|
Language
Hindi is the state language but people mostly converse in
'Pahari'. This
language has various dialects or sub-languages. Grierson in his linguistic
survey had called it 'Western Pahari' and had demarcated its area from Jainsar
Bawar in the Uttar Pradesh hills (near Dehra Dun) to Bhadarwah in Jammu and
Kashmir. The various dialects of Pahari spoken in the region are Mandiali (in
Mandi), Kulavi (in Kulu), Kehluri (in Bilaspur), Hinduri (in Nalagarh), Chameali
(in Chamba), Sirmauri (in Sirmur), Miahasvi (in Mahasu region) and Pangwali (in
Pangi). Besides, there are the dialects of Bhot orgin, the Kinnauri, the Lahauli
and the Spitian. All dialects of Pahari are of Sanskritic origin. They have been
written differently in different times. In earlier days they were written in 'Tankri'
or 'Thahau', but later during the Muslim period they were written in the Persian
script and then again in Devanagiri.
Dress
Dhoti,
kurta, coat, waistcoat, turban (or cap), a hand towel upon the
shoulders and a copy of the Panchang (astrolo gical ephemeris) under the arm are
the traditional attire of the Brahmin priest. The Rajputs wore tight fitting
churidar pyjamas, a long coat, a starched turban with a special crown, pointed
shoes, a flourishing pair of moustaches and a frown upon their foreheads. The
Rajputs followed the Purdah system. Their wives and daughters when they stepped
out of the house, rode in curtained palanquins. They lived in close proximity to
each other and had special guest houses, a little removed from their dwelling
places. Women belonging to the Brahmin and the Rajput families wore kurtas,
salwars, long skirts (ghaghri), embroidered tops (choli) and red head scarves (rahide)
with gold edgings. The farmers and labour classes wore only kurta, a loincloth
and a cap. They put on long pyjamas only on special occasions like a wedding or
a festival. The new socio-economic trends have changed all this classes and
castes now wear western style clothes.
Houses
 The houses are built of clay bricks and the roofs are of slate. In the hill
areas stones are used instead of bricks and timber is used for the roofs. The
cattle houses are close to the house. People prefer pucca houses. The tribals
live in double storeyed houses where the ground floor is used for the cattle and
the first floor is used as their living quarters. The labourers live in thatched
huts. The architectural patterns change from area to area.
Among the gods both Aryan and non-Aryan gods are worshipped. Shiva is the
chief god among the Gaddis. Vishnu, Krishna and Buddha are also worshipped.
There is very little impact of Jainism. The Buddhist Lama religion has had a
great impact in the Lahaul, Spiti, Pangi and Kinnaur areas.
|
