loveday on punjabis
(she was a lecturer in a lahore college, joined in 1945, but had stayed in india earlier also in childhood. the book 'punjab prelude' was published in 1952)
i suppose the chief impression the punjabi character makes at first impact is the impression of energy, with good humour and a rather high temper not far behind. another impression is almost immediately gained, and that is of a certain quick warm heartedness. greetings are sincerely warm: men seem really pleased to meet, and boys and youths are very sentimental. the women and girls are equally open-hearted, genial and sentimental. how deep it goes, i don't know: but one likes the look of it. to judge by the relations of individuals in the family, warm heartedness is indeed the real character and whole nature of the punjabi.
the hindus pile up money but often give freely to charities they trust. the muslims are less charitable , but less miserly – wealth to them is a passing condition, to be enjoyed while it lasts, but not to be grabbed for. on the whole, the punjabi, whether of town or country – very unlike other indians – is a pretty free spender, and likes a good life, and keeps his money circulating. being also, when he sees the necessity of it, a hard worker, and possessed of stamina, he and his family therefore live pretty comfortably, and the general standard of living in the punjab town and village is computed to be above that of spain, or southern italy.
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