Punjabi culture

Punjabi culturegrew out of the settlements along the five rivers (the namePunjab, is derived from twoPersianwords,Panjmeaning "Five" andÂbmeaning "Water") which served as an important route to theNear Eastas early as the ancientIndus Valley civilization, dating back to3000 BCE.Agriculturehas been the major economic feature of the Punjab and has therefore formed the foundation of Punjabi culture, with one's social status being determined by landownership.The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following theGreen Revolutionduring the mid-1960's to the mid-1970's, has been described as the "breadbasket of both India and Pakistan".Besides being known for agriculture and trade, the Punjab is also a region that over the centuries has experienced many foreign invasions and consequently has a long-standing history of warfare, as the Punjab is situated on the principal route of invasions through thenorthwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent, which promoted to adopt a lifestyle that entailed engaging in warfare to protect the land.Warrior culture typically elevates the value of the community's honour (izzat), which is highly esteemed by Punjabis.
Bhangrais one of the many Punjabi musical art forms that are increasingly listened to in the West and becoming a mainstream favourite.Punjabi music is used by western musicians in many ways, such as mixing with other compositions to produce award-winning music.Sufi musicandQawali, commonly practiced inPakistani Punjab; are other important genres in the Punjab region.
History of Modern Music
Punjabi music started to develop and alter in the 20th century as it was impacted by Western musical genres including pop, rock, and hip-hop. As a result, a brand-new genre of Punjabi music emerged, fusing contemporary beats and production methods with traditional instruments and melodies. Gurdas Maan was a trailblazer of the new Punjabi music scene, becoming well-known in the 1980s with singles like "Challa" and "Mamla Gadbad Hai." Traditional Punjabi folk tunes were blended with contemporary production methods in Maan's music, while societal themes including drug misuse, poverty, and governmental corruption were frequently touched upon in his lyrics.
Punjabi dances are performed either by men or by women. The dances range from solo to group dances and also sometimes dances are done along with traditional musical instruments. Bhangra is one of the most famous dances originating in the Punjab by farmers during the harvesting season. It was mainly performed while farmers did agricultural chores. As they did each farming activity they would perform bhangra moves on the spot.This allowed them to finish their job in a pleasurable way. For many years, farmers performed bhangra to showcase a sense of accomplishment and to welcome the new harvesting season.Traditional bhangra is performed in a circleand is performed using traditional dance steps. Traditional bhangra is now also performed on occasions other than during the harvest season.Ghiddais also a famous dance from Punjab. This dance is for women and originates thousands of years ago, it resembles femininity and beauty.
Painting in the Punjab developed during the reign ofIltutmishof theKhilji dynasty, who had patronized it.A historical reference to this was made in theTarikh-I-Ferozeshi.Sikh art, includingSikh painting, is mostly derived from Punjab's art traditions.B.N. Goswamy argues that painting in the Punjab goes back to the 16th century and became influenced by the Mughal school in the early half of the 18th century.Punjabi Sikhforays into painting were mostly limited to wall paintings decorating the walls of religious sites up until the early 19th century.Miniature painting depicting Hindu religious scenes and themes was popular in thePunjab Hillsamongst the various PahariRajputstates.
Between 1810–1830, the Sikhs began to commission these Pahari artists to paint Sikh subjects and settings, mostly Sikh royalty and nobility.After Sikhs began to progressively come into more and more contact with Europeans after 1830, the main influence on Punjabi Sikh art shifted from Pahari styles and methods to European ones.The Punjabi form and localization ofCompany paintingswould be born out of this increased interaction between European and Punjabi artists.Thus, Pahari-influenced traditional miniature paintings began to be surmounted by European-influenced Company school paintings.Lahori and Amritsari artists increasingly abandoned using the traditional Indic medium ofgouacheforwatercolourtechniques.
In 1838–39, a British visitor hired local Punjabi artists to produce pictures covering the various kinds of inhabitants of northern India using British-supplied paper and bound into an album.Images of the Sikh royals and military were documented in these British-patronized local paintings.Many Europeans were employed by the Lahore Durbar, such as the FrenchmanJean-François Allard, and were sponsors of the local arts.A few European artists who visited the Sikh court of Lahore and left a deep impact on the local art were:G. T. Vigne(visited in 1837), William G. Osborne (visited in 1838),Emily Eden(visited in 1838 alongside her brother), andAugust Schoefft(arrived in 1841).Eden had a large impact, as her published workPortraits of the Princes and People of India(which included lithographic depictions of Sikhs and Punjabis) was a big success and many copies of the work made their way to Punjab where they ended up giving further shape to the emerging Punjabi Company School.Schoefft spent over a year in Punjab painting various local scenes and subjects.During the Anglo-Sikh Wars, many of the British officials and soldiers who made their way to Punjab were artists.An example is Henry Lawrence, who painted local residents of various walks of life.Many Indian artists who followed the Company school were hired to paint Punjabi subjects and settings.When the Sikh Empire was annexed in 1849, local Punjabi artists working in the Company style created works based upon stock sets for the purpose of selling them to European tourists in the local bazaars.These Punjabi paintings geared towards a European audience depicted "Sikh rulers, heroes, occupations, and costumes".
