GILGIT: A centuries-old festival, Tokhamrazi, celebrated to welcome the arrival of spring, concluded here in Yasin valley of Ghizer district, on Saturday.

Polo games, horse jumping, folk dances, tug-of-war, musical shows and local cuisine are main features of the festival, which is celebrated in the last week of February or first week of March.

Tokhamrazi means sowing seeds in fields.

After celebrating the festival, locals start cultivating crops.

A large number of people participated in the two-day events. The main purpose of the tradition is to celebrate the arrival of the spring season after the long harsh winter which keeps people confined indoors for months.

As per tradition, elders of the area led amoonlight ploughing procession to officially start the farming season in the Yasin valley and elders attired in traditional dresses danced on the local music.To mark the occasion, every house in Yasin valley prepares a special dish from walnuts, apricots and almond and this dish is sent as a gift to their friends and relatives.