Culture of Karachi

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Culture of Karachi (Urdu: ثقافت كراچى ) is manifested in lifestyle, festivals, literature, music, language, politics and culinary preferences of people of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Karachi is microcosm of people of many diverse cultures and ethnicities of Pakistan and also from other parts of the world.

The everyday lifestyle of Karachi differs substantially from that of other Pakistani towns. The culture of Karachi is characterized by the blending of South Asian, Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Western influences, as well as the status of the city as a major international business centre. As a whole, there is considerable diversity in culture, and this diversity has produced unique cultural amalgam of its own type. Karachi also hosts the largest middle class stratum of the country.

Contents 1 History of Karachi 2 Language 3 Religion 4 Literature 4.1 Poetry 5 Performing arts 5.1 Music 5.2 Drama and theatre 6 Shopping 7 Education 8 Recreation 9 Sports 9.1 Cricket 9.2 Football 9.3 Hockey 9.4 Squash 10 Cuisine 10.1 Restaurants 11 Festivals 11.1 Ramadan 11.2 Chand Raat 11.3 Eid celebrations 11.4 Milaad un Nabi 11.5 Muharram (Ashura) 11.6 Jashn-e-Baharan 11.7 Nowruz 11.8 Independence Day 11.9 Defense Day Parade 12 Popular media 12.1 Television 12.2 Radio 12.3 Cinema 13 National Dress 14 Globalization 15 Business 16 Sexual conservatism & cultural taboos 17 Politics 18 Ethnic communities 19 Karachi in Popular Culture of Sindh 20 References 21 See also 22 External links 23 References

[edit] History of Karachi

Main article: History of Karachi

The Baloch tribes from Balochistan and Makran established a small settlement of fishing communities,^[1] many of whom still inhabit sections of Sindh, and called it Kolachi. The modern port-city of Karachi, however, was developed by authorities of the British Raj in the 19th century. Upon the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the city was selected to become the national capital, and was settled by Muslim immigrants from India, which radically expanded the city's population and transformed the demographics and economy. Karachi has faced major infrastructural and socio-economic challenges, but modern industries and businesses have developed in the city.

[edit] Language

Historically, Balochi and later Sindhi was spoken by the native population before the British conquest in 1834 by Charles James Napier. During British rule, many Gujrati and Parsi business families and Christian Goans bureaucracy migrated from Bombay Presidency to Karachi as it was being devolped as a major port. After independence of Pakistan in 1947, Muslim refugees (Muhajirs) migrated to Karachi. The vast majority of Muhajirs spoke Urdu. Today Karachi is predominantlry Urdu speaking city with many other languages also spoken in the city.

The current estimated linguistic distribution of the city is: Urdu: 48.52%; Sindhi: 19.34%;Punjabi: 10.64%; Pashto: 8.96%; Balochi: 4.34%; Saraiki: 2.11%; others: 6.09%. The others include Dari, Gujarati, Dawoodi Bohra, Memon, Marwari, Brahui, Makrani, Khowar, Burushaski, Arabic, Persian and Bengali.^[2]

[edit] Religion

Karachi is predominantly Muslim (Sunni 66% and Shia 34%) city with small religious minorities. The religious breakup of the city is as follows: Muslim: 96.49%; Christian: 2.35%; Hindu: 0.83%; Ahmadi: 0.17%; others 0.13%. The others include Parsis, Jews, Orthodox and Buddhists^[3][4]

[edit] Literature

[edit] Poetry

[edit] Performing arts

Karachi is home to some of Pakistan's important cultural institutions. The National Academy of Performing Arts,^[5] located in the newly renovated Hindu Gymkhana offers a two year diploma course in performing arts that include classical music and contemporary theatre. The All Pakistan Music Conference, linked to the 45-year old similar institution in Lahore, has been holding its Annual Music Festival since its inception in 2004. The Festival is now a well-established feature of the city life of Karachi that is awaited anxiously and attended by more than 3000 citizens of Karachi as well as people from other cities.^[6]

The National Arts Council (Koocha-e-Saqafat) also has musical performances and Mushaira (poetry recitations). Karachi has a few museums including the Mohatta Palace Museum that regularly has exhibitions as well as the National Museum of Pakistan. The Kara Film Festival organized annually showcases independent Pakistani and international films and documentaries.

