What makes Pakistan, Pakistan?

Pakistan, what does the world mean? What sketch do you really get when you think of Pakistan? Pakistan, a land of mountains, oceans, plains, rivers, and all seasons. A land where people from different cultures and ethnicities acquired a single recognition with a common language. This land is called Pakistan, with the meaning " the land of purity."

Let's know about the cultures of this land, geographical features of this land, beliefs, and traditions that people of this land follow. 

But first, let me tell you an interesting thing about Pakistan, unlike many of the countries which have always existed, this country appeared on the map of the World at a certain time with a certain reason and purpose. To know about the details of this interesting point, we have to know about the history of this country.

Land with some ancient History  

The history of this land can be traced back to 3800 BCE with the origin of the Indus Valley civilization. Then the Aryan Era, the rise of Buddhism, the Invasion of Alexander the Great, then Hinduism and the rule of Hindu emperors, then Arabs entered India in 997 AD. Then different empires till the last emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar of the Mughal Empire ruled India. And in 1857, the British colonized India. 

Now, at this stage, due to different invasions, and cultural transformations, there were different ethnicities, cultures, and religions. Basically, what mattered the most at that time was religion. And on the basis of religion, there were two major groups, Hindus and Muslims. Under British rule, both groups had their own beliefs, rituals, and traditions. 

With the passage of time, like other colonized nations, they felt the need to get independence from British rule. But, they could not be together as neither the Muslims wanted to rule by the Hindus, nor the Hindus liked to be ruled by any Muslim government. So, on August 14, 1947, India and Pakistan, appeared as the independent state on the World Map. Pakistan was basically divided into East and West Pakistan. Later on, due to some conflicts, people with Bengali ethnicity, East Pakistan, got separated resulting in the formation of a country, we know today as Bangladesh, and now we have today's Pakistan.  

As now we know the history, so we can imagine how much ethnicity this land has. Wanna know? Let's talk about the cultures and ethnic groups of Pakistan. 

Where different colors joined to form One

All ethnic groups in Pakistan like Punjabis, Sindhis, Pakhtoons, Balochis, Kashmiris, Saraikis, and Kalash People, though experience the same culture and speak the same national language Urdu, but mostly they all have their own slightly different culture and local language. For example, the local language of Punjab is Punjabi, and in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, it's Pushtu.

Pakhtoon Woman, Photo by: Hassan Wasim on Unsplash

In general, Pakistani culture is a mixture of some Asian, mainly Hindu traditions and many, instead, mostly Islamic traditions. The majority of the population is Muslim by religion. Family holds great importance in Pakistani Culture, children live with their parents even after they are adults and get married. And even at this stage, parents support them financially. The people here are lovely and welcoming. Marriage ceremonies are performed by organizing massive events, which are enthusiastically celebrated.

 Generally, the dressing through whole Paksitan is "Shalwar Qameez" but it may vary, for example, rular areas of Punjab mostly wear a dress called "Dhoti Kurta" in the local language. Similarly, it's different in other provinces of Pakistan. 

Baloch wearing the traditional dress of Pakistan

 

Woman wearing Shalwar Qamees, Photo by Mentatdgt on Pexels

What they Celebrate

Now, our most fascinating part, yes Festivals! No matter what month do you visit Pakistan, you'll find some festival to attend, to engage with the locals, And no matter what place in Pakistan do you visit, locals will welcome you. Here are some famous festivals they celebrate throughout the year. 

Independence Day

Independence Day is celebrated on the 14 of August annually to celebrate the independence of Pakistan from the British colonies. On this day, you'll see streets decorated with flags of different sizes, green and white paints and lights, about a week or two before the event, you'll see different stalls and markets filled with accessories and things for the event, and all in green and white. On 14 August, people attend different parades, even Bikes parades with different horns. Different concerts and events are organized especially in cities like Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi to celebrate their Independence. This festival is worth attending, it's really interesting to see the whole country turns green and white.

Pakistan Day 

Pakistan Day is also a national festival, and it is celebrated on the 23rd of March in commemorating the day when the idea of Pakistan as a separate nation was proposed back in 1940. It's a national holiday throughout the country and is celebrated by attending parades and organizing different events.

