5aaban

Found some information on this dress. It's called a "Janghia" and it wasn't the main dress. But it was worn during physical-work by some, the dhoti or Chaddra was still the main garment. Once they became baptised into Sikhi, it was replaced with a Kachera.

I've read numerous gazetteers from the 19th and 20th century that mention unbleached Kurta & chaddar as main dress and a white sheet for summers (in relation to Jats). They also specify the colours worn by different communities and religions (e.g. Hindus refrained from Green and Sikhs preferred blue). This is from Malva region 1883, where Panjabis co-resided with Bagris. Rural communities dressed similar. This is from the Tarkhan community of Panjab.

Thats not the main dress. It's called a "jhaangiya" which was worn by sports-players, wrestlers and working men sometimes but it wasn't the normal or main dress. 1883 description of mens clothing

Ideas of modesty were different. I have a collection of old paintings, drawings and photographs to observe the changes in clothing. There are drawings and photos of women openly breastfeeding, as it was seen as natural. Today, something like this would be unimaginable in Panjab!

Depends on district. I've read several books and gazetteers on dress and it depended on weather, district/area and religion. For example, most men in Panjab regardless of community used to wrap a unstitched white sheet around the torso in summers and stitched shirts were only worn in winters. A short "Choli" blouse was worn by some communities but it became discouraged as more people adopted Victorian ideas of modesty. Even Indian Sari's didn't have a blouse, it was first introduced by Jnanadanandini Devi to uphold British ideas of modesty in public. Same with attitudes to breastfeeding became more closed, earlier it was considered very normal to do it in public but it was later shunned.

Bhangra isn't even Panjabi culture, its an amalgamation of many dances and hip-hop. Why is this being promoted on such an extensive scale?Why can't they promote sports on the same level? I'm an avid reader of Panjabi history and no one dressed like these Bhangra-dancers, which many claim to be epitomes of Panjabi culture.

Definitely, there is a severe lack of strategic goals or planning from government, agricultural universities and people. I wouldn't even consider educational institutes in Panjab as 'educational'. Many schools are 'convent' which push missionary behaviour and the English = superior mentality and universities are homes of corruption. It also doesn't help when people elect governments based on freebies. People need to get over freebies and actually demand governments to take real action if they want votes.

The Green revolution introduced and really pushed the use of pesticides, fertilisers and chemicals in crop growing. A lot of farmers I've talked to aren't happy with using them either, but they say they have to in order to make the crop grow now and make a living income. I understand their situation as well, many farmers in Panjab are now small landowners due to land being split every generation and they struggle to make an adequate living. In Panjab, land is split among brothers. This is also a contributing factor to lower fertility rates nowadays, because people only want one or two sons so the land isn't split into even tinier sections among them in the future. This is also one of the main reasons for mass-exodus from Panjab.

The government should invite experts to hold mass seminars throughout Panjab to help people understand the implications in Panjabi.

It's not all hopeless, but with the majority it is. Good on your family though.

He didn't even understand Panjabi (video was from Canada I think).

Today, I saw a video of a reporter at a Sikh rally asking a young western Sikh "how many panj pyaare are there" and he replied "4 or 6". So no knowledge of Panjabi (at least he could've understood panj means 5) and Sikhi.

This reminds me of a Panjabi saying. The saying's a bit harsh if you know it (the Dhobi one, but it means you're left with no side to go to). Panjabi and Sikhi won't survive among most 3rd/4th generation Panjabis in the west and it will be decreasing in Panjab too due to rife immigration and people from other states coming in. So you're negatively impacted on both sides.

Many earlier immigrant groups are an example of this. How many 3rd generation immigrants of non-English European origins still speak their language? They're completely assimilated but since Panjabis can be considered "newer" immigrants, they still live under a false impression that their great-grandkids will speak Panjabi and be Sikh. These people think listening to Panjabi music makes them "Panjabi" even if they don't understand a word.

Plenty of people suffer from poverty yet they appear much more content with life than some well-off people in Panjab.

Going in the west has actually damaged Sikhi more than benefiting it. Most children of immigrants will fully assimilate in a few generations, they won't speak Panjabi anymore or be Sikh (and many have already let go into the 2nd or 3rd generation). And since everyone is migrating, it will diminish Sikhi in Panjab further.

I don't think so.

Similar incidents https://swarajyamag.com/politics/how-sherkhan-met-naina-kaur-became-obsessed-with-her-and-murdered-her Mayra Zulfiquar, a UK resident of Pakistani origin, found dead in Lahore 'after refusing to marry a man'

Even men are ending up in dangerous locations. A revolution soon is a must but I highly doubt the possibility of one. Another problem with people there is they don't listen to meaningful advice, they believe you limit their chances of "success" by deterring them from something potentially harmful like this: 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/ 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/

You can say past immigrants didn't resort to morally low ways to immigrate such as, "contract" marriages which are rife in Panjab now, abandoning "husbands" leading to suicides or turning Gurdwara's into places of blind ritualism. They also didn't heavily pollute Panjab's landscape with IELTS centers and visa agents on every single corner which rip you off and aren't genuine. Punjab man marries his own sister (2020) Young man commits suicide after wife goes to Canada 'IELTS brides’: The business of marriage in Punjab

Personally, I don't think Panjab is a controlling society (compared to the middle east). I was quite shocked last time I went, its becoming increasingly liberal due to immigration. Barely any young man wears traditional clothing (both rural & urban) and women are adopting western clothing (in cities/towns). Almost everyone in villages has access to smartphones, social media and the internet.

Are you Malvai?

Yes I posted about the mass-exodus and the issues it brings. One of them is rural (and urban) boys who have the money just make the girls do the exam, sometimes they get abandoned because the girl usually goes alone. There have been cases of these guys resorting to suicide because the girls abroad didn't respond to their texts.

I These advertisements are everywhere, on shops, polls, news channels, radios. They're visually and mentally disturbing. I visited a few years back, when people discover you're from overseas, they ask you for immigration advice and make you to talk in English so they can perfect their own English! I won't be surprised if children forget their 'oora-aira' because English is becoming so ingrained.

The very young ones who come without family/partner aren't the best. They think coming abroad gives them a free pass on everything, including cheating (e.g. abandoning partners). There have been cases of suicide due to this. From what aunties say, recently immigrated girls dress worse than those raised here (who are still somewhat modest).