Women of Pakistan

Daughters of the East

QURAT-UL-AIN discusses the status of women in the historical and cultural context of subcontinent

The role of women in Pakistan is multifaceted. The country had elected a woman as Prime Minister, and as for back as 1962 had voted in large numbers for Fatima Jinnah, the Presidential candidate of the combined opposition parties. In many social contexts, women are accorded esteem and importance. But on most accounts, the welfare and productivity of women in Pakistan is almost the lowest in the world.

For the last 2,000 years or so, the Punjab has been known as the “Land of Five Rivers”. In the times Before Christ (B.C), however, it used to be referred to as the “Land of Seven rivers” beside many geographical and environments changes, this drastic transformation in the drainage system has been the cause of disappearance of an old civilization that had left hundreds of archaeological sites. The region so affected was what we now call “Cholistan” a desolate desert occupying about 26,400 sq. km area between Indian Border in the east to Indus Plain in the west, and from that desert in the south to the Sutlej River in the north.

The unimaginable variety of culture, Art and folk music especially accompanying the dance steps of Bhangra Giddha, Ghummar etc. has over millennia added special luster to the folk tradition of Punjab.

“Mela Sakhain DA” on the International Women’s Day!

Mela includes so many beautiful events and an exhibition on “Phulkari” by well known WENGAAR Women Empowerment and Naturalization of Gender in Abject Areas of Ruralism. Under the Umbrella of Punjab institute of language, art and culture at Punjabi Complex Qaddafi Stadium Feroze Pur Road, Lahore on 4-5 March 2008. Wife of Governor Punjab Mrs. Rubine Khalid was the chief Guest at the event.

Punjab is also known for its traditions of folk music and colour full culture. The Sufis contributed their Kafi and Qawwalis which introduced a tremendous variety of folk spiritual music.

Punjab, the land of five rivers, has been the cradle of Pakistan’s Pristine Culture and spirituality. It is the land of Indus valley civilization. Oh! No but I have a fantasy of seven rivers, a sweet and beautiful page from the land of seven rivers.

Near about 2,000 B.C. There had existed two independent rivers system: Indus river System in the west and the Jamna River System in the east. The Jamna River System had Sarasvati and Sutlej as its tributaries that joined it near the present location of Bhawar. Towards southwest, it made an inland delta near Derawar. The Indus River had its own set of tributaries that joined it northeast of present location of Mithankot, and the river jointed the Arabian Sea probably at Sir Creek (from where it had shifted to the present delta position).

From 2,000 to 1,500 B.C., Jamna River shifted eastwards to join the Ganges River (now in India) so that the area previously served by its started to dry up. The Sutlej River, however, continued to flow in its old channel. Between 500 B.C. to 1,100 A.D., Sutlej joined Beas River (that used to join chenab river previously). The only perennial River to water the ancient land was the Ghaggar River that used to flow as Hakra River in the course of Jamna River. Around 1,300 to 1,500 A.D., the Sutlej River let the Beas River and returned back to its former Channel and thus started to flow into the Indus River, so that Beas became just a small tributary of the Sutlej.

Presently WENGAAR is putting its efforts to revive the cultural heritage. Phulkari is one of its projects for the Poverty alleviation. It is working for empowering women in remote areas of Punjab, NWFP and Sandy desert of Sindh.

The word Phulkari literally means flowering. It is a form of craft in which embroidery is done in simple and sparse design over Shawls and Depttas. In some cases where the design is very elaborate, covering the material entirely, it is called Bagh (a garden of flower).

The origin of Phulkari could be traced back to the 15th century. Even the holy book of Sikhs (Guru Granth Sahib) mentions: “Only then will you considered an accomplished lady when you will yourself embroider your own blouse”.

The embroidery of Phulkari and Bagh is done in Punjabi culture that has its roots in human unconscious. Phulkari is the poetry of the needle which embroiders captivating verses in the shape of fascinating patterns on the cloth. It is a magnificent manifestation of the inner aesthetics of the Punjabi women, created by nimble fingers, which form different structures and patterns that lend vibrancy and decorative touches to a functional item.

The threads used are invariably of a silk yarn called pat. It is fluffy and soft untwisted floss, which clings to the fingers, especially durig the summer, so it needs to be handled with utmost care. Its colours are not fast, and tend to run when washed. Going back well into the past, the silk threads were brought in form different parts of the sub-continent, like Multan, Kashmir, Bangal Dera Ghazi Khan and Amritsar.

The embroidery of Phulkari and Bagh is done in short darn stitch, which is created into innumerable design and patterns. It is the skilful manipulation of this single stitch that lends an interesting and characteristic dimension to this needlework. While the stitch itself is uncomplicated, the quality of the Phulkari, depends upon the size of the stitch. The smaller the stitch, the finer the embroidery.

The artists always prefer bright colours. Golden, yellow, red, crimson, orange, green, blue, pink, etc. are the popular ones. For the embroidery, only a single string is used at a time, each part is worked over in one colour. Thread colours do not do shadings and variations. Instead, the effect is obtained by the dexterous use of horizontal, vertical or diagonal stitches.