Jashan-e-Nowruz

The Jashan-e-Nowruz celebration is similar to the Nowruz festivals celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. From the 21st to the 23rd of March, Nowruz is observed as a socio-religious festival in Chitral, Gilgit, and Baltistan. It is widely observed in Balochistan as well as practically all of Pakistan's major cities. The famous festival lasts for several weeks.

In Baltistan, Nowruz is marked by the distribution of colored eggs to friends and family, as well as polo competitions. Outdoor feasts, traditional musical evenings, polo games, and the traditional jumping over a fire to wash away sins and bring in a fresh start of life are all part of the event in Balochistan. The origins of this popular festival may be traced back to the pre-Islamic era, when Pakistan was a part of the Persian empires of the Achaemenes and Sassanids.

To meet each other, children and women used to dress up in new outfits. Special congregations were convened in several towns, where special prayers for the country's prosperity were offered. The Nawroz holiday in Hunza area begins with agricultural activity, with locals plowing their fields.

Date: March 21st to March 23rd