Punjab . Society and Culture

The Punjabi Personality

The typical Punjabi is an extrovert, a sociable fellow who likes to eat well, dress well. Even if he’s in a tight spot he would like to twirl his moustache and say "Chardi kala" ("on the up and up") to those who ask how he’s getting on. He learns quickly and assimilates new cultures without difficulty; family honour is sacrosanct to him, but in other matters he tends to be liberal minded. It is a matter of pride to be "up to date". His enterprise and capacity to work hard are legendary and his deepest ambition is to "be his own boss": many an émigré Punjabi have started life in a strange land driving a cab or working in a café and gone on to buy out the owner within a couple of years.