May Fung Festival
Gilgit Baltistan Welcomes New Year
A Tibetan festival called May Fung is celebrated at the beginning of the New Year to say goodbye to winter cold and welcome spring.
In January 2024, revelers also came down the mountains with lighted candles to celebrate the Tibetan `Losar’ festival.
In essence, the celebration is a triumph of daylight over the long dark nights of winter.
This year also, participants descended from elevated platforms in regional costumes from the central cities of Skardu and Shigar, creating a torch lit procession that lit up the night sky.
It is a joyous occasion for the whole community, bringing them together to uphold an ancient tradition that has endured over time.
In the Balti language, May Fung translates into ‘throwing fire’, and as in many cultures, expresses relief from harsh winters.
