7 Captivating Facts About Punjabi Culture You Didn’t Know

Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/pa/punjabi-culture/

Are you aware of the significant aspects of the Punjabi culture, one of the oldest and wealthiest cultures? The culture comes with various ideologies related to the Punjabi language, dances, literature, wedding traditions, folk music, and so much more! So if you want to know about all this, then keep reading!

Punjabi Culture

From ancient to the present, the Punjabi cultural legacy is among the richest in human history. At the very least, we can say that this culture’s extent, depth, and richness are incredible. Ideology, food, theology, art, language, songs, traditions, archaeology, heritage, and ethics are some critical areas that have somehow molded the Punjabi culture.

If you want to experience the culture, one quick way to do that is by going to the cities. The Sikh community in India places higher importance on Punjabi in several towns. Guru Nanak was born in the Nankana Sahib area of Punjab, so Sikhs from around the globe visit the place. The most notable attractions in Punjab, Pakistan, are the Tomb of Jahangir and the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. Data Sahib is another renowned site in the Punjab State, and most people visit this Darbar annually.

Let’s learn more about the Punjabi culture in the section below.

Punjabi Wedding

Punjabis have an actual religious marriage ceremony, and the Roka is the first step in the pre-wedding customs of the Indian bride and groom. A few days before the wedding, Mehendi artists are hired to paint elaborate patterns on the hands of the bride and all the female members of her family and friends.

The musical event (also one of the religious festivals) known as Sangeet, which is quite similar to a bachelorette party, is often held on the same evening as the engagement ceremony. The bride and groom visit the local temple, take a holy bath, and then prepare for the significant tradition. The Varmala, or exchanging of garlands between the bride and the husband, comes after the welcome.

A cup of water and a bowl of madhuperk, a sweet beverage, are presented to the groom. The bride’s father performs the Kanyadaan rite and asks that the groom take good care of her. Mangal Phere is a sacrifice in which rice flakes are offered to the holy fire three times.

Punjabi Religions

In Punjab, there are many different types of religions. But Sikhs and Hindus make up most of the people of Punjab, India, and Khatris are the most common Hindu ethnic group. However, Brahmin, Rajput, and Baniya are all also there.

Due to Sikhism’s historical roots, the state has a disproportionately large Sikh population. Punjab is home to several Sikh religious institutions, not to mention the world-famous Golden Temple in Amritsar, which draws large crowds from all over the globe. In Indian Punjab, Muslims, Christians, and Jains are also among the population.

Punjabi Literature

The majority of the works of Sikh Gurus may be found in Punjabi literature, along with some poetry. One of the earliest pieces of literature that have ever been discovered is Guru Nanak’s writings, popularly known as the Janamsakhis.

There are also specific yogic ideas like those of Gorakshanath and Charpatnah that may be found. But poetry, Sufi music, and ghazals marked the beginning of the main body of literature.

Punjabi literature manifests and depicts the types of people that Punjabis are. The people of Punjab are free-spirited and liberal. They are kind people that live in the center of India. They enjoy every occasion and celebration to the fullest. They have a rich history and culture and are bright and dynamic.

Some well-known tales include Sohni Mahiwal by Fazal Shah, Heer Ranjha by Waris Shah, and Mirza Sahiba by Hafiz Barkhudar. Bhai Vir Singh, Dhani Ram Chatrik, Mohan Singh, and Puran Singh are examples of contemporary Punjabi authors.

Punjabi Clothes

For comfort, women like to wear Punjabi outfits. The salwar kameez is a well-known one in India, and it is a combination of a Kurta and a salwar with a straight cut. Patiala salwar is a loose, pleated trouser originally worn by males before becoming popular among women.

Below are some other types of clothes that you must know of.

Punjabi Ghagra

Punjabi ghagra is part of a four-piece ensemble originally from Punjab but also worn throughout Haryana and regions of Himachal Pradesh. This clothing is often used during the Punjabi folk dance known as “Giddha,” in which ladies spin around in hypnotic colors while singing traditional melodies.

Kurti Styles

The traditional Kurta/kurti, a garment worn in Northern India, was once a short-sleeved shirt. Kurtas come in various styles, including multani, phulkari, bandhani, and muktasari. Phulkari, which translates to “flower craft,” has been ingrained in Punjabi culture since the fifteenth century.

Ladies wear it at weddings and other formal events. The ladies of traditional Punjab wear it on shawls, Kurtas, Dupattas, and Lehengas with eye-catching combinations of exquisite designs on all occasions.

Turban

Kara is an article of well-known clothing widely worn across India. Even though a turban is an everyday attire, turbans are much shorter and come in various attractive styles. The headgear/turban that Punjabi Sikh men wear is “Paga .” This turban allows them to conceal their long hair.

