T he
Punjabi Personality
The typical Punjabi is an extrovert, a sociable fellow who
likes to eat well, dress well. Even if he’s in a tight
spot he would like to twirl his moustache and say "Chardi
kala" ("on the up and up") to those who
ask how he’s getting on. He learns quickly and assimilates
new cultures without difficulty; family honour is sacrosanct
to him, but in other matters he tends to be liberal minded.
It is a matter of pride to be "up to date". His
enterprise and capacity to work hard are legendary and his
deepest ambition is to "be his own boss": many an
émigré Punjabi have started life in a strange land driving
a cab or working in a café and gone on to buy out the owner
within a couple of years.
Traditional
Dress
A generation ago, the turban was the "crowning
glory" of all Punjabis whether Muslim, Hindu or Sikh.
Muslims and Hindus have given up their turbans, but it  remains,
literally, an article of faith for Sikh men whose religion
forbids them to cut their hair. The kurta, a long straight-cut,
loose shirt teamed with pyjamas, the loose baggy salwar, or
a kind of sarong called a loongi or tehmat makes up the traditional
dress for men. Winter sees the rustic Punjabi in colourful
sweaters that wives and mothers are so skilled in making.
A blanket finishes his ensemble. When the urban, educated
Punjabi steps out to work he will be in shirt and pant or
a suit—sartorially indistinguishable from his counterparts
in Tokyo or Toronto. Back home in the evening, he is likely
to be found in more traditional dress. The traditional Punjabi
shoes, called juttis retain their popularity with both
rural and urban men; they are both elegant and comfortable.
Patiala and Muktsar are famous for juttis.
 It is impossible to tell
by dress whether a Punjabi woman is a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh
or Christian – they all dress in salwar topped by a kameez
(a garment that can be fitted like a dress loose like the
kurta) and accented by a rectangular scarf about 2.5 metres
long called the chunni or duppatta . She’s fond of her
sweaters, but she is passionately proud of her collection
of woollen shawls. These can be breathtaking. The women of
Punjab are responsible for the state’s most famous item
of handicraft – the phulkari. This is a
shawl completely covered in dense silk embroidery, folk motifs
in jewel-tones on an ochre background. Gold is her weakness
– brides are loaded with it. The jewellers of Punjab
stock an enormous range of designs in bangles, necklaces,
rings and earrings, nose-pins, ornaments to pin in the hair,
anklets and toe-rings. A particular kind of bangle is the
tip-off in recognising Sikh men and women. It’s called
a kada and is made of steel.
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