The Saraikis ( skr, ), are an
Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group
An ethnolinguistic group (or ethno-linguistic group) is a group that is unified by both a common ethnicity and language. Most ethnic groups share a first language. However, "ethnolinguistic" is often used to emphasise that language is a major bas ...
inhabiting parts of central and southeastern
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, primarily in the southern part of the Pakistani province of
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
They are mainly found in a region of southern
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
known as
Saraikistan
South Punjab ( ur, ) or Saraikistan (Urdu, skr, ) is a proposed new province of Pakistan, comprising the areas which has a majority of Saraikis in the southern part of Punjab province. Made up of Bahawalpur Division, Multan Division and Der ...
, as well as in most parts of
Derajat
Derajat ( Punjabi/Urdu: ), the plural of the word 'dera', is a cultural region of central Pakistan, located in the region where the provinces of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan meet. Derajat is bound by the Indus River to the east, and ...
, which is located in the region where southwestern
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, southeastern
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...
, and northeastern
Balochistan
Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...
meet.
Derajat is bound by the
Indus River
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
to the east and the
Sulaiman Mountains
The Sulaiman Mountains, also known as Kōh-e Sulaymān ( Balochi/Urdu/ fa, ; "Mountains of Solomon") or Da Kasē Ghrūna ( ps, د كسې غرونه; "Mountains of Kasi"), are a north–south extension of the southern Hindu Kush mountain system i ...
to the west.
The Saraiki people follow many religions, though most are predominantly followers of Islam. A small minority of Saraikis follow Chistianity, Hinduism and Sikhism. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, many Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India where they are known as Multanis, Derawalis and Bhawalpuris.
The Saraikis did not see themselves as a distinct ethnic group until the 1960s.
Etymology
The present extent of the meaning of ' is a recent development, and the term most probably gained its currency during the nationalist movement of the 1960s. It has been in use for much longer in
Sindh
Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
to refer to the speech of the immigrants from the north, principally Siraiki-speaking
Baloch tribes
The Baloch or Baluch ( bal, بلۏچ, Balòc) are an Iranian people who live mainly in the Balochistan region, located at the southeasternmost edge of the Iranian plateau, encompassing the countries of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. There a ...
who settled there between the 16th and the 19th centuries. In this context, the term can most plausibly be explained as originally having had the meaning "the language of the north", from the
Sindhi word ' 'up-river, north'.
[; ; ] This name can ambiguously refer to the northern dialects of Sindhi, but these are nowadays more commonly known as "Siroli" or "Sireli".
An alternative hypothesis is that ''Sarākī'' originated in the word ''sauvīrā'', or
Sauvira
Sauvīra was an ancient kingdom of the lower Indus Valley mentioned in the Late Vedic and early Buddhist literature and the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. It is often mentioned alongside the Sindhu Kingdom. Its capital city was Roruka, identified ...
, an ancient kingdom which was also mentioned in the Sanskrit epic
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
.
Currently, the most common rendering of the term is ''Saraiki''. However, ''Seraiki'' and ''Siraiki'' are also commonly used.
Notable people
See also
*
History of Multan
Multan in Punjab province of Pakistan is one of the oldest cities in South Asia, though its exact age has yet to be determined. Multan is known for its ancient heritage and historic landmarks, it has remained the capital of Punjab region in ancient ...
*
Saraiki cuisine
Saraiki cuisine ( skr, ) refers to the native cuisine of the Saraiki people in central Pakistan. The style of cooking is present in the Saraiki-speaking region of southern Punjab, as well as parts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northern Sindh an ...
*
Saraiki literature
Saraiki literature is the literature of the Saraiki language of Pakistani Punjab.
Folk literature and tales
There are many folk tales associated with Ghazi Khan and his minister Gaaman Sachar, a legendary character in Saraiki folk tales.
*Ashra ...
*
Saraiki diaspora
The Saraiki diaspora refers to the dispersing of ethnic Saraikis from Pakistan's Saraiki-speaking region to other parts of the world. The Saraikis are one of the largest ethnic groups to collectively migrate from Pakistan. The total Saraiki pop ...
*
Saraikistan
South Punjab ( ur, ) or Saraikistan (Urdu, skr, ) is a proposed new province of Pakistan, comprising the areas which has a majority of Saraikis in the southern part of Punjab province. Made up of Bahawalpur Division, Multan Division and Der ...
*
Jhumar
Jhumar or Jhoomar (also called Ghumbar in Sandalbar area) is a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Multan and Balochistan, also thrived in Sandalbar areas (Faisal abad, Jhang, Chiniot, Nankana Sahib, Toba Tek Singh districts) ...
References
External links
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Ethnic groups in Pakistan
Ethnic groups in South Asia
Social groups of Balochistan, Pakistan