The People

Dress

Most of the urban people use Shalwar Kameez whereas a few people may be seen in the western style and clothes like trouser, bushirt etc.  In rural areas, the people use Dhoti-Kurta and men also wear Pagri-Khusa.  Men in the village also keep Chaddar/Parna on their shoulders while Sikhs wear turban in addition to shalwar kameez and their women are seen covering themselves in traditional oriental dress.

Food

Wheat and rice are used commonly throughout the district.  The food habits are generally simple in the villages.  People take Chapati and vegetables.  However, on special occasions, meat is used by the common men.  Lunch is normally taken with butter, bread and Lassi.  A pickle made by green mangoes is also commonly used while Sikhs are stick to their own meal mainly vegiterian

Dwellings

In the rural areas dwellings consist of mostly 2 to 3 rooms which are normally Katcha houses with courtyard. Big Zamindars (landlords) live in big Havalies.  In urban areas, cemented houses with multiple buildings are constructed. Local Sikhs dwell in cemented buildings in main city

Marriages

Marriages are commonly arranged by parents and no Nikah ceremony is considered valid without permission of the parents.  The marriages are generally arranged by inter mediator.  The gifts are exchanged between two parties which are known as Bari & Daaj. Gifting dowery is a common practice here in Nankana.  Gifts are, in fact, in the shape of clothes, furniture, jewelry, domestic utensils and electronic goods.  Gana & Mehndi are also celebrated.  The marriages are celebrated with great pomp and show. Marriages of sikh community are celeberated in Gurdawaras maily arranged by elders of the family and community.

Births

 A married girl usually delivers her first baby at her parent’s house.  Exchange of gifts takes place by the parents of the wife and the husband.  In some cases festivities are held on a large scale.  The Mullah sounds Azaan (oneness and supremacy of God) into the ears of the newly born child. Male muslim children go through circumcision on 7th day of birth.  Mukhay Mantar_(Cheif incatation_ is recited by Garathi over newly born in Sikhism for blessing.

Deaths

At funerals the body is given the final bath, wrapped in white sheets and is taken to the graveyard and buried with its face towards Qibla and feet towards the south.  Bricks and stones are then places, leaning over the corpse, so that no earth may rest on it, before that Namaz-e-Janaza (funeral prayer) is said by all present.  On the third day, the Qul ceremony is performed when food is served to those who come to condole with the bereaved family. However, Sikhs set the dead bodies on fire in a specified place called Shamshan Ghat and then take the ashes of their loved ones as a gesture of love and get the aches aflot over running stream of some canal or river for final disposal.

Superstitions

The urban dwellers of Nankana Sahib are relatively free from superstitions in comparison to rural folks.  They have little dread evil-eye (Nazar) at the birth of a child.  It is however common to wear amulet as protection against Nazar.  It is always considered band to be overtaken by a funeral, it one is wearing one’s best clothes.

Traditions/Customs

The entire population has strong religious traditions and deeply wedded in Islamic culture.  The people observe Islamic festivals of boths Eid, Shab-e-Barat,Eid Meelad-n-Nabi (Pease be upon him), etc. with full religious zeal and zest. When it comes to sikh community, they perform their own rituals. Festivals like Baisakhi, jorr maila, Yoam Parkash, janam din OR birthday celeberations of Baba Guru Nanak are celeberated by local Sikhs. People also like playing desi/Folk games like gulli danda, volleyball, cards, hide and seek etc. Gidda or folk dance is performed by sikh boys and girls on diffent occacions of happiness.

Ratio of Religious & Sectarian sects

There are different people adhered to cult and sect available in Nankana Sahib and there ratio can be seen as:

Sect

Ratio

  • Brelvi

37%

  • Deo Bandi

16%

  • Ahl-e-Tashi

36%

  • Ahl-e-Hadith

14%

  • Other (Minorities mainly sikhs)

5%

Casts

  • Kharal
  • Jutt
  • Arrain
  • Gujjar
  • Sikh
  • Christian

Professions

Nankana Sahib is known for providing a large number of Wheat and Rice Crops and most of the population is dependent on agriculture sector.

Language

Urdu is the language spoken and understood by all. However majority of the people, especially those living in Rular areas speak Punjabi.  Hence Urdu is the main language spoken and understood by the people living in the city.The educated elite living in Nankana Sahib also understand and speak English.

Lifestyle

People of the Nankana Sahib are simple and most of the population resides in villages. Since the area is rich in agriculture, most of the people engaged in cultivating different crops. Life of the people living in Nankana Sahib can be divided into people living in the city and those living in the villages. People start their day early in the morning both with male and female members of the house going to their work place and children going to schools.

The city is leading towards continuous development and advancement. Initially the city lacked good market for clothing and other household items. People usually traveled to Faisalabad or Lahore for the shopping. Now the trend is changing because shopping plazas are being developed.

People of this area have gone abroad to earn their livelyhood and most of them are settled in United Kingdom and Middle East. These people are a big source of foreign remittance and are contributing to the foreign exchange of the country.

Sports

The city also has the cricket stadium called as the ‘Municipal Stadium’ . Cricket on regional level is played in the stadium. Other sports played by the people include squash and hockey. Kabbadi is also played by the people.