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| Lok Virsa documents culture of Charsadda city |
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Monday, November 02, 2009
Islamabad
Lok Virsa, National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage has made a comprehensive field study and research to document the culture and traditions of Charsadda city.
The documentation focuses on its history culture, traditions, architecture, lifestyle of the people, customs and rituals connected to different celebrations and festivals etc.
Located in the west of the NWFP, Charsadda is a district 29 kilometre from Peshawar where Pashtuns make up majority of the population.
The city of Charsadda originally known as Pushkalvati and many invaders have ruled over this region during different times of history.
These include the Persians, Alexander the Great, the Mauryas, the Greco-Bactrians, the Indo-Greeks, the Indo-Scythians, the Indo-Parthians, the Kushans, the Huns, the Turks and the Hindus.
It is called the city of the Lotus and is very fertile and beautiful while it was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Gandhara from about the 6th century BC to 2nd century AD.
Shar-i-Napursan is an archaeological site in Charsadda district near the village Rajan. Excavations have unearthed two distinct settlements of the Buddhist period and two of Muslim period.
Total population is more than 10,22,000 and most of the dwellers are agriculture based with main crops of tobacco, sugarcane, sugar beet, and rice.
The old houses in Charsadda are made up of Mud and Stones and the old bazaar of Charsadda city was famous for shoe making, agriculture and Khaddar.
In ancient times most of business units were occupied by Hindu community. The traditional occupation of Charsadda is shoe making, more then 200 shops are set up.
Khaddar is the beautiful gift of Charsadda as the men wear ‘Shalwar Kameez’ with ‘Chadar’ on shoulders and caps on head. While women mostly wears simple dress consists of trouser, shirt and a long ‘Chaddar’.
Pukhtoon customs relating to the birth of male child is a joyful event as the relatives and friends felicitate the proud parents and fire with their guns as a mark of happiness and marriages as a general rule are arranged by parents.
According to the documentation, ‘Kabadi’, ‘Gulli Danda’, ‘Cheendro’ or ‘Peeto’, ‘Eishtapa’, and ‘Nakhay’ have vital importance in the rural life of Pukhtoon sports.
Hujra is traditionally a male club and social centre serving as a community club situated in each village, which is a place to accommodate collective ceremonies, male members of the community who hang out and associate like a larger family regularly attend Hujra(s).
It is the focus of the community opinions and actions. The ‘Jirga’ is the Pukhtoon assembly in which all public and private affairs are settled.
The traditional dance of Charsadda is drum beating and ‘bhangra’. ‘Tappa’ is a combination of Hindko and Pushto song. The folk story of Shah Borri and Sitam is very famous in Charsadda.
The famous personalities of Charsadda are Haji Tarangzae, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Waqiyaa Bibi Payari while famous Pushto poets are Abdul Ghani Khan, Mian Nadir Shah Kaka Khail, Ludha Ram Das, Bibi Naik Bakhta.
Hospitality is one of the sublime features of Pakhtoons. Pukhtoon have been described as one of the most hospitable people of the world. They consider generous hospitality as one of the finest virtues and greet their guest warmly with a broad smile on their faces.
Lok Virsa is a specialised federal organisation with a mandate for field research, collection, cultural studies, oral traditions, folklore, indigenous cultural heritage and traditional culture, said Khalid Javaid, Executive Director, Lok Virsa while talking to APP.
Besides its other functions, it encourages research in regional languages, folk literature, cultural history, arts, crafts and other aspects of Pakistan culture.
The research report is also available in the Heritage Library of Lok Virsa as reference material for further study and research on this particular area/region by students, researchers and scholars.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
