Culture of Punjab
Culture of Pakistan
• Pakistan shares influences that have shaped the cultures of South Asia.
• Cultural ways in Pakistan are broadly similar to those experienced in
large parts of Afghanistan and northern India.
• This entire region was deeply influenced by the Arabic-Persian culture
that arrived with Muslim conquerors
• The specific regional cultures of Pakistan present a picture of rich
diversity, making it difficult to speak of a single Pakistani culture.
• Residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for example, lead lives similar to
fellow Pashtuns in Afghanistan.
• In other parts of the country, Urdu-speaking muhajirs brought with
them many cultural ways and values found among the Hindu, Sikh, and
Muslim populations of northern India.
Core Concepts
Honour (Izzat)
Patriotism
Respect
Dignity
Adaptability
Faith
Generosity
Culture of Punjab
• Punjabi Culture is one of the oldest in world history.
• Some of the main areas of the Punjabi culture include: Punjabi cuisine,
philosophy, poetry, artistry, music, architecture, traditions and values and
history.
• Punjabis are heterogeneous group comprising of different tribes, clans,
communities and are known to celebrate each and every tradition of their
culture.
• People of Punjab have strong beliefs on pir-faqeers, jogi, taweez, manat-ka-
dhaga, saint of repute, black magic, and other superstitions, however recently
due to increase of literacy, people have become somewhat rational.
• Warm hearted people, deeply connected to community, baradari system,
strongly believe in rituals and traditions
Caste System in Punjab
• Punjabis also believe in cast system but as now people are getting
educated, the differences are getting blurred.
• Some popular castes of Punjabi’s are:
Jats, Maliks, Mughals, Arains, Gujjars, Awans, Rajputs, Gakhars, Khokhars,
Sheikhs, Niazis, Legharis, Khosas, Dogars, Mirani, Qureshis, and Syeds.
• Punjabi is the provincial language of Punjab. It is spoken as the first
language by majority people in Punjab, even spoken and understood in
areas beyond Punjab.
• Punjabi language is spoken as first language by 44% of Pakistanis. Urdu
language is also commonly spoken in this region. Key Punjabi
languages/dialects are:
Pothowari, Hindko, Jhangvi, Shahpuri, Pahari, Majhi, Saraiki
Cuisine, dressing and Public Celebrations
Dresses
• Costumes of Punjab are an indication of the bright and vibrant culture
and lifestyle of the people.
• The costumes are a mix of colours, comfort and beauty and Punjab is
well known for the use of phulkari(embroidery) in its costumes.
• In most of the villages of Punjab men wear Pagri(turban), dhoti/lacha,
kurta, khusa.
• Women wear gharara, or choridar pajama or colorful shalwar kameez,
paranda, choli/duppata, khusa, kola puri chappal or tillay wali jutti.
• Whereas in urban areas of Punjab men and women follow latest trends
and fashion, generally they wear different styles of shalwar kameez.
Cuisine in Punjab
• The extensive cuisine of Punjab include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
• One commonality between all Punjabi dishes is the liberal usage of ghee or
clarified butter spices and Punjabis are fond of sweet dishes including Zarda,
Gulab-Jamuns, Kheer, etc.
• Most Punjabi food is eaten with either rice or roti. There are some dishes that
are exclusive to Punjab such as Mah ki Dal, Paratha, Makai ki rotti, Saron ka
Saag, and in cities Choley, Haleem, Baryani and other spicy dishes are popular.
• In beverages, tea is consumed in all seasons and as a custom most of
Punjabis serve tea to their guests.
• During summers people drink lassi, doodh-soda, aloo bokharey ka sharbat,
lemonade etc. These cuisines have become world-wide delicacies with large
scale representation.
Celebrations
Cultural Festivals
• There are numerous festivals which are celebrated by
Punjabi people including some religious festivals such as two
Eids, Eid-Milad-Un-Nabi, Laylat-ul-Qadr etc.
