tourism industry, several hotels, guest houses, and campsites were sprung up which has benefited the locals a lot and it’s a source of income for them. Another major benefit is that the people who have authority when attending the festival offer various sponsorship programs or give funds for the local support organization, due to which the condition of the valley and the roads are improving as it is a remote area and it will change very soon.
Due to the two years of the pandemic, this event was not celebrated in 2020 and 2021 but this year the 12th season of this festival was celebrated with zeal and zest after the two years of break and therefore a large number of the audience attended this event as they were waiting for this from past two years. Even though the area has harsh weather, but still people managed to go and attend the festival as they like the adventure at each step more than the hurdles.
So, have you made your plan to attend this interesting festival next year? Hurry up! don’t miss this amazing opportunity be a part of it and live a three-day life with the Wakhi people, among the mountains where you will forget the materialistic world, all your luxuries, your exhausted and boring routine, and experience a different life ever full of fun and adventure.
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