Seraiki wasaib (culture) is the proud inheritor of Indus Valley Civilization. Seraiki is an Indo-Arian language. Seraikis have their unique culture i.e. psyche, food habits, folk dances, music, poetry, idioms, dresses and way of living. In the span of long history many invaders from Central Asia and Iran conquered and settled here, but the rich Seraiki culture absorbed them altogether.

Seraiki is the mother-tongue of more than 50 million people in the south-western Pakistani Punjab. In the following districts Seraikis are in large majority: Mianwali, Taank, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan Rajan Pur, Rahim Yarn Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawal Nagar, Vehari, Khanewal, Multan, Muzaffar garh, Layyah, Bakhar, Jhang, Khushab and Sargodha.

More than 10 million Pakhtoon and Baloch tribes are bilingual and most of them use Seraiki as their first language. Seraiki is widely spoken and understood in some parts of Sindh province and is the third biggest language of Balochistan. There is a large number of Seraiki speaking people in India and other parts of the world.

Its nomenclature (Seraiki) has been given by Sindhi brothers as Punjab or Punjabi given by the Iranians. The modern movement of revival of the Seraiki language and culture is only 40 year old. In this short period, Seraiki wasaib produced printed literature (novels, short stories, poetry books, periodicals, news papers, booklets etc.), a large number of poets and lok singers. Three Seraiki T.V. channels Rohi, Kook and Waseb are on air and more to be launched soon. Seraiki Departments have been established in universities in Multan and Bahawalpur. Several cultural organizations are proactive in the vast Seraiki wasaib organizing ‘mushairas’ and public meetings. Seraiki is also on the web and more than a dozen Seraiki websites are online including wasaib.com.

Author: Ijaz Bloach (Admin)