Culture Of Pakistan

6.1.1 Define Culture?

Social behaviour and norms are found in human societies. The sum of attitudes, customs and beliefs distinguish one group of people from another.  Culture is transmitted through language, material objects, rituals, institutions and art from one generation to another.

6.1.2 Functions of Culture?

1. Culture provides us with a design for living, style & standard of living.
2. Culture provides a series of patterns by which biological and socio-cultural demands of group members are met e.g. food, shelter, reproduction and relationship with group and individuals.
3. Culture provides a set of rules to ensure the cooperation of the individuals of a group in adjusting to environmental situations.
4. Culture provides identity to groups or nations.
5. Culture helps understand and predict human behaviour and provides channels of interaction for individuals within the group.
6. Culture provides us with a guidepost or kind of map for all our life activities. It defines the pattern of behaviour for individuals so that humans act according to the behaviour pattern prescribed and defined by culture.
7. Culture acts as a means of social control through norms, traditions, and laws.

Thus culture functions to deeply influence the control and direct behaviour and life of the individual and of the group. All these functions are controlled through norms or rules made in society. These norms may be governed by sanctions or punishment, so the study of norms, mores, folkways, laws etc. is necessary for knowing the culture of society.

6.1.3 Different components of culture such as Languages, dresses, crafts, arts, music and festivals.

Different countries have different cultural components. Their language is different, their way of living is different, and their eating, wearing, rituals, crafts, music and festivals are different. Following are the diverse cultures of the world.

1. The Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese Culture is older than 5000 years. Chinese culture managed to retain its unique identity till the advent of Western culture in the mid-19th century. Chinese Religion, Philosophy and Politics: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have left a collective and lasting impression on Chinese culture and tradition.
2. The Arab Culture. Arab culture is the culture of the Arabs, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea. Language, literature, gastronomy, art, architecture, music, spirituality, philosophy, and mysticism (etc.) are all part of the cultural heritage of the Arabs.
3. The African culture. The culture of Africa is varied and manifold, consisting of a mixture of countries with various tribes that each have its own unique characteristics. It is a product of the diverse populations that today inhabit the continent of Africa and the African Diaspora.
4. The Indian Culture. The Indian culture, often labelled as an amalgamation of several various cultures, spans across the Indian subcontinent and has been influenced and shaped by a history that is several thousand years old. ... India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and other religions.

6.1.4 Define the term Cultural diversity?

Cultural diversity is the quality of diverse or different cultures; "cultural diversity" is also sometimes used to mean the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. Many separate societies emerged around the globe different from each other, and many of these differences persist to this day. As well as the more obvious cultural differences that exist between people are language, dress and traditions. Cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity for nature.

6.1.5 How to encourage better understanding and unity among the people of Pakistan.

Pakistan gained independence in the name of diverse cultures and religions. It is an Islamic republic; therefore it is the prime responsibility of the state to establish Islamic brotherhood and Islamic society within the country. Peace and Prosperity are the main elements that make people unite among themselves and encourage a love for the country. The stability and progressive development of the country keep the people closer. Celebrating cultural events together and Independence Day can create unity among people.

6.2.1 Locate the areas of ancient civilizations on the map of Pakistan.

 

6.2.2 chronological order of ancient civilizations that flourished in the Sub-continent.

• (3000-1600 BC) Indus Valley civilization of modern-day Pakistan.
• (3000-1500 BC) The city of Harappa, part of the Indus Valley civilization flourished.
• (the 1700s BC) Start of the Aryan civilization.
• (500BC) Buddhism and Jainism were founded.
• (327BC) Alexander the Great conquered the Indus Valley.
• (290BC) Mauryan conquered central Asia.
• (712AD) The Arab invasion of the sub-continent.
• (1526AD) Mughal invasion of the sub-continent.
• (1757AD) The British invasion of the subcontinent.

6.2.3 the significant features of some important locations of ancient civilization in Pakistan; (Indus Valley Civilization, Soan Civilization, Kot Diji, Meher Gadh, Gandhara).