Punjabi Jama

Susana refers to a sort of lower clothing, specifically pants. “Jama” refers to the traditional clothing worn by males during the Mughal era. The majority of churidar pajamas are blue and made of Sussi (cotton). However, individual preferences may help you choose other colors.

All the above-mentioned clothes were used during the Maurya kingdom’s reign. The costumes have now been transformed into a range of western attire, including jeans, shorts, colorful t-shirts, and more.

Punjabi Art

Different types of art and craft have been practiced in Punjab for a very long time. Punjabi people desire to preserve their traditions, so they choose to have traditional decorations rather than more modern or western ones. The toy business is well-known for its use of wood and has grown to be an essential handicraft sector globally.

Painting mud walls is an everyday activity among rural women in Punjab, and the key to producing wonders is a feminine touch. For instance, aesthetically appealing furniture called “moorras,” beautiful stools or low chairs can be seen in practically every house.

Flat-woven carpets, hardwood furniture, and lacquer ware items are standard in Punjabi homes. The handicraft sector has emerged as the preferred choice among ex-pats looking to buy presents for loved ones. Even the khussas, a type of footwear, have patterns depicting Punjabi art, as you can see in the picture above.

Punjabi Food

Punjabi cuisine has a long legacy of unique cooking techniques. One of Punjab’s most distinctive and well-liked types of cuisine is tandoori, which is also well-liked in Hong Kong, Canada, India, and the UK.

The ancient Harappan civilization adopted the most popular Punjabi dishes, inspired by farming and agriculture. The meals, such as “Sarson da saag” and “Makki di roti,” are well-liked because of their luscious buttery tastes with meat and vegetable dishes. Another famous native-like type is basmati rice, grown in large quantities here.

Punjab is the primary grower of wheat; hence wheat is used in most of their top dishes. Additionally, several condiments and culinary additives flavor and color their dishes. Particularly in desserts and many other foods, natural food coloring is used.

Within various Punjabi locations, they prepare multiple foods in different methods. They adore eating beef, chicken, or lamb. One of the most well-known recipes is tandoori chicken. Many spices include cumin, carom seeds, coriander powder, and garam masala.

Punjabi Cooking Tools

Punjab has its traditional culinary style, much like every other region. In addition to gas cookers, they also use brick and wood-fired ovens to prepare their food. This tandoori technique was adapted from Punjab in India, while the tandoori style requires a Tandoor.

Punjabis like eating cuisine prepared in a tandoor. After the split, when Punjabis relocated to Delhi, this fashion generally became famous throughout India. The tandoor is known as “Kath tandoors” in rural Punjab.

Machchli Amritsari

Machchli/macchi Amritsari is a delight for all fish lovers. Beautiful fish chunks have been deep-fried to golden perfection in a peppery batter.

Haleem

Haleem is also served with meat inside of it. It is a blend of several legumes and foods high in protein, including spices. It takes an entire day to cook and isn’t ready until the next day. You just need to keep mixing.

Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka is made of warm paneer pieces covered in a mixture of masalas (spices) and grilled on skewers.

Punjabi Kadhi Pakodi

Punjabi Kadhi Pakodi is a delectable creamy sauce in which soft fried pakodis are dipped. You can also think of it as a soft fried pakodi dunked in a delightfully creamy sauce. Another delicacy is karahi, a yellow-colored sauce often served with rice, roti, or naan, and little cake-shaped pakoras prepared with chickpea powder called “basin” that are dipped in it.

ShalgamGobhiGajar

It is an old-fashioned pickle from India, prepared with turnips, cauliflower, and carrot. It is sour, peppery, and sweet and is often made during the winter and served with Punjab’s buttery cuisine. It is a side dish like pickle/kimchi and is called achaar.

Bhatti Da Murg Pindiwala

The best Punjabi food is served by Bhatti da Murg Pindiwala, a street vendor from Punjab. Rich Indian spices, a tomato-based sauce, and fragrant lotus stem stock are used to create the chicken curry.

Punjabi Dance

Music is the general and musical component of the festivity that Punjabis are renowned for. Folk dances and music are pretty popular nationwide, not only in Punjab. There are several dance forms. Among them is the Bhangra, which has also gained enormous popularity in the west. This dancing style started many decades ago when Punjabi villagers gathered to celebrate the beginning of the harvests.

Giddha, Luddhi, Dhamal, and Sammi are other well-known dances in the area. Bollywood has also seen a rise in the popularity of Punjabi music.

Wrapping Up

That’s it for this blog post. Learning Punjabi can be a lot of fun if done correctly and with the help of the right resources. That’s precisely why I would like to introduce you to the Ling App, which can help you ace any language, especially the Punjabi language, with the help of native speakers who guide you at every step.

We provide you with a myriad of ways of learning this beautiful language. Punjabi is also the official language of Punjab. It makes it essential to understand as many Punjabis have migrated to the UK, US, and especially Canada, so you will often come across them.

So download the app from Google Playstore or App Store and start learning Punjabi!