As we have previously asserted, the emphasis upon the Kalasha as some sort of ‘More Pure’ and ‘Pre-Vedic’ Hinduism is mistaken. There is no doubt that they – as with any other surviving Indo-European faith – do preserve very ancient and archaic elements indeed; however, the belief that this places them as an unadulterated “pre-Vedic” religion is untenable. We have looked at this with regard to their co-religionists, the Nuristanis. We now turn to consider a matter of the Kalasha themselves – revealed through the liturgy of one of their most prominent observances, the Chawmosfestival taking place proximate to the Winter Solstice in December. The particular hymnal in question is one recited during the course of a blood-sacrifice to Mahandeo – that is to say, ‘Mahadeva’ in our (Sanskrit) parlance.
Now, for this I am reliant upon the field-work of oneAugusto S. Cacopardo – an Italian academic who recorded various…
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