Having brought up in the capital city of Delhi, there is one thing I have become very sure of- You can neither ignore nor dislike a true Punjabi! Such is the captivating aura of this ethnic group which is blessed with exceptional vibrancy and loudness! Known for their whole-heartedness, Punjabi people are the descendants of the Indo-Aryan civilization, majorly stationed in the Punjab state in India. Though the xenonym “Punjab” was put forward by the Mughals in the 17th century, the Punjabi ethno-cultural identity was only established after the British annexation of Punjab.
The Punjabi ethnicity is heterogeneous in its constitution and constitutes of several clans called “biradari” (brotherhood). In the pre-independence era the Punjabi community was spread across the Punjab Province which included the present day Pakistan. Today the Punjabi hindus are mostly found in the Indian Punjab region as well as in states such as Delhi, Mumbai and Himachal Pradesh. In fact, a majority of them have found habitat in the western countries like UK, US and Canada. The Punjabi population can be divided into two major religious groups namely Sikhs and Hindus. Their native language Punjabi is the 12th most spoken language in the world.
Punjabi Culture is not only vivacious and scintillating but also very diverse in every aspect. Right from their traditional attire to their eclectic cuisine, you can’t just get enough of it! Punjabi attire is spectacularly colorful and beautiful and is often embellished with blings. Punjabis are considered to be the most stylish people one will ever come across. The Punjabi cuisine is a lavish treat to the taste buds! The unique feature of this cuisine includes the vivid use of spices and ghee in every dish. Perhaps it is this inexplicable use of pure ghee that makes every Punjabi healthy and robust in appearance! Butter Chicken, Dal makhni, Butter Naan, Paranthas and a huge glass of lassi, this is all that describes a true Punjabi!
It is wide known fact that Punjabis are the most loving and open-hearted people in the world. They are brave and righteous in their conduct. Punjabis are extremely fond of celebrations and thus, every occasion they celebrate, looks like a huge carnival. Their chilled out attitude and the way they embrace life impresses anyone and everyone who comes into contact with them. If you really want to learn to be happy in every condition, live life Punjabi style! Anything can exhaust in front of a Punjabi’s unflagging energy because as we know “Punjabiyan di battery charge rehndi hai, 24 ghante!”
