In the high-altitude embrace of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region of profound beauty and resilience within the larger Kashmiri landscape, winter is not merely a season to endure. It is a canvas for one of South Asia’s most spectacular and symbolic celebrations: Mayfung, the Festival of Fire and Light.
As the winter solstice casts the longest shadow on December 21st, communities across Gilgit Baltistan ignite the night with bonfires, swirling fire dances, and a constellation of lanterns, proclaiming the triumph of light over darkness and marking the Balti New Year, Losar.
For our Kashmiri audience and the world, Mayfung is more than a local tradition; it is a powerful statement of cultural endurance and communal hope emanating from a part of Kashmir where ancient identity burns brightly against the elements.
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The name itself is an incantation. In the Balti language, ‘May’ means fire and ‘Fung’ (or Phang) means to throw or play. Mayfung is literally the “play of fire,” a ritualistic celebration where flames are not just observed but actively engaged with—tossed, danced with, and offered to the sky.
Its roots sink deep into the pre-Buddhist Bön traditions of the Tibetan plateau, where fire was revered as a primal force of purification, protection, and spiritual energy. This ancient symbolism was seamlessly woven into the fabric of local life, surviving successive waves of cultural and religious change. Today, Mayfung stands as a secular, community-centric festival that binds the people of Baltistan to their ancestors and to each other, a vibrant thread in the intricate cultural tapestry of Kashmir.
Mayfung is the fiery soul of Losar, the Balti New Year. This period is a time of renewal, reflection, and setting intentions. Traditional Losar practices—honoring ancestors, offering prayers for prosperity, and reinforcing community bonds—form the spiritual undercurrent of the public festivities. Mayfung externalizes this inner renewal into a shared, jubilant spectacle, making the intangible hope for a better year a visible, communal fire.
As dusk settles over towns like Skardu, Khaplu, and Shigar, the ceremonial ignition begins.
The Community Bonfire: The heart of the gathering. People of all ages circle the towering flames, their faces glowing in the shared warmth. This is not passive observation; it is a collective ritual of gathering, storytelling, and preparing for the performances to come.
The Fire Dances: The festival’s most iconic element. Dancers, often using pots of burning charcoal or resin, perform rhythmic, hypnotic movements. They whirl and leap, creating arcs of light against the velvet black of the mountain night. Accompanied by the relentless beat of damas (drums) and the clash of cymbals, this dance is believed to ward off negative spirits and ignite fortune for the community.
Lanterns of Aspiration: As the fire dances peak, the gaze turns upward. Hundreds of sky lanterns, delicate paper vessels carrying a small flame, are released by families. Each represents a prayer, a wish, or a hope for the coming year, transforming the night sky into a drifting galaxy of light—a breathtaking metaphor for collective aspiration.
A Feast of Belonging: No Kashmiri celebration is complete without a shared table. Mayfung features traditional Balti cuisine like Gyarmo (a hearty meat stew), Marzan (sweet rice), and local breads. The act of sharing food fortifies the social bonds that the festival seeks to strengthen.
In recent years, Mayfung has evolved from intimate village gatherings to include organized public events, such as the Jashn-e-May Fung in Skardu’s Municipal Ground. This is not a dilution but an expansion of its role. For the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region within Kashmir navigating its unique political and cultural landscape, Mayfung serves critical contemporary functions:
Cultural Sovereignty: In a globalized world, Mayfung is a bold assertion of Balti identity. It preserves language, music, dance, and culinary arts, ensuring they are passed to the youth.
Communal Cohesion: It transcends social divisions, creating a powerful, non-verbal space for unity and shared pride that is foundational for community resilience.
Sustainable Cultural Tourism: By attracting respectful visitors, the festival boosts local economies and allows Baltistan to share its heritage on its own terms, fostering a narrative defined by its people.
A Metaphor for Resilience: The core symbolism—defying the longest, coldest night with generated warmth and light—resonates deeply with the historical and contemporary experience of Kashmiris. It is a testament to the enduring spirit to cultivate joy and hope amidst challenge.
Mayfung, while uniquely Balti, speaks a universal language. It is a festival about the human condition: the fear of darkness, the need for purification, the joy of community, and the eternal hope for renewal. For us in Kashmir, witnessing this celebration in Gilgit-Baltistan is a reminder of the stunning diversity and depth of our shared cultural geography.
It underscores that Kashmiri culture is not a monolith but a mosaic, with each region—like Baltistan—contributing its brilliant, unextinguishable piece to the whole. The fires of Mayfung, visible across the valleys, are a beacon of this enduring identity.
This December 21st, as the solstice darkness envelops the mountains, the people of Baltistan will once again gather to play with fire. They will dance with it, toss it into the air, and send it skyward in lanterns. In doing so, they perform a powerful act of cultural continuity and make a simple, profound declaration to all of Kashmir and the watching world: Here, in this moment, we choose light.
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