Home > History & Culture > Pakistan Culture > Hunza Social and Cultural Festivals and Events
 This historical event has also lost its importance after the abolition of Mirdom from Hunza. The event was formally celebrated in January or during the three weeks or so of mid winter under the thum in a common place but after the abolition of state each village separately celebrated the event, Nowadays only some families celebrate it.
The local people celebrate this to prevent the return of the eveil king Shri Badath whose rule was ended by a Iranian prince with the help of Shri Badath;s daughter. The people gather buddle of wood during early in the morning and build a large bonfire. In old time people then dance with chanting songsDuring the event some animal was also sacrificed which was referred as boshalis. On entering the house during this festival season, the host sprinkles flour on the head and shoulders of the guests which is a way of welcoming and a symbol of affection.
Marriages are arranged and the events are celebrated with great joy in Hunza. During olden time marriages of both boys and girls were made on very earlier age but now with modernization and education it is practiced mostly above 20 years of age. During olden time marriages were arranged on choice of parents but now both male and females are asked about their favor before engagements. In between engagement and marriage mostly the couples are not allowed to meet with each other. Marriages were generally held in November and December after ending of major farming activities. However, nowadays every one arrange it according to their own convenience. Traditionally the marriage process takes in four (4) major parts:
1.Musalginas: In this part the parents/relatives confirms that the selected girl is not already engaged. This confirmation is made through any person (harangush) who knows the girl family. After confirmation the male parents/relatives approaches the females parents/relatives to inform them and initiate dialogue. This process may last for months or years and during this period the male parents/relatives visit female parents for many time (usually 2-5 time). This part ends with yes or no from female side. If yes then both families set a date for burum hanik.
2.Burum Hanik: This part starts after yes from female side to confirm the engagement with weeks. During this part the parents/relatives of male brought brum hanik (khamali breads in a plate with a piece of butter) to the girl's house. With this cloths, jewleries, shoes and other items are also laid upon the brum hanik plate. The elder from the male family sprinkles flour on the girls shoulder and head (Daghowange mudelas) and puts a ring on her finger or watch on her wrist or necklace on her neck. During this event the close relatives of both family presents in girl's house. The guests and relatives are then offered different foods. In olden time different traditional foods such as molida was offered but nowadays rice and meat is mostly offered.
3.Phata ethas: In this part both parties starts arrangements for marriage. In order to finalize the wedding the phata ethas ceremony is held. In the selected day the groom's side brings 5-10 cloths (pachi-gupalting) and many other items such as scarfs, shoes, socks, sweater, coat, wristwatch and other gifts according to their financial status. In olden time this items were not present so a chapan (woolen robe) was gifted. Along with this the grooms family brings dirram pitti (a traditional bread) in a big bowl (phata) with two large pieces of Malthush. The bride's family replaces one of the butter piece with a butter piece from their side. The bride eats a bit from the groom's side butter piece and it is returning back to the groom's house. The groom's family also bring a bottle of apricot kernal oil to the bride's family. The women of the bride's family apply a few drops of the oil to their hair, and then return the bottle to the groom's family.
After this both families dialoge about the final arrangements. They settle the mahr (bride price) and also fix how many people will come to the wedding and how many hanikuts (communal serving platters) will be prepared for the wedding day dinner. About 5-8 people are mostly set around a plate. They also decide the week of wedding. Traditionally the actual wedding date in Hunza is Saturday.
This is determined on the phata ethus day. The groom's family promise about the number odf cloths and amount of money they will give to ther bride. This money, cloth and the household goods that are given to the bride as her dowry are called duk (the wife's belongings in case of her divorce) The amount of money varies according to the financial status of the male and nowadays it is reguated by the Ismaili Council. The council has set it on ......The actual maar is not paid to the bride but is set in case of divorce the husband will pay the amount to wife.
4. Marriage (Ghar Ethus): The wedding process takes almost one week and traditionally saturday is the day for weddings in central Hunza. The formal preparatory and ceremonies takes about four (4) days starting from wednesday to saturday.
Day 1 & 2: On first day that is Wednesday the dau washiyas (meaning putting breads on the griddles) begins. The women prepares Baghudomuts (soft bread from wheat flour dough) on Wednesday and khamaliching on Thursday.
Day 3: On Friday both families invite their relatives, friends, neighbors for lunch time meal. The guests are traditionally offered Sharbat (a traditional dish: also see the cuisine section) with Supra (mutton meat boiled in water). However, people also offer different modern foods. Some time musicians are also brought to play music and dance.
Day 4: Saturday is the day for the wedding. On this day both the families start preparations early in the morning. The bride and grooms are dressed in the presence of relatives and a Khalifa (Ismaili priest).
Traditionally a groom wears a white shalwar qamiz (kurdi-gupalting). Over this dress a coat or sweater is wear. Over that the groom wear a traditional white shuqa (long robe) or chupan (long coat). On head he either wears a phartsin (Hunza woolen cap) or basha (wedding turan). On his hands he carries a sword and garlands of flowers or rupee around his neck. On his feet he wears new black shoes and socks. However, during olden time the dressing was very simple and the groom wore a dagger stuck in the left side of the waist belt of his qushom (woolen shirt). Now many grooms are wearing the modern day three piece suits.
Nowadays a bride wears a red pachi-gupalting and doon (head covering). During olden time the brides were dressed very simple. According to the weather condition she wears coats or sweaters. The brides wear different jewleries such as harring (neckless), jumiyants (bracelets), taapsisho (earrings) and others. The bride somtime also wears tradtional hunza cap and silsila (chains of silver across foreheads).