• Urs (devotional fairs) are popular which are held at the
shirnes of sufi saints, Melas and Numaish (exhibitions).
• The Provincial capital Lahore is widely popular for its
entertaining events and activities. Lahori’s are famous all over
the country for their celebrations particularly for Basant
festival (Baisakhi) in the spring season.
• Wedding traditions, birth and funeral rituals are some other
important events to be followed in Punjab
Legal System in
Punjab
Panchayat – Pakistan’s alternate judicial system
• The majority of people prefer to go to village councils to settle
issues than to the judiciary, as the ‘judges’ (members of the
panchayat) are available and the process of ‘law’ and
‘punishment’ is rapid.
• The real issue is not the panchayats but the power they are
given by the masses.
• People go to Panchayats in search of quick justice
The Punjab Village Panchayats and Neighborhood Council Act,
2019.
• Every village and neighborhood shall have a
common assembly which shall act through the
respective panchayat and neighborhood council.
• The chairpersons and members of the panchayats
and neighborhood councils shall be elected
through election
• Recently Imran Khan has announced that
prominent personalities of village communities
will get their representation in the panchayat
council that will be responsible for taking care of
different administrative matters including
cleanliness, street lights, schools and minor
disputes. Moreover, the panchayat council will
also be given powers to impose minor taxes.
Social Relations in Punjab
• Social Stratification in Punjabi villages of Pakistan on the basis of caste
• the caste system in rural Pakistan exists in the form of the indigenous
categories of Quom and Zat, which divide the Zamindar Quoms and Kammi
Quoms in distinct and rigid birth-ascribed status groups on the basis of their
parentage occupations.
• The caste system still plays a significant role in organizing the village
structures. The villager's rights to participate in the social, political, and
economic affairs of the village are determined by their caste and
memberships in kinship groups.
• The power relations organized around the caste memberships, caste
practices, and caste organization of the village influence the gender identities
of the villagers, resulting in different shades of masculinities and femininities
across Zamindars and Kammis.
Social Hierarchy
• In traditional parts of Pakistan, social organization revolves around
kinship. The baradari (“brotherhood”) is the most important social
institution.
• Endogamy is widely practiced.
• The preferred marriage for a man within many Pakistani communities is
with his father’s brother’s daughter, and among many other groups
marriages are invariably within the baradari.
• Family organization is strongly patriarchal, and most people live with
large extended families, often in the same house or family compound. The
eldest male, whether he is the father, grandfather, or paternal uncle, is the
family leader and makes all significant decisions regarding the family
Culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Pashtun Wali
• Dating back to the pre-Islamic era, Pashtunwali is the code of
conduct every proud Pashtun follows, may he live in
Afghanistan, Pakistan, or as a refugee anywhere in the
world.
• The native Pashtun is independent and loyal.
• it is important to understand the code of the Pashtuns.
“Pashtuns believe that their social code produces men, who
are superior to those produced under the Western model,
and they have no desire to have a new social system
imposed on them by outsiders”
Characteristics of Pashtun Wali
1. Hospitality to a guest;
It is above race, religion and economic status.
It also means once under the roof of the host, a guest should neither be harmed
nor surrendered to an enemy. This will be regardless of the relationship between
the guest and the host enjoyed previously.
2. “Badal” means “to seek justice or take revenge against the wrongdoer.”
3. Nanawatai” (sanctuary) is another pillar of the Pashtunwali code. It
allows a person to seek refuge in the house of another, seeking asylum
against his enemies.
4. Honour - another component of the Pashtunwali
5. Pashtunwali is not a legal code. It is more a code of honour by which a
Pashtun will live by - and die for!
Jirga System
• The jirga is obeyed without question by the Pashtuns.
• It is an assembly of tribal elders, who take decision on issues
based on consensus. Disputes between two or more people
are heard by this Council of Elders.
• In tribal regions, the jirga is still used as a court for criminal
offences.
• State laws have minimal reach and the Frontier Crimes
Regulation is a unique set of laws as opposed to the law
governing the rest of Pakistan.
