The Representation of Punjabi Culture in Ashfaq Ahmed’s Short Story Collection “Subḥānay Afāsānay”

اشفاق احمد کے افسانوی مجموعے ”صبحانے افسانے “میں پنجابی ثقافت کی عکاسی

Abstract

Culture represents the intellectual and material expressions of human communities living within a specific geographical region. Its intellectual dimensions shape both the inner and outer aspects of life, guiding individuals in the art of living and sustaining social relationships. These elements influence customs associated with festivals, fairs, and significant events related to life and death. Similarly, the patterns developed by a community to regulate both internal thought and external behavior constitute its traditions and customs. To preserve and transmit these traditions, each generation educates the next, ensuring cultural continuity. Society, therefore, emerges as a collective and comprehensive process in which individuals adhere to an established way of life. This cultural framework operates simultaneously at both internal and external levels, shaping beliefs as well as social practices. Culture is not static; it is continuously influenced by multiple factors that shape and reshape it over time. Historical circumstances, natural calamities, political forces, and social movements all play a significant role in the formation and organization of cultural identity. In this context, the depiction of Punjab in Ashfaq Ahmed’s short stories provides valuable insight into twentieth-century Punjabi society. His fiction reflects the cultural values, traditions, and social forces prevalent during his era. Through his portrayal of everyday life, Ashfaq Ahmed captures both individual experiences and collective realities, offering a vivid representation of Punjabi culture and its evolving social landscape.