Kithdith is celebrated in mid of February to welcome the spring season and say goodbye to the winter season. As in Upper Hunza the long winter season is very harsh and spring season brings joy to the mountain community so they could cultivate crops, roam around easily and enjoy. In winter season there are no activities in the mountains and people are just confined to their homes due to the frosty weather.
On this day a special broom is placed on the roof of the house where the elder of the house symbolically draws the coldness out of the house by cleaning the house with that special broom and later on the women in the house cleans the entire house. When it is all cleaned up then the head of the house sprinkles flour on the walls of the house and this process is a tradition here in Hunza and almost flour is sprinkled in every event. The reason is that this would bring blessing to the family in form of peace, harmony, happiness. The flour is also sprinkled on the right shoulder of the male family members.
The whole village gathers in a common place called ‘’Jamat kahana’’, where cuisines are served. A special traditional food is served called “Khista’’ in the Kithdith festival that is thick bread topped with butter and milk cream. This gathering depicts harmony among the people of the mountain community.
During the day time the youth gathers at an open place and play a traditional game called Tuksuri, normally they can’t play this game in winters because of the frosty weather. The traditional games are gradually vanishing form our society and we have to promote these games otherwise the future generations won’t play these games anymore. you can visit to see the Kithdith event it can make your day memorable.
