The Religious Festivals of District Mansehra: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This research explores the diverse and complex religious and cultural landscape of District Mansehra, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This land bears the amalgamated culture historically forged by Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Islam when they were at their peak. This study examines through qualitative methods including interviews, archival analysis, and document research, how pre-Islamic rituals have blended with Islamic practices to form local customs and emphasized on the festivals such as Urs Shab-e-Barat, and Mumzaday, which are popularly associated with Islam, yet have nothing to do with Islam in actuality. The paper argues that while such syncretism makes a culture richer, it also induces turbidity and overshadows the purity. It also raises questions about the religious orthodoxy and authenticity. In a nutshell, this research underscores how historical pluralism shapes religious expression in Mansehra and raises a firm boundary between faith and culture.

Keywords: Mansehra, Syncretism, Religious festivals, Cultural hybridity, Islam in South Asia, Urs, Shab-e-Barat, Hindu-Buddhist influence, Sikh heritage, Qualitative research, Hazara, Culture.