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Chitral is the most north-western valley of Pakistan (Fig. 1-4) in the Hindu Kush and the Kalasha tribe, today, is limited to three sub-valleys of Chitral and collectively three sub-valleys (Rumbur, Bumburet and Birir (Fig. 5-7) are called Kalashdesh by the Kalasha people. Rumbur is the most northern valley of all, Bumburet is central and Birir the most southern valley. Kalashdesh is a part of the district Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. According to latest census of 2017 total population of Pakistan is more than 207 million while the Kalasha population people is approximately 4000.2 Kalasha is micro ethnic and religious minority of Pakistan and possesses a pre-Islamic faith and culture. They are the sole pre-Islamic people of the whole Dardistan,3 once there were more pre-Islamic people, now all have been converted to Islam.
They are the Indo-Dardic people and speak an endangered Dardic Kalashamun language.4 Chitral is to most remote region of Pakistan and is connected with Pakistan through 3200 meter high Lowari Pass (Fig. 8), the difficult geography of the region and inadequate infrastructure (Fig. 9) was not less than a blessing in disguise for the cultural survival of the micro ethnic minority and now the community is under the rapid change and transition. The Kalasha is an agro-pastoral community and depends upon their smaller fields and herds of goats and sheep, tourism industry is an addition to their economy.5 Due to non-availability of written recorded history least is known about the origin of the people or their early history. However, the Kalasha oral legends say that Kalasha were living in Tsyam, an unknown land, before migration to Kalashdesh.6
Research Methodology
To conduct the studies historical descriptive and analytical method was applied. For the qualitative studies of bashali, its myth, practices and rituals access was extended to primary and secondary sources and the current author had to spend plentiful time with the Kalasha people in all three practicing valleys (Bumburet, Rumbur ad Birir) to observe their daily and social life and to conduct interviews after developing very good rapport. To understand the Kalasha dastoor the Kalasha qaizs or religious leaders were preferred to conduct interviews.
The Bashali
Bashali (also called bishalini in Khowar; the lingua franca of Chitral) is the quarter...