Eids 

Like the whole Muslim Community, Eid ul Fitr is an important event in Pakistan as the majority of Pakistan is Muslim, this event is celebrated with great zeal and zest. Chand Rat " the night before the event" holds great importance and is the clear image of the lovely people of Pakistan.

Similarly, Eid ul Azha is a worth seeing festival in Pakistan. On this day, they sacrifice many animals like goats, camels, sheep, cows,s, etc. And then their meat is distributed through the whole community. 

And now when we are talking about religious festivals, how can we forget about Eid Milad un Nabi. During this festival, everywhere, in every city, town, and village, you'll see lights, flowers, different religious objects, and distribution of food. The decoration during this festival throughout the country is breathtaking.

Mela Charagan

 Meal Charagan, a three-day festival, means " the festivals of light". It is held in the commemoration of the death anniversary of Shah Hussain, at Hussain Shrine in Lahore. Shah Hussian was a saint, Sufi, and Poet. During this festival, it's like diving into some spiritual energy as we attend the celebration of this festival like Dhammal( Sufi dance), and traditional classical music. The whole shrine is lightened by oil lamps and it's such a soul-touching scene. It is mostly celebrated in March. This year it would be from March 26 to 28. 

 Lal Shehbaz Qalandar Urus

Yes, you guessed right! Pakistanis celebrate so many cultural festivals, Melas and Urus, to remember their Sufis, Saints, and Poets. Lal Shehbaz Qalandar is a fantastic one among all the urus of Paksitan. It is basically held in Lal Shehbaz Shrine at Sehwan, Sindh. Like other Sufi festivals, this one is also marked by Qawwali( traditional Sufi Music) and Dhammal. Lal Shehbaz Qalandar is a famous Saint, Sufi, and Poet across South Asia, who preached Islamic teachings, tolerance, and love. This festival is celebrated on the 18th of Shaban (Islamic month of Hijri Calendar). This year it'll be on the 31st of March.  

 Similarly, Daata Darbar Urus is celebrated in Lahore from 18th to 20th Safar(Islamic Month). There are many more urus and melas because on this land there were many Sufis and Saints, who preached the teachings of love, non-violence by their remarkable poetry. 

Sibbi Mela

One of the most famous festivals in Pakistan is worth attending. In Sibbi, Balochistan, this festival is a clear description of the Baloch culture and is remarked by camel races, animal exhibitions, Baloch folk dances, and music. It's a traditional holiday in Balochistan. And is usually celebrated for five days in the last week of February.

Kalash Festivals

Kalash is a beautiful ethnic minority of Pakistan in Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. They are claimed as the descendants of Alexander the Great. They have an interesting culture, festival, and customs. If you visit Pakistan, this ethnic minority is worth your time and visit. Throughout the year they celebrate three famous festivals, Chilam Jushi, Uchal, and Choimus.

Kalash Women

Shandur Polo Festival 

A three-day event from July 7th to July 9th in Gilgit Baltistan is the most famous sports festival in Pakistan. At the world's highest Polo grounds, you can have the chance of watching polo matches, folk dances and music, and even camping activities. It's really a wonderful festival to attend if you've got some taste of sports.

Photo from Pexels

Where they Live

You might be unaware that how much beauty this land has. Just like it has people of different cultures, it has the land of all structures. From deserts to oceans, mountains, and plans, This country lets its residents and visitors experience every land feature and every season. Northern areas of Pakistan are full of beauty and nature with Snowfall in winters. Some worth seeing sites of Pakistan are Narran Valley, Chitral, Sawat, Karachi, Quaid's tomb, its capital Islamabad, Mohenjo Doro, Harrapa, and Lahore city.

Pakistan is a beautiful land with lovely people and cultures. They celebrate their festivals with great enthusiasm. And with the same enthusiasm, they welcome other nations, letting them know the beauty of this land. 

If there are other things you want me to add, tell me. It's really my pleasure to know about your precious views. Have a wonderful and pleasant time!