I have a question for Urdu speakers..( as in Muhajir ones), while Pashtuns and Baloch are divided on the basis of tribes and Punjabis on the basis of Biradri..I often hear of terms like Memon used in relation to Urdu speakers. My question is this, are Urdu speakers divided on the basis of any caste, tribal, geographic differences in the same way? If so what is the hierarchy and stereotypes involved? Which groups are considered better off and which ones not? Which ones are numerically larger and which not?
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
Memons are loaded. UPites and Hydrabadis are better educated than Biharis and other.
There's no heirarchy. Generally Hydrabadis don't like when people speak 'wrong' Urdu. One of my friend's mom would spank me for speaking wrong Urdu when I was a kid.
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
There is no heirarchy as such. Biharis are considered more enterprising and shifty and unreliable than others. Dehli walay make amazing food. UP walay are the stereotypical muhajir, pan chewing aap janab aray bhai kia ghazab kijiay hai bhai, hum aap say nibat lein gay type.. hyderabadis eat very spicy food, are loaded, and wear saris from what i remember
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
Overall, I feel people in Karachi could be divided over the areas they live in and most likely the amount of money one has and that's basically about it. There isn't much of the caste or class system issues.
I feel, generally people in Karachi are all about minding their own business. Most of us could care less what the person standing next to us is like, from, etc.
We're all pre-occupied in our own little worlds and I feel this is good.
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
^ except for biharis who have it pretty bad. social attitudes have changed now, we've had marriages recently into bihari families.. but they still go around saying they're from UP and not bihar to avoid prejudice.
there is this sheyr im forgetting now thats very popular
dunya mein qoumiyat ka bhikari bana dia
jab kuch na ban saka to bihari bana dia
oh yeah.. that, in karachi, is like saying you're an ahole and i dislike your whole family.
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
^ I never knew biharis are so much looked down upon?
At least that's not what I've personally noticed.
Oh and not everyone from UP is the way you portrayed them to. :)
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
[QUOTE]
Biharis are considered more enterprising and shifty and unreliable than others. Dehli walay make amazing food. UP walay are the stereotypical muhajir, pan chewing aap janab