Indus Valley Civilization:

Mohenjo-Daro:

Mohenjo-Daro is an archaeological site situated in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Built around 2600 BC, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, and one of the world's earliest major urban settlements, existing at the same time as the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Crete. Mohenjo-Daro was abandoned in the 19th century BC and was not rediscovered until 1922. Significant excavation has since been conducted at the site of the city, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Gandhara:

Gandhara region had once been the hallowed centre of Buddhism, the cradle of the world-famous Gandhara sculpture, culture, art and learning. The archaeological remains found in Taxila, Peshawar, Charsadda, Takht Bhai, and Swat and rock carvings along the ancient Silk Road (KKH) have well-recorded the history of Gandhara. Lying in the Haro river valley near Islamabad, Taxila, the main centre of Gandhara, is over 3,000 years old. Taxila attracted the attention of the great conqueror, Alexander in 327 B.C., when it was a province of the powerful Achaemenian Empire.

Mehrgarh:

Mehrgarh, one of the most important Neolithic (7000 BCE to c. 2500 BCE) sites in archaeology lie on the "Kachi plain" of now Balochistan, Pakistan. It is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming (wheat and barley) and herding (cattle, sheep and goats) in South Asia."Mehrgarh is located near the Bolan Pass, to the west of the Indus the river valley and between the now Pakistani cities of Quetta, Kalat and Sibi. The site was discovered in 1974 by an archaeological team directed by French archaeologist Jean-François Jarrige and was excavated continuously between 1974 and 1986, and again from 1997 to 2000.

Kot Diji:

The ancient site at Kot Diji was the forerunner of the Indus Civilization. The occupation of this site is attested already at 3300 BCE. The remains consist of two parts; the citadel area on high ground (about 12 m), and the outer area. The Pakistan Department of Archaeology excavated at Kot Diji in 1955 and 1957. Located about 24 kilometres south of Khairpur in the province of Sindh, Pakistan, it is on the east bank of the Indus opposite Mohenjo-Daro.

6.3.1 list the main regional languages (Balochi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Saraiki, Haruhi) of Pakistan and the regions where these are spoken.

Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Kashmiri, Saraiki, Haruhi and Gilgit is the main regional language.

Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi and Pashto are provincial languages. These languages are spoken in the four provinces of  Pakistan. Saraiki is spoken in mainly Punjab and some areas of Sindh. Haruhi is spoken in Balochistan. Kashmiri in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit in Gilgit Baltistan.

6.3.2 Reason behind choosing Urdu as the national language.

One of the reasons why Urdu became the national language in Pakistan is its

long history. It was widely used in the Mughal period and dates back as far as the

Sultans of Delhi. In its early stages, it was used by the Muslim armies and became

widely spoken and understood in many parts of the sub-continent. So it was natural

that such a well-known and established language would be chosen.

Another reason for Urdu being chosen was its high status. Some of the finest early

poets such as Amir Khusrou wrote in Urdu and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s school at

Aligarh became a centre for Urdu study. Many religious books, including the

The Quran was translated into Urdu. So it was considered an important language with

a rich literary tradition.

Perhaps the major reason for Urdu being chosen was the fact that it was so closely

associated with the Pakistan Movement. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan supported it and the

Muslim League was formed not only to defend Muslim interests but also to protect

Urdu. The Quaid-e-Azam was particularly keen to promote Urdu as he saw it was it

as a unifying force. Since Pakistan was a new country, it was very appropriate to

pick a language that had played a part in unifying Muslims.

6.3.3 Discuss the development of the Urdu Language.

Muslims over the centuries introduced several languages to India. Besides Arabic, the language of the Quran, Persian was the main medium of literary and political discourse. Many of the rulers during the Sultanate period were of Turkish origins; hence elements of their language became part of the local dialects. It seems probable that the interaction of the local languages of North India with Persian, which was used by the ruling classes, gave rise to a “proto-language” during the period of the Delhi Sultanate. As the Sultanate became well established in the twelfth century, the emerging proto-language further coalesced with the Brij Bhasha spoken in Delhi and other local dialects of the surrounding regions and gave rise to Urdu.