Murals(includingfrescoes) feature prominently in Punjab and showcase various themes.Punjabi murals differ from Punjabi miniature paintings in that the wall paintings were far more readily accessible and viewable by the general masses rather than being mostly an affair restricted to the privileged classes of the society, as in the case of miniatures.Since murals could be seen by all walks of society, the things depicted in them were commonly understood subjects that required no specialized knowledge.Punjabi murals can depict religious or secular settings.
Religious-themed murals are often found at religious shrines, such as Hindu and Sikh temples.Scenes fromIndic mythology, such as theMahabharata, are commonly found, an example being the unveiling ofDraupadi.
Religious murals depicting female figuratives were oftenShaktistin-nature.A prevailing theme of the divine (theShakti) incarnating in feminine form (these unique forms are given various names, such asKali) tobattle with negative forces(that are hostile to the deities and mankind), includingdemons(such asMahishasura) and giants (such asShumbhaandNishumbha), is a commonly witnessed scene of Punjabi murals.The scenes depicted by this category of wall paintings are seemingly drawn from theMarkandeya Purana, which promotes the reverence of Shakti as the divine-mother figure.
Other scenes found in Punjabi wall paintings seem to stem from the stories of theBhagavata Purana.An example of a type of mural scene derived from it isRadhabeing surrounded by youthfulgopis.Krishna is also commonly depicted alongside gopis in this sort of mural.Krishna is sometimes shown playing his flute whilst the gopis perform theras-lilaaround him or he is shown stealing clothes from the gopis, an episode known aschira-harana.
Aside from Hindu themes, there are also depictions based uponSikh historyandthemes, such asSikh gurus,martyrs(shaheeds), and religious figures (an example beingbhagats).
Amid the murals based on profane subjects, depictions of scenes from traditionalPunjabi folkloreare commonplace, such asHeer Ranjha,Mirza Sahiban,Sohni Mahiwal,Sassi Pannu,Laila Majnun,Raja Rasalu, and more.A lot of the depicted stories are ultimately based uponbardic literature, such as the legends ofShah BehramandHusan Banu.There are also paintings based upon traditionalfolk ballads, such asPuran Bhagat.Additionally, there are paintings of variousNayikathemes, including theAshta-nayika(eight heroines).There also exists wall paintings based upon theSat Saiof Bihari.There are further depictions of various royal figures, such asRani Jindan.Many Punjabi wall paintings depict women and girls in the process of a variety of actions, such as feeding parrots, peacocks, or bucks.Women are also depicted fondling pets or writing love letters in these wall paintings.
Usually displayed less conspicuously, there were also wall painting depicting sexual or erotic themes.It was a common practice to decorate the walls of Islamic and Hindu palaces with erotic scenes.The Sikh royalty and nobality during the reign of theSikh Empirehad their residences embellished with these erotic wall paintings. GeneralPaolo Avitabilehad his private residence quarters decorated with figures of scantily clad dancing girls and Indic deities in the act of making love.At theRani Mahalof erstwhileNabha State, there are wall paintings of couples having sex in various positions, settings, and emotions based upon theKoka Shastratreatise.However, it is important to note that these erotic-based murals were limited mostly to the areas frequented by the upper-classes of the Punjabi society at the time.
Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Punjabi and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. While the actual religious marriage ceremony amongMuslims,Hindus,Sikhs,Jains,BuddhistsandChristiansmay be conducted inArabic,Urdu,Punjabi,Sanskrit,HindiorPaliby the Qazi, Pundit, Granthi or Priest, there are commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, and dress. The Punjabi wedding has many rituals and ceremonies that have evolved since traditional times and itself have evolved inPakistani PunjabandIndian Punjab.
The local cuisine of Punjab is heavily influenced by theagricultureandfarminglifestyle prevalent from the times of the ancientIndus Valley civilization. Dishes similar totandoori chickenmay have existed during theHarappancivilization during theBronze AgeofIndia. According to the archeologist Professor Vasant Shinde, the earliest evidence for a dish similar to tandoori chicken can be found in the Harappan civilization and dates back to 3000 BC. His team has found ancient ovens at Harappan sites which are similar to the tandoors that are used in the state of Punjab. Physical remains of chicken bones with char marks have also been unearthed.Harappan houses had keyhole ovens with central pillars which was used for roasting meats and baking breads.Sushruta Samhitarecords meat being cooked in an oven (kandu) after marinating it in spices like black mustard (rai) powder and fragrant spices.According to Ahmed (2014), Harappan oven structures may have operated in a similar manner to the modern tandoors of the Punjab.
