Lalkaar

History┃Culture┃Folklore -- Mainly Relating To Punjab

کوئی سرخ گلاب ہووے
ربا تیرے کول آئیے شالا اوتھے وی پنجاب ہووے

#PunjabiMuslim

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

Pinned Threads 🧵

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

You may therefore classify them into whatever Hindu stratum suits your fancy, however it would hold 0 sway over the actual social dynamics of Punjab historically & today.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

Ignoring the fact that this is a jeet role-playing, Punjab had a social hierarchy of zameendars (of whom a majority are Muslim) vs. artisan groups (kammis). Varna doesn't exist. Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra — these are terms of which the Punjabi Muslim simply isn't aware of.

[.. @bz6290]

One of the most uncomfortable facts Punjabi Muslims find hard to accept is that the majority of us were actually low castes who accepted Islam to escape the caste system.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

Brahmins were relegated to an inferior social position, with their traditional job of recording lineages being taken over by Mirasis.

Rajputs simply exist as one of many zameendar biradaris alongside Jatts, Gujjars, Arains, Awans, etc. of whom the latter 2 are entirely Muslim

[رُحَیل | 𐨪𐨂𐨱𐨅𐨫 @Virosakala]

"The love of Panjab has made me restless,
Because the mark of the Friend is in Panjab.
Know that my Kaaba is the venerable Lahore,
My prostration is directed towards that mihrab."
—Dara Shikoh

[Saheb @Saheb_GHQ]

It's true; Upper Punjab has long exploited South Punjab just like this one 👇

When the FBR Chairman attempted to tax the feudal lords of South Punjab, they united across party lines and threatened to topple the government by forming a coalition.

[Ch Fawad Hussain @fawadchaudhry]

Pakistani YouTubers often produce content without conducting even basic research. This particular individual has created an entire show based on the flawed assumption that a South Punjab province is necessary simply because Multan is far from Lahore. Had he spent just 15 minutes on research, he would have discovered that Multan already hosts the South Punjab Secretariat and functions as the administrative center for the region for several years now. Budget is already devolved as well… entire show without any basic reserach..

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

@Molvi_churra تواڈے دل وچ ❤️

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

Punjabis make up:

• Roughly 70% of the Pakistan Army & 7% of the Indian Army (while comprising only 2.3% of the Indian population)

• 9 out of 11 Nishan-e-Haider recipients & 7 of 21 Param Vir Chakra recipients — the highest military awards in Pakistan & India respectively.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

According to reports BLA militants don't spare people of Baloch descent domiciled in Punjab either — considering them completely Punjabi as well.

Something to be thought upon by the Baloch of Punjab who feel kinship with those of Balochistan

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

Put into perspective — Punjabi Muslims wield control over the Muslim world's strongest military & sole nuclear power, while their Sikh co-ethnics form the backbone of the Indian Army in the world's most populous nation against overwhelming numerical odds.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

The martial archetype, deeply embedded in the folk-poetry of the Potohar—that land of warriors, which continues to furnish the bulk of Pakistan's finest soldiery—is frequently represented in it's 'mahiyas' - being an important aspect of the traditionally idealised male lover.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

and warning of afterlife dangers for those neglecting it's protection.

The great irony of course, is that Urdu & Hindi are ultimately registers of the same language-Hindustani-the native language of many hundred millions of Hindus, far more numerous than it's Muslim speakers.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

Causes behind adoption of Urdu by upper class Punjabi Muslims were to some degree the result of concerted effort by North Indian Muslim clergy, elites & other partisans, in combination with Urdu's esteemed status under the British, eventually setting a "trend"

[1/3]

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

for Punjabi Muslims to follow, which increased in pace with the formation of Pakistan & adoption of Urdu as a national language.

Below: An Urdu magazine referencing a fatwa by Deobandi cleric Ashraf Ali Thanvi—equating the protection of Urdu to protection of the religion

[2/3]

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

In celebration of Potohari virility!—and a martial archetype every Punjabi male should aspire to.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

The martial archetype, deeply embedded in the folk-poetry of the Potohar—that land of warriors, which continues to furnish the bulk of Pakistan's finest soldiery—is frequently represented in it's 'mahiyas' - being an important aspect of the traditionally idealised male lover.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

māhi ماہی -- originally meaning a herder of buffaloes; Ranjha's chosen occupation out of his love for Hir. Related to مہیں (female buffalo)

Interesting how the word evolved to signify a beloved, lover or paramour & lent it's name to an entire genre of Punjabi poetry - 'māhiya'

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

māhi ماہی -- originally meaning a herder of buffaloes; Ranjha's chosen occupation out of his love for Hir. Related to مہیں (female buffalo)

Interesting how the word evolved to signify a beloved, lover or paramour & lent it's name to an entire genre of Punjabi poetry - 'māhiya'

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

It does also posit against the popular Punjabi Suit [known by various names such as shalwar kamiz, kurta pajama, suthan kameez, chola tambi, etc.] having been the traditional dress of Afghans or Pashtuns.

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

There is quite an interesting and underrated connection between the dress-code of the Khalsa and Pashtuns; Guru Gobind reportedly adopted the traditional Afghan garb as the Khalsa uniform in honour of a loyal band of Afghans who "escorted him with perfect safety and honour"

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

Trouser-like garments, called suthan in Punjabi [derived from Sanskrit svasthana] have been documentably worn in North India since at least the 3rd century B.C.

Furthermore, the modern shalwar kamiz has had much influence, and spread to neighbouring regions from Punjab.

[1/6]

[Lalkaar @Lalkaar_]

The account seems to have some truth to it, as the garb of the Khalsa [long baggy robe without slits, usually in blue] matches with historical depictions of Pashtun clothing as well as modern traditional garments