After dressing brun hahik is offered and milk is poured on their heads. The groom side combine their relatives and tribe people to accompany groom to the bride house. The garooni (wedding procession fixed during phata ethus ceremony) leave for the bride house usually at 8 to 10am morning depending on the distance between both houses. When procession is ready, the musician play a special tune called Ishpiri. The bride in procession leave for the Jamat Khana (Ismaili prayer house) where the bride belongs. The bride with her friends and sisters also came to the Jamat Khana. The khalipha in presence of both sides wakil (lawyers) starts the Nikah process. The wakil of both side ask the other side whther he or she is satisfied and willing with he or she. The wakil of the groom after this becomes musham muu (foster father) and after ward she call her Agha (father). The khalipha recites the nika (wedding agreement) in Arabic/Persian language. After that the couples exchanges gifts to each other. The groom puts a ring to the bride finger or watch to her wrist and vice versa. After this agreement sweets are distributed to the people present during the ceremony.
After this both parties leave for the bride house to enjoy the food. Traditionally sharbat and supra is offered however, nowadays modern foods are also offered. After eating food the people from bride side also prepare their procession. The groom and close family members shakes hands and kisses the hands of the parents and close family members of the bride. The procession with groom and bride leave with traditional music Ajoli. The bride shakes hands and kisses hands of their families. From the bride side the number of people accompanying her exceeds in number of that of groom. The procession takes the jahz (dowry) goods. The jahz is given according to the financial status and may include sufa, bed, chairs, tea and dinner sets etc. The bride also brings cloth and hats for the women of her husbands house.
If there is any women married before in bride or grooms family he offers puun diusas to their families including apricot kernal, brum hanik or any other food.
At the groom's house the same traditional food is offered to th people accompanying the bride from her family. After enjoying the meal the people back to their houses and the bride stay at groom's house along with her brother or uncle and 2 females.
On next day in morning the bride's family and relatives go to the grooms house for daghowang ghashap (sprinking flours on shoulders) to the newly weds. For the guests different meals are prepared. The parents of bride and groom exchange gifts of cloth and other itens with each other called uyanuming. After enjoying the meal the guests return to their own houses including the bride's brotherand other close relatives stayed the previous night.
On midday the groom's immediate family members visit the bride's parents house. Where flour is sprinked on newweds. foods are prepared. After enjoying food every one leave for their home. The wedding is officially overed. In past during this ceremony the bride family gifted sharmamuts (animal hair rug) and taknama-khamang (pressed felt-rugs) to the grrom's party on departure and was called bashchan dunas.
Death (moot) is considered as part of the natural process and different ceremonies are performed for the soul of the deceased. After the death first of all the khalifa and the close relatives are informed. If the death is occurred away from home in otherwise village or cities then the elders gather at the house before the arrival of the dead body to formally inform the family members.
The corpse is washed by their close relatives. Khalipha recites verses from Holy Quran and prepares Kafan (burial shroud) from white cloth. The body is wrapped in Kafan and the close relatives are allowed to see the face of the dead body. The tribe people dig grave at the village graveyard. When the close relatives and the villager gather at the house and digging of grave is completed the body is taken out to the graveyard in procession. The people continuously recite Holy Salwath and the people giving shoulders to the stretcher changes. At the graveyard the Nimaz-i-Janaza (burial prayer) is offered towards the Qibla (Holy Kabah). After that some elders help khalifa to lay down the dead body into the grave. The direction of the head of the dead body is laid towards Qibla (Holy Kabah). The opening of the grave is sealed with bat (large flat stones) and mud soil. The khalipha recite verses from Holy Quran and then combine dua (pray for the deceased soul) is offered. One of the close relative or family elders thanks the community for participating in the funeral ceremony. The villagers from here back to their home however the relatives and tribes of the deceased family back to the deceased family house. The relatives, neighbors sit with the deceased family from morning to late night. The khalipha recites holy verses and dua when people visit the family for condolence. Food is not cooked at the deceased home for three (3) days and is brought from the relatives, neighbors and tribe families. On the 3rd day (Iskikuts guns) all the relatives and villagers gather for Fathia (special prayer according to central Asian Ismaili tradition). After the fothia a sheep/goat is slaughter for the soul of the deceased. The meat is cooked in plain water mixed with salt. When the meat prepares a traditional food harisa (see cuisine for detail) is cooked on the meat broth. On the same day the grave is also formally given a shape. On the evening of the 3rd day a special ceremony is held called Chiragh-i-Roshan (a central Asian Ismaili tradition) in this ceremony special dua and prayers are offered and Chiragh (light) is lightened. This ceremony is not performed for children below six months age. After the ceremony the traditional food of harisa and luqma (boiled meat pieces) is offered to the people gathered in the house. If the deceased was young then their close relatives avoid eating from this meal. To value and respect the Chiragh-i-Roshan the relatives give money according to their will which is later given to Khalipha. Along with this money the khalipha is also offered the skin, head, legs and some other meat from the slaughter animal.
The relatives sit at the deceased family house up to seventh day and people from all around visit them for condolence (khatir ethus).
On seventh day (Thalakuts) special foods are prepared called thalekutse sawaabe shapik and served to the relatives and nowadays send to the Jamat Khana (Ismaili praying hall). If any close relative of the deceased is married in any other tribe then on this day their family members come and take her back to home.
On fourteenth day (Altho-altharkuts) meals are prepared and offered to relatives and neighbors. Later on during Eid- Azha the close relatives put Supudar (a wild medicinal herb having great religious significance) in fire to officially end the ceremonies associated with death.
The male circumcision (Bisman) was also celebrated as a major event however nowadays it is not that much valued. The bisman is performed after some weeks to 3 years. In olden time a special event were arranged and this was performed by a trained person in the village but now it is done by doctors. |
