The Kalasha Valleys are located in the Chitral District of northern Pakistan. The valleys are flanked by the Hindu Kush peaks. The Kalash people, who have a distinct culture, language, and follow an ancient Hindu heritage, live in the valley.
The Kalash or Kalasha are the sole pagan community in the Chitral region in Khyber Pakhtunkhua province. In Pakistan’s Islamic Republic, they are the tiniest minority community. While the Kalashas previously numbered in the 200,000s, their numbers have plummeted to the point that only a few thousand to 4,000 Kalashas exist. The substantial conversion of these pagans to Islam is blamed for the sharp drop in Kalasha’s population. In today’s world, the tiniest pagan minority is denied almost all rights and is not treated as a distinct entity. Only a few international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working to build and promote this valley.
The origins of the Kalashas are unknown, as their past is shrouded in a tangle of theories, stories, and debates. Three of the many possibilities have a lot of weight and are thought to be the closest to the truth.