[edit] Music

[edit] Drama and theatre

[edit] Shopping

[edit] Education

[edit] Recreation

[edit] Sports

[edit] Cricket

[edit] Football

[edit] Hockey

[edit] Squash

[edit] Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Pakistan

Meat (mainly beef) plays a more dominant role in Karachi food, Curries, pulses like Lentils, called dal, are also very popular. Of all the meats, the most popular are: beef, goat, chicken and seafood. Barbecue food is also extremely popular. Dishes made with rice include pullao and biryani. Different kinds of breads like: Chapati, Naan, Tandoor bread, Paratha and Puri are very popular.

[edit] Restaurants

[edit] Festivals

[edit] Ramadan

[edit] Chand Raat

[edit] Eid celebrations

[edit] Milaad un Nabi

[edit] Muharram (Ashura)

[edit] Jashn-e-Baharan

[edit] Nowruz

[edit] Independence Day

[edit] Defense Day Parade

[edit] Popular media

[edit] Television

[edit] Radio

[edit] Cinema

See also: Cinema in Karachi

Karachi film industry had its golden days in 1960s when some of the prominent film studios were located in Karachi, making films for the viewership of a large and growing working-class population. With a metropolitan area the film viewership is still popular in Karachi. However, the interest has shifted more towards the Hollywood and other international productions. One of the reasons for the shifting trends is attributed to the moving of film-making industry to Lahore, locally termed as Lollywood. There are several hundred cinema theatres in Karachi with relaeses in Urdu, English, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashtu, Balochi, etc.

[edit] National Dress

The national dress of Karachi is Shalwar Qameez (Urdu: شلوار قمیض ) is a traditional dress worn by both women and men in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Shalwar are loose pajama-like trousers. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The Qameez is a long shirt or tunic. The side seams (known as the chaak) are left open below the waist-line, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement.

[edit] Globalization

[edit] Business

[edit] Sexual conservatism & cultural taboos

[edit] Politics

[edit] Ethnic communities

One of the uniqueness of the Karachi which is not found in other famous cities of the globe is its tolerance to its dwellers to maintain their basic ethnic identity, lifestyles and live together in their respective neighborhoods. For example, Kiamari is known for the Pakhtuns or Kharadar is for Memons and Agha Khanis, similarly Lyari is known for Baloch and Memons, Nazimabad and Liaquatabad are known for Muhajirs (Urdu speaking people), because here in Karachi communities prefer to live in groups or Jamaats or their ‘own kind’, instead of living scattered, as according to mindset of Pakistani people (who being divided in distinctive cultures / identities) it is in their own interest. The mentality has been reinforced as a result of serious clashes which have taken in recent past among different ethnic groups in this city. ^[7]

[edit] Karachi in Popular Culture of Sindh

Karachi has been sung in many Sindhi songs, notably the folk songs sung in Sindhi marriages, called Sehra (سهرا) and Ladda (لاڏا) such as:

آيلڙي مون ته سُئي وڃائي ڪراچيءَ جي شهر مان مون سُئي گھُرائي

sung by Zarina Baloch and

ڪراچيءَ جي شهر مان منڊيون جوڙايم سونا گل ڪراچيءَ جي موٽر ڀرجي آيا

In addition, Karachi is also known for the legend of Morirro Mirbahar, whose braveness has been praised and sung by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai in his poetry. This legend story has also been picturized in a Sindhi movie Ghatoo Ghar na Ayaa (In Sindhi گھاتُو گھر نه آيا).

Karachi jaa ddeeha' aee' raatioo' (In Sindhi ڪراچيءَ جا ڏينهن ۽ راتيون), Days and Nights of Karachi is a novel written by Muhammad Bakhsh Johar.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Culture of Pakistan
• Karachi
• History of Karachi
• Climate of Karachi
• City District Government of Karachi
• List of mayors of Karachi
• List of Union Councils of Karachi
• Demographics of Karachi
• Economy of Karachi
• Cinema in Karachi
• List of schools in Karachi
• List of colleges in Karachi
• List of universities in Karachi
• List of sports venues in Karachi
• Karachi International Airport
• Port of Karachi

[edit] External links

• Karachities and their characteristics

[edit] References