Spoken by the ruling classes, the language soon evolved as the forerunner of modern Urdu. Urdu was picked up and further developed in the south under Bahmani rulers in the fourteenth century, becoming known as Dasani. Like other languages, Urdu began its literature with poetry. In the south, it flourished as the ruler of Golconda, Sultan Quli Qutb Shah (1565-1610), was himself a poet who wrote in Persian, Telugu, and Urdu.

While Urdu developed in the south, it was not so in Delhi, where Persian continued to dominate the literary scene. One major poet from the south, Wali Deccani (1644-1707), shook the city with his Urdu poetry while visiting Delhi. Wali thus became the reviver of Urdu in the north. This gave rise to a new and invigorating period in Urdu literature with the emergence of the so-called Delhi school, with Mir Taqi Mir (1723-1810) and Mir Dard (1720-1784), two of its pillars, developed different poetry genres.

The towering figure of Asadullah Khan Ghalib (1789-1869) is another major poet who contributed to Urdu’s honoured status. He also wrote letters, and his style was regarded by many as groundbreaking and innovative, liberating Urdu from the clutches of formalism and setting it apart from its “superior” rival, Persian. Ghalib wrote mostly in Persian, but his Urdu divan (collection of poems) is considered a classic.

In the twentieth century, Urdu poetry served as a medium of expression for social critics, literary trendsetters, and even secularists and humorists, giving rise to figures such as Ali Sardar Jafri (1913-2000), Quratul Ain Haider (b. 1926), and Majrooh Sultanpuri (1919-2000). Urdu continues to be the language in which much of Islamic religious and secular literature is published, and it is also the national language of Pakistan.

6.3.4 Development of provincial languages.

“Sindhi” is the language widely spoken in the lower Sind province and is one of the oldest native languages of the subcontinent. With its unique spoken accent and four dots, it is very pleasant to listen to. 12% of people, mainly in Sind speak Sindhi. Sindhi word is derived from the river Indus Called Sindh or Sindhu which runs from Ladakh to the Arabian Sea. The Sindhi language is an Indo-Aryan language that has mixed with Arabic Sanskrit and Persian with time. It has its own script which is similar to Arabic but with a lot of extra accents and phonetics. There are 52 characters in the Sindhi language. Quraan was first time translated into Sindhi back in the 12th century or earlier.

“Punjabi”, is the language of Punjab and adjoining areas. As a first language, about 48% of people all over Pakistan speak Punjabi. In addition to this, “Saraiki” a variance of Punjabi is spoken by around 10%. “Hindko” is yet another regional language, mainly spoken in the Pakhtunkhwa province closely associated with Punjabi and about 2% speak this language. Punjabi, Hindko and Seraiki, all mutually intelligible, are classified by linguists as dialects of Lahnda. Together, speakers of these mutually intelligible languages make up nearly two-thirds of Pakistan’s population. To a lesser extent, these are also mutually intelligible with Urdu, and they can easily be understood by even those whose mother tongue is not Punjabi.

“Pushto” is the language of most of the people living in the Pakhtunkhwa province and is also widely spoken in adjoining areas of Afghanistan. Although a little hard to speak has its own charm. 8% of the people of Pakistan speak Pushto, mainly in the Pakhtunkhwa province and Balochistan.

“Balochi” is the language of the Balochistan province. Brahmi and Pushto languages are also spoken in the province. The ratio of Balochi and Brahwi is 3% and 1% respectively. Balochi and Pushto draw their roots from the Persian language.

Also, Read Other Pakistan Studies Topics:

• Pakistan's Ideology and Its Historical Background
• Administrative Structure Of Pakistan
• Culture Of Pakistan
• Constitutional Development in Pakistan
• National Integration and Prosperity
• Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Economic Planning and Development in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Boundary Commission or Radcliff Award