culture of punjabi

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CULTURE OF PUNJABI

Punjab, the land of five rivers, is the geographical area in north-western region of India. Until

this day Punjab maintains a large part of the common pool of Indian culture. Punjabi culture is

one of the oldest and richest cultures dating back to Vedic times. Currently, the culture of Punjab

in India distributed all over the world and continues to grow. Punjabi still continue to practice

their culture no matter where they live.

Punjabi CuisineThe diverse cuisine of Punjab can be vegetarian and also non-vegetarian. One similarity between

all Punjabi dishes is the liberal usage of ghee or clarified butter in their cooking. Most Punjabi

food is eaten with either rice or paratha which is small flour based bread. There are some dishes

that are exclusive to Punjab such as Mah Di Dal and Saron Da Saag. Dishes are usually prepared

with spices like onions, garlic, ginger and tandoori. These cuisines have become world-wide

delicacies loved by many.

Many of the most commonly known Anglo-Indian dishes are actually derived from a Punjabi

base. Tandoor, naan, pakora are some of the most common delicacies in Punjab. Some of the

spices that are common in Indian cuisine have been proven to be essential to health. One of the

most popular ones is turmeric.

Punjabi Dance and MusicThe Tabla, Dhol, and Sitar are all common instruments used for their music. Punjabi Dance is

based around happiness and energy. Punjab is very rich in terms of the amounts of dance forms

that are Sammi, Dhamal, Kikli and Gatka to the more popular Bhangra, Giddha and Jhumar.
https://files.nyu.edu/ssg289/public/www.healthdiaries.com/.../20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.htmlhttps://files.nyu.edu/ssg289/public/www.healthdiaries.com/.../20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html


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Bhangra is the most commonly known Punjabi music genre and dance style. Traditionally, all the

male dancers will be dressed in bright, colourful attire made up primarily of white shirt, a cloth

wrapped around the waist called lungi and also wears a turban. Bhangra is also performed to the

beat of dhol which is like a drum or a smaller version of the dhol called a dholaki. Nowadays,

Bhangra is one commonly performed dance at almost every Punjabi social occasions, such as

weddings or any family occasions.

Punjabi marriagePunjabi weddings are based on traditions and conducted with a strong reflection of the Punjabi

culture. Although some customs are archaic, Punjabis continue to honor their predecessors by

carrying on with them. One of the familiar traditions is Jaggo which consist of women in India

going from house to house and literally waking up neighbors in the middle of the night to sing

and dance in their house prior to the wedding. Punjabi weddings are a very loud and energetic

atmosphere full of music, colors, and dancing.

Punjabi festivals1) Diwali

Earthen lamps or candles are lighted over buildings all over the State. People celebrate the

festival with great gusto. Houses are white-washed days ahead of it, new clothes are purchased

and sweets of all kinds are prepared. People worship Goddess Lakshmi with an offering of

sweets and silver coins. Thereafter they distribute sweets among friends and relatives. It is

believed that on this night Goddess Lakshmi in the company of Vidmata (goddess of fate) takes a

round of every house and wherever she goes, she bestows immense prosperity. In the Golden


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Temple of Amritsar, Diwali is celebrated with great clat. Earthen lamps are lighted all round the

holy tank and their undulating reflections in the water look extremely fascinating.

2) Baisakhi/vaisakhi

Punjab celebrates Baisakhi Festival with rich harvest and green surroundings. This is like a

beginning of a fresh and New Year. During Baisakhi Festival, the climate and air is filled with

mirth and joy. This festival adds even more colour and enjoyment to the vibrant state of Punjab.

This festival is very important to the farmers. This celebration includes agriculture's journey

from ploughing the land to sowing the first seed in spring to harvesting the bright and golden

grains. It basically signifies the first harvest of the year. To just celebrate Vaisakhi, Punjabis

eagerly await the whole year. People here show their joy and excitement through Bhangra, the

popular traditional folk dance. Women also perform a different dance form 'Gidda' for this

festival. This also represents several cultivation stages of agricultural crops.

REFERENCES

https://files.nyu.edu/ssg289/public/understanding.html

http://www.umich.edu/~pso/culture.html

http://www.mapsofindia.com/punjab/people-culture-and-festivals/baisakhi-festival.html
https://files.nyu.edu/ssg289/public/understanding.htmlhttps://files.nyu.edu/ssg289/public/understanding.htmlhttp://www.umich.edu/~pso/culture.htmlhttp://www.umich.edu/~pso/culture.htmlhttp://www.umich.edu/~pso/culture.htmlhttps://files.nyu.edu/ssg289/public/understanding.html

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