Superstitious beliefs among pakhtun women in pakistan
Superstitious beliefs among pakhtun women in pakistan
SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS AMONG PAKHTUN WOMEN IN PAKISTAN
"Razai chi Pir Baba la lar sho, deer maranay day swal pa lara qablaween" (lets visit the shrine of Pir Baba, no one returns without being entertained----even desired are fulfilled before reaching the shrine.) It is a famous tappa, a most liked genre of Pashto music, where a female asks her fellow friends for visiting the shrine of Pir Baba in Buner (an area) with a hope of getting their desires fulfilled. Such poetry is very common amongst Pakhtuns reflecting the superstitious beliefs amongst women of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KPK) province.
Beliefs are said to be statements to which members of a particular community adhere and are obeyed regularly. Every community has its own social organization and belief system that direct the course of life of individual within their relative social structure and thus maintain a sequential and orderly life. The areas belong to Pakhtuns in KPK province having its typical and traditional belief system, which is strictly followed by the inhabitants. Such belief system is an amalgamation of traditions, values and religious ideology that includes folk wisdom, traditional ideology, superstitious beliefs as well as modern ideologies came from forces of modernity and social change.
The community as demarcated as Pakhtuns has no such extensive religious knowledge and understanding and thus they are involved and stuck to superstitious beliefs. Women have strong beliefs to visit Sooth Sayers (Pirs) and shrines and extend forth every possible offering. Women, particularly aged, visit shrines on regular basis known as Gailai and give Nazrani (donations) to care takers of shrines. Like a poet says, "Ka me janaan Khuday Zama Ko, no ma da Pir Baba jhnaday manale dina" (if I succeeded getting my love, I will decorate Pir Baba with colorful flags). Most of the females (few of men) strongly believe in healing power of Taweez (amulets) and Sakhtoona (written scripts). They are used to cure serious diseases usually associated with Kode Taveezona (black magic). Various other beliefs also prevail such as eating of salt lying on shrines by women (considered as holy) or rubbing of stones over paining parts of their bodies at shrines. Apart from visits to shrines, Sooth Sayers (Pirs) are also very popular among women. Most of the times, their visits are for a purpose of curing their ills, i.e. Nazar (evil sight), Jadoo (magic), Taweez and Peryan (spirits), etc, however, in some of cases they visit to make their husbands obedient (Tabidar) by giving them anything to eat as suggested by these Pirs .
Women also visit graveyards or shrines of saints (both local and non-local) as to ask for a male issue and mostly they follow it weekly, and particularly on Thursday. The desire of male child of a woman is a source of income for Pirs, Mullahs and Malangans (tombs bearers). These people get rich gifts including cash, animals, clothes and sometime property, donation.
Superstitious as found among Pashtoon women have negative impacts on social and cultural standing of women and gender development because such beliefs and practices trap women and further exploits them economically. They visit shrines of saints, Pirs and Mullahs and spend a lot of their labor, time and money. This not only makes them economically weak and dependent but also results in wastage of most of their energies and health. These superstitious beliefs reinforce male dominancy in one way or the other because these beliefs are either male-oriented, e.g. come from male sources or are practiced and exercised through male Pirs and so called saints. Analysis describes that these Pirs know the psychology of women better and make them believe to accept the truth of their magical skills and thus, these people do not want to let women free and through different tactics keep them subordinate.
The ethnographic details of the area entail that these superstitious beliefs are major sources of creating fear and tension among women in area. Women who do not follow shrines, or saints, or they move against them or do not accept their beliefs, are warned of evil forces or spirits endangering them or their children. Few of women were also found in a kind of psychological fits called Chappa in which they remain unconscious for a specified period and act in abnormal manner. They are believed to be under strong spell and control of a spirit (Jinn or Peryan). Such women are then taken to Pirs and a kind of treatment is then suggested. Women remain more careful in observing not to violate dictation of such Pirs because they are considered as celestial beings. However, majority of males do not believe on such superstitions but still they visit shrines and Pirs with their women. The mind-set of female has been framed in such a way that they cannot find other way to cure their family; son, daughter and other family members. Such practices are according to Pakhtoonwali (Pakhtun code of life).
Actually Pakhtun dominated areas show scarcity in educational facilities that has resulted in low ratio of overall education for both male and female. While considering religious education, it has been observed that nevertheless, learning of sacred scriptures is offered but understanding about such scriptures is in abatement. In addition, religious education has been confined to a specified group of people including Syeds and Mullahs, (the two very important religious circles) who are always been found in mosques while others remain absent. In regard to religious hold, males are again ahead in race due to their exposure to outer world while females have no access and exposure to external world where they are abstinent from learning basics of religion and remain vulnerable to accept false and superstitious beliefs.
Female among Pakhtun learn religious education in a traditional way like through family and what they learn is said to be Islamic and sometimes it becomes very difficult for them to separate traditional and Islamic ideologies. On the other hand, Islam is a rational religion and it spreads rationality and reasoning among its followers. All matters are clearly defined and there is no place for superstitious beliefs. In the context of Pashtoon community, those who follow beliefs other than traditionally accepted one's are mostly treated as Munker (non-believer). Generally in any culture of the world, all people are not well aware of religious knowledge; rather there is stratification in which ordinary, landlords and religious groups exist.
The religious groups generally have hold over religious scripts and other sects are mostly looked to be dependent upon them. Due to their relatively more exposure, as compared to female, male have more access and wisdom to understand issues of life within religious context, while female usually remain ignorant. This further gives way to a belief system, contradictory to fundamental ideologies based upon superstitious beliefs and such beliefs then become religious and people follow it as their prime duty.
However, as time passes-by, modernity and social change tend to occur in research area that bring change in ideas of male and female towards visiting shrines and Pirs. With the emergence of mass media, education and quick ways of communication, liberal class has come to fore-front in shape of Tableeghi Group (preaching personnel) and other religious scholars who reiterate in their speeches and sermons about unlawful status of such visits in Islam. With this a conflicting situation has been aroused where superstitious beliefs are diminishing and replaced by rationality and wisdom. Further, education is spreading, which is assisting to open mental horizon and broaden vision of people to accept a real spirit of shrines and Pirs. Further, modern technology has shifted old religious and cultural traditions into more secular ones and slowly and gradually, situation is becoming modernized. Advantages Of Payday Loans Online Some Clean And Easy Advice On How To Attract Women Look For The Best Wedding Cake Toppers Online Relief From Debt Stress Bunbury Laminate Flooring Experts Tradesmen Tax Relief Attorney- Free Helpful Guide For Tax Relief Young Girls Are Going After The Jean Jacket Its Good To Purchase Online Flowers To Deliver A Form Of Surgical Treatment Choice Online Florists Singapore Best Way To Shop For Bouquets The Joys of Breastfeeding! A Ultimate Visitors Tips On Choosing The Cool Tour In Cozumel Buying In Bulk, Safe For Bbq Sauce, Not So Much For Yogurt