Basmatirice is the indigenous variety of Punjab, and various meat- and vegetable-based rice dishes have been developed using it.
The Punjabi language is written with theGurmukhi alphabetin India and with theShahmukhi alphabetin Pakistan. Approximately 130 million people speak the Punjabi language.
The earliest writings in Punjabi belong toNath Yogiera from 9th to 14th century.They referred to God with various names such as "Alakh Nirajan" which are still prevalent in Punjabi vernacular.
The Punjabi literary tradition is popularly seen to commence withFariduddin Ganjshakar(1173–1266).Roughly from the 12th century to the 19th century, Punjabi Sufi poetry developed underShah Hussain(1538–1599),Sultan Bahu(1628–1691), Shah Sharaf (1640–1724), Ali Haider (1690–1785),Bulleh Shah(1680–1757),Saleh Muhammad Safoori(1747–1826),Mian Muhammad Baksh(1830–1907) andKhwaja Ghulam Farid(1845–1901). In contrast to Persian poets, who had preferred theghazalfor poetic expression, Punjabi Sufi poets tended to compose in theKafi.
Punjabi Sufi poetry also influenced other Punjabi literary traditions particularly thePunjabi Qissa, a genre of romantic tragedy which also derived inspiration from Indic, Persian and Quranic sources. The Qissa ofHeer RanjhabyWaris Shah(1706–1798) is among the most popular of Punjabi qisse. Other popular stories includeSohni Mahiwalby Fazal Shah,Mirza Sahibaby Hafiz Barkhudar (1658–1707),Sassi Punnunby Hashim Shah (1735?–1843?), andQissaPuran BhagatbyQadaryar(1802–1892).
ADastaris an proud of headgear associated withSikhismand is an important part of the Punjabi and Sikh culture. Among the Sikhs, thedastāris an article of faith that represents equality, honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. TheKhalsaSikh men and women, who keep theFive Ks, wear the turban to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The Sikhs regard thedastāras an important part of the unique Sikh identity. After the ninth Sikh Guru,Tegh Bahadur, was sentenced to death by theMughal emperorAurangzeb,Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru created theKhalsaand gave five articles of faith, one of which is unshorn hair, which thedastārcovers.Prior toSikhi, only kings, royalty, and those of high stature wore turbans, but Sikh Gurus adopted the practice to assert equality and sovereignty among people.
A Punjabi suit that features two items - aqameez(top),salwar(bottom) is the traditional attire of the Punjabi people.Shalwarsaretrouserswhich are atypically wide at the waist but which narrow to a cuffed bottom. They are held up by a drawstring or elastic belt, which causes them to become pleated around the waist.The trousers can be wide and baggy, or they can be cut quite narrow, on thebias. Thekameezis a long shirt or tunic.The side seams are left open below the waist-line (the opening known as thechaak), which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. The kameez is usually cut straight and flat; older kameez use traditional cuts; modern kameez are more likely to have European-inspiredset-in sleeves. The combination garment is sometimes calledsalwar kurta,salwar suit, orPunjabi suit.The shalwar-kameez is a widely-worn,andnational dress,of Pakistan. When women wear the shalwar-kameez in some regions, they usually wear a long scarf or shawl called adupattaaround the head or neck.The dupatta is also employed as a form of modesty—although it is made of delicate material, it obscures the upper body's contours by passing over the shoulders. For Muslim women, the dupatta is a less stringent alternative to thechadororburqa(seehijabandpurdah); for Sikh and Hindu women, the dupatta is useful when the head must be covered, as in a temple or the presence of elders.Everywhere in South Asia, modern versions of the attire have evolved; the shalwars are worn lower down on the waist, the kameez have shorter length, with higher splits, lower necklines and backlines, and with cropped sleeves or without sleeves.
The Punjabi Muslims typically observe theIslamic festivals.The Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus typically do not observe these, and instead observeLohri,BasantandVaisakhias seasonal festivals.The Punjabi Muslim festivals are set according to the lunarIslamic calendar(Hijri), and the date falls earlier by 10 to 13 days from year to year.The Hindu and Sikh Punjabi seasonal festivals are set on specific dates of the luni-solarBikrami calendarorPunjabi calendarand the date of the festival also typically varies in theGregorian calendarbut stays within the same two Gregorian months.
Some Punjabi Muslims participate in the traditional, seasonal festivals of the Punjab region: Baisakhi, Basant and to a minor scale Lohri, but this is controversial. Islamic clerics and some politicians have attempted to ban this participation because of the religious basis of the Punjabi festivals,and they being declaredharam(forbidden in Islam).
In recent years, efforts have been made to preserve and promote Punjabi culture and heritage. One notable example is thePanjab Digital Library(PDL), founded byDavinder Pal Singh. The library's mission is to digitize and preserve historical manuscripts, books, and other materials related to Punjabi language, history, and culture. This initiative has helped to safeguard and promote Punjabi culture for future generations.