Pathak festival celebrated after over 20 years

People gather during the Pathak festival in Garam Chashma.–Photo courtesy Voice of Chitral.[/caption] CHITRAL, Feb 1: The Pathak festival was celebrated with religious zeal and fervor in Garam Chashma valley after  more than four decades. The event is essentially meant to commemorate the arrival of saint Nasir Khusrow who reached here to preach Islam in the 10th century A.D. Talking  to this correspondent here on Friday, famous academician Islamuddin said the chief event of the one-day festival is the attendance of his followers in the tomb in procession while the tomb is decorated and beautified to its full. The followers also decorated their houses and wore new dress which they did on the occasion of Eidul  Fitre or Eidul Fitre, he said and added that rich tributes are paid to the saint who is believed to be the first Muslim entering the valley. Mr. Din said that the festival was encouraged and arranged by the dynasts of Chitral but they discontinued it when later on. He said that the present prince of Chitral Shahzada Fatehul Mulk Ali Nasir had announced last year to hold the festival. Regarding the contribution of the great saint of Islam Nasir Khisrow, Mr. Islamuddin said he was sent here from the court of Fatimid rulers in 10th century A.D. to preach Islam in this segregated and isolated land of the Hindukush. He said that he won a large number of conversions after entering here through Central Asia when the area was being ruled by the Kalash ruler. He said that he was banished to Badaskhshan by the Kalash ruler but he continued his efforts consistently from the distant land and was finally able to ousts the Kalash ruler and establish Islam in the land.–Zahiruddin]]>