5aaban

Noticed this too. Youth in Panjab have started putting their names on social media bios in Arabic/Urdu scripts even though they can't read the script (copied from google translate most likely). Possibly a result of these songs romanticising Arabian things. There seems to be a never-ending obsession

They're found all around Panjab.

The youth I was talking about are from middle-class rural farming families. Youth themselves aren't normally that into Sikhi so explains some of their behaviour. They consider western ways as "modern". The parents aren't that strict on them.

No one will be getting a visa off me.

I noticed this was the case with older immigrants who were much more responsible. Ones these days are sometimes a burden on parents.

I want to do some seva in Panjab too.

At least you know some people working hard for degrees. The type of youth I've met in Panjab just pay to pass their exams to get certificates so they end up with a useless certificate and no knowledge, and they waste their parents money in cities watching movies with bf/gf's or at big shopping malls etc.

-

The Panjabi entertainment industry is definitely to blame, we need new concepts different from the typical comic love stories set in Canada or England or music videos with exotic girls dancing around. These IELTS coaching centres have opened up on almost every street in towns and cities of Panjab. It's visually disturbing.

It's difficult to change peoples minds. It's sad to see a sacred union like marriage being treated as a money making business and the social fabric of Panjab being torn apart. There was a Panjabi film called "Sat Sri Akal England" where the Panjabi man pays a British-Panjabi girl thousands of pounds to fake a marriage with him and get him British citizenship. Such things shouldn't be romanticised in films. The typical materialistic 'fukraa' lifestyle shouldn't be promoted. Youngsters idolise singers and you can find grown Panjabis arguing over their favourite singers. Families end up putting their houses on mortgage or selling land to pay for the visa process and the expensive fees. Sometimes these people get cheated on by visa agents and lose all their money or they fall into the contract/sham marriage trap. Many visa agents are frauds who overcharge and sometimes deceit people into third-world countries to be treated as slaves!

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60177929 Ukraine crisis: Russian attack would be 'horrific', US warns IMAGE SOURCE,REUTER Image caption, General Mark Milley said a Russian invasion of Ukraine would be "horrific" Top US General Mark Milley has said that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would be "horrific" and would lead to a significant number of casualties. Gen Milley described the build-up of 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border as the largest since the Cold War. But US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said conflict could still be avoided through the use of diplomacy. Russia denies plans to invade and says US support for Ukraine is a threat. At a news conference at the Pentagon on Friday, Gen Milley - US President Joe Biden's most senior military officer - warned that the scale of Russia's forces near its border with Ukraine meant an attack would have severe consequences. "If that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties," said the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Fighting in dense urban areas would be "horrific, it would be terrible", Gen Milley added. 'Not inevitable' US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US was committed to helping Ukraine defend itself, including by providing more weaponry. "Conflict is not inevitable. There is still time and space for diplomacy," Mr Austin said, calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the situation. "There is no reason that this situation has to devolve into conflict... He can order his troops away," he added. Also on Friday, President Biden said he would send a small number of troops to Eastern Europe in the "near term", to strengthen the Nato presence in the region. He did not specify where they would be stationed or when they would arrive. Earlier this week, the Pentagon said there were 8,500 combat-ready troops on alert, ready to be deployed at short notice. The US has rejected a key Moscow demand that Nato rule out Ukraine joining the defence alliance - but insisted it was offering Russia a "serious diplomatic path". Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of ignoring Russia's security concerns. But he said he would study the US response before deciding what to do, according to a Kremlin readout of a call between Mr Putin and his French counterpart. France said the two leaders had agreed on the need to de-escalate and that its President Emmanuel Macron had told Mr Putin that Russia must respect the sovereignty of its neighbouring states. IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS Image caption, "We don't need this panic," Mr Zelensky said 'Don't create panic' The warnings from the Pentagon come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters not to create panic over the build-up of Russian troops on his country's borders. At a news conference in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky said he did not see a greater threat now than during a similar massing of troops last spring. "There are signals even from respected leaders of states, they just say that tomorrow there will be war. This is panic - how much does it cost for our state?" The "destabilisation of the situation inside the country" was the biggest threat to Ukraine, he said. Diplomacy intensifies by the day. Everyone wants to be seen to be doing something but they don't want to do it - they don't want their own troops on the ground fighting a war in Ukraine against Russia. Everyone has their own interest: President Biden is post-Afghanistan pullout debacle; Germany is post-Angela Merkel; Britain is post-Brexit, trying to carve out its own way in the world; and President Macron of France is pre-elections in the spring. But they all want to prevent a war on Europe's doorstep; all want to stop President Putin's efforts to reshape this region. President Zelensky's extraordinary outburst asking everyone to calm down underlined the risks of escalating rhetoric. But he was equally clear: if this war escalates in Ukraine it will spill across borders, there will be proxy wars. So telephone lines are burning. President Biden had his call with President Putin. President Macron had his. Now it seems Prime Minister Johnson will have his telephone moment too. President Putin is where he wants to be - at the centre of world attention. In the dead of a very cold winter in the depths of a very old crisis, there's little clarity about the days ahead. No one can afford to lose, but it's not yet clear how they'll all pull back from this brink. Russia last month made wide-ranging security demands from the West, including that: Ukraine should be barred from joining Nato Nato should end military activity in eastern Europe, pulling troops out of Poland and the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania The alliance should not deploy missiles in countries near or bordering Russia The US and Nato responded by saying Ukraine had the right to choose its own allies, but offered Russia talks on missile placements and other issues. If Russia were to invade Ukraine, it would not be the first time. Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in 2014. It is also backing rebels who seized large swathes of the eastern Donbas region soon afterwards, and some 14,000 people have died in fighting there.

Political parties in Panjab also hand out freebies during elections so people vote for them. These can include things like alcohol to men and/or household things like lentils.

(bit of a rant) A growing number of Sikh/Panjabis lack strong ambition in life except moving to another country. As soon as they finish school, they start preparing for a some English test. Numerous 'coaching' centres for this test have opened up on almost every street in Panjab cities and towns. Even some political parties were offering financial assistance for Panjabi youth to go abroad! These parties should instead be focusing on creating employment in Panjab rather encouraging all the young population to go to other countries so their governance isn't questioned in the future. There are less opportunities for people in Panjab but some are lazy. A lot refuse to help out in family farms, expect their parents pay for english tests and the whole visa process. Their farms are now looked after by hired Indians from other states such as Bihar (there is 1 migrant from UP/Bihar for every 5 Panjabis). Panjabi songs & cinema can be held somewhat accountable for this behaviour. Some families sadly take out big loans or even put their land/houses on mortgage so they can afford the whole process. People believe living abroad is a fairytale where nothing can go wrong. There's nothing wrong with wanting to move to another country but the path some people take to move abroad has torn social fabrics of Panjab. There are countless cases of "contract" marriages in Panjab, some are conducted through Anand Karaj. Lavan don't hold the same meaning and have become a business. They're done for benefits where the couple divorces after taking the partner abroad. Sometimes it's the girl or boys families who are encouraging them to get into such marriages. A Panjabi even married his own sister so she could get a visa! There are advertisements for girls (as young as 18) from less wealthy families who can score a good mark in the IELTS test and they're "contract" married to wealthier males who bear the expenses to travel to foreign countries. The groom can then get a visa and the couple usually divorces. There have been cases of domestic violence by the grooms families if the bride isn't able to score an adequate mark. Some females have also gone abroad alone on the groom's money and then completely blocked contact with them once they're out or send the grooms to foreign jails. There are also abandoned wives who are married to NRI's but get deserted after a few months. More than 3,300 such complaints have been filed by the cheated families with the Ministry of External Affairs by cheated families, 3000 of them are from Panjab. 15 Punjab Boys Go Missing While Trying To Enter US Illegally. The group was intercepted by the Mexican Army just an hour away from the US border https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/15-punjab-boys-go-missing-while-trying-to-enter-us-illegally-community-leader-2192543 Panjab women duped and stuck in Muscat goes viral, Amarinder asks for MEA help. https://theprint.in/india/video-of-punjab-women-duped-and-stuck-in-muscat-goes-viral-amarinder-asks-for-mea-help/366123/ 27 Panjabis killed in Iraq after being abducted https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/27-punjabis-were-killed-in-iraq-in-2014-punjab-approves-rs-10000-monthly-dole-for-kin-of-8-killed-by-isis-7456793/ https://www.scoopwhoop.com/brother-sister-from-punjab-marry-australia-visa/ https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/audio/ielts-brides-the-business-of-marriage-in-punjab https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/the-big-story/story/20190121-sham-marriages-revenge-of-the-brides-1427714-2019-01-15 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/punjabs-contract-marriages-are-not-marital-disputes-but-cases-of-cheating/article35799689.ece https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/foreign-dreams-what-s-driving-the-exodus-of-youth-from-punjab https://thewire.in/politics/punjab-polls-whats-at-stake-as-parties-woo-the-young-with-promises-of-foreign-education

I love Davinder Toor's collection of vintage Sikh/Panjabi art and photos. Really helped me connect with the past.

PAKISTAN Farming starts on land belonging to Guru Nanak LAHORE: Farming has been started on 64 acre of land belonging to Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji, in Kartarpur Sahib, which will be supervised by the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and Kartarpur Corridor Management Unit (KCMU). Head of Kartarpur Management Muhammad Latif inaugurated the farming while Sikh from India also participated in the ceremony. The production will be spent on Sikh pilgrims. The Sikh community is grateful to the Pakistani government for initiating the cultivation of lands belonging to Guru Nanak Dev Ji. https://dailytimes.com.pk/875792/farming-starts-on-land-belonging-to-guru-nanak/

Afghanistan’s last Sikhs in a dilemma: To stay or leave Community leaders estimate just 140 Sikhs remain in the Taliban-ruled country, mostly in the eastern city of Jalalabad and capital Kabul. An Afghan Sikh priest praying at the Karte Parwan Gurdwara temple in Kabul [Mohd Rasfan/AFP] Published On 20 Jan 202220 Jan 2022 The caretaker of Kabul’s last Sikh temple stands looking at the cavernous hall where throngs once gathered in worship. Only a handful are left now. “Afghanistan is our country, our homeland,” said Gurnam Singh. “But we are leaving out of sheer hopelessness.” In the 1970s, Afghanistan’s Sikh population numbered 100,000, but decades of conflict, poverty and intolerance have driven almost all of them into exile. The Soviet occupation, subsequent Taliban regime and bloody military intervention by the United States winnowed their numbers to just 240 last year, according to figures kept by the community. After the Taliban returned to power in August, opening the newest chapter in Afghanistan’s dark history, a fresh wave of Sikhs fled the country. Today, Gurnam Singh estimates just 140 remain, mostly in the eastern city of Jalalabad and in Kabul. An Afghan Sikh priest carrying the Guru Granth Sahib at the Karte Parwan Gurdwara in Kabul [Mohd Rasfan/AFP] Some of the remaining devotees trickle into the Karte Parwan Gurdwara temple to pray on a recent wintry morning. Men stand to one side, women to the other – about 15 people in total. Sitting barefoot on a floor covered with thick red rugs, they warm themselves around stoves and listen to a recitation from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book. In November, the temple had three copies, but two have since been sent to New Delhi for “safekeeping”. Poverty is rife among Afghan Sikhs, and attacks by the Afghan chapter of the ISIL (ISIS) armed group are a real threat. The overwhelming majority of Sikhs fleeing Afghanistan have landed in India, where 90 percent of the religion’s 25 million global adherents live, mainly in the northwest region of Punjab. Since the Taliban takeover, India has offered exiled Sikhs priority visas and the opportunity to apply for long-term residency. There is no sign yet that citizenship is on the table. Pharmacist Manjit Singh, 40, is among those who turned down the offer, despite his daughter having emigrated there with her new husband last year. “What would I do in India?” he asked. “There is no job or house there.” Among the remaining holdouts, the prospect of leaving is particularly wrenching: it would mean abandoning their spiritual home. “When this gurdwara was built 60 years ago, the whole area was full of Sikhs,” said 60-year-old community elder Manmohan Singh. “Whatever joy or sorrow we felt, we shared it here.” A priest praying at the Karte Parwan Gurdwara temple in Kabul [Mohd Rasfan/AFP] From the outside, the temple is largely indistinguishable from other buildings on the street. But security here is markedly high, with body searches, ID checks and two fortified doors. In early October, unidentified gunmen forced their way inside and vandalised the sacred space. The incident had ugly echoes of the most scarring attack on the Afghan Sikh community. In March 2020, members of ISIL assaulted the Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib in Shor Bazar, a former enclave of Kabul’s Sikh community, killing 25. Since the attack, that temple – and the nearby Dharamshala Gurdwara, the capital’s oldest Sikh house of worship at an estimated 500 years – have been abandoned. Parmajeet Kaur was struck by shrapnel in her left eye during the attack, and her sister was among those killed. In the weeks that followed, Kaur packed her bags and headed for New Delhi, but “we had no work and it was expensive, so we came back”, she said. That was in July, a few weeks before the Taliban returned to power. Now Kaur, her husband and three children are fed and housed by Karte Parwan Gurdwara. Her children do not go to school, and Kaur never ventures beyond the walls of the temple, the only place where she feels safe. She thinks about leaving again, this time for Canada or the US. “My son and daughters are still small,” she said. “If we leave, we can make something of our lives.”

More translation Indian-Canadian social workers accept that this is an increasing problem in the GTA and surrounding regions. According to one report, an elderly Indo-Canadian woman says a nurse from their family revealed every month 10-12 students come in for abortion where some are Indian students. It should also be noted, some students willingly put them selves into this situation so they can manage their expenses. Most of the girls in these situations have gone away from their families to a foreign land for the first time so they take advantage of the "freedom" given to them. Sunder Singh from Elspeth Wayworth Centre for Women says girls are exploited in two ways. The first is, agents already know the girls are completely alone and lonely so they take advantage of this and begin by praising the girl and winning her trust. Punjabis shouldn't send their daughters/sisters/wives abroad alone, especially if they don't have adequate living expenses. But I don't think they care since many are desperate to move out at any cost. One even married his sister!

My attempt at translating Indian international students in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are falling into the hands of drug dealers and agents. The more worse thing is they're being exploited by their own Indian Canadians. According to one report, the situation is so bad that some girls are being forced into prostitution to pay their education fees. In August, three Indian-Canadian men from Brampton were arrested for smuggling a 18 year old into this "business". This is proof that International Indian students are being exploited in the GTA and it's spreading.

narcissism?

Great prediction because they already have! He's a Panjabi artist from Canada but his family background is from Hoshiarpur Panjab.

It's all about what's in fashion for most people, some Sikh brides follow Bollywood trends by wearing a Lehenga-Choli outfit. The Choli blouse shows the stomach and sometimes has a deep neck. Just a few decades back, brides covered their head properly.

The eastern side have a different Punjabi dialect called Puadhi. This is spoken in Kharar, Mohali, parts of Ludhiana and Patiala district, eastern Sangrur district, Ropar, etc and areas of Haryana. It's also the native dialect of Chandigarh city. Some eastern districts are more developed due to close proximity to Chandigarh. Cultural differences between Malwai's in the west and east were more pronounced in the 20th century. Cultural differences.

There’s a difference between boliya and Bhangra. Boliya, Mahiye and/or Tappe are commonly sung all around Punjab by women (and sometimes men) in rural areas during festivals and marriages.

Satinder Sartaj (also from Doaba) talking about characteristics of Punjab regions. https://youtube.com/shorts/N6awWe1sw-c?feature=share They haven’t all been a bunch of Fankars but the region did have a lot of famous artists (like Fateh Ali Khan pre-partition).