6. The folk-tales* in their monsters and animal language and re-births and deux et machina form a curious compound of Chinese and Buddhist and Persian stuff; the single constituents are most clearly discernible, The stories show little real variety from place to place.
7. The balladry is, strangely enough, very poor in quality and quantity for a concourse of fighting tribes as the Panjab holds. Poras and Prithi Raj and Guru Gobind Singh were rarely sung of as popular, national horoes, Neither was any national Muslim hero, except Dulla Bhatti, thrown op. Thus the cycle of Risalu legends is the only staple theme of balladic stuff ; the slight things called Wars touching on the days of Akbar and the Sikhs are almost unsubstantial. All the medieval ballads are really lyrical narratives.
8, Hagiolatry and Hagiology ate dear to both the bigger communities, Muslim saints being worshipped by the Hindus salvo, and Hinda saints by the Muslims as well. Miracle-working is a large bit of popular credulity, The Sufi orders still thrive on the soil, The Sikhs so stoutly opposed to asceticism and renunciation have by # strange irony of fate themselves given three orders of Sadhus to the Hindu stock-tho Nirmalas, the Udasis and the Suthras, Nanak Shahis, Sewa Dasis, Gulab Dasis, Lal Dasis, Gharib Dasis, Addan Shahis, Kan-pates, the disciples of Gorak Nath, the Panjpirias, the followers of Gugga Pir, Khwaja Khizar, Sakhi Serwar and the Bara Gazas mast, also, be mentioned. Hero one may record the long existing superstitions about days and numbers, and the omens.
8. Brahmanism and monasticism have found their refuge in Kashmir and other, north-eastern hilly parts from a long time and with them have exit from the Panjab plains Sanskrit and Prakrit and Pali influences.
10. Having been but turbulent Province annexed now to Kabul and Ghazni, now to Delhi and Agra, the Panjab, left without kings and with only agents or provincial satraps, never developed all the courtly manners and refined arts and crafts that grow up in the cool shadows of luxury and patronage provided by the Royalty and Nobility.
11. The important urban centres of political, literary and social culture have been Poshawar, Rawalpindi, Jullundur, Mulan, Lahore, Amritsar, Gujrat, Sialkot, Thanesar, Panipat, Delhi, Uchch, Pakpattan, Jhelum, Rohtas, Srinagar, Sirhind, Patiala, and Kangra.
12, Speaking comparatively, from the Aryan times downwards the historical sense and the love of historical records has been strong and often operative in the Province. In this the Panjab resembles Sind and Rajputana, The Mahabharata, the Ramayana, the Raja Tarangini, the numerous Persian histories and biographical compilations are convincing testimony. Original works and translations relating to Rajaniti, also, abound. So do works on medicine, grammar, sex and women’s wiles, in Sanskrit, in Persian and in Panjabi.
13, Even in the face of Islamic inhibition, music has, owing to Sufistic and Sikh influences, acquired a firm place in the economy of Panjab life, The popular instruments are : Sitar, Rabab, Alghoza, Bani and Sarangi. The Qawwali assemblies and the Sat-sangs are frequently held and mass gatherings, at which a romantic legend is recited from memory or a book, are a common sight Drama is provided by Ras Dharias and Bhands and Naqlias and Sang performers.
5 Vide page 70;Orintal Religions, Samuel Johnson.
6 Without presuming to judge, one may say that among the best representatives of their school are the paintings included in Mss, 5926 and 464, PU. L. Five are of Guru Nanak, two of Guru Gobind Singh and the remaining of the popular gods of Hindu mythology, the incarnations of Vishnu. ‘They differ widely from the creations of the Rajputana and the Moghul School and have a technique of colour, line and representation of their own and strike a new synthetic note in their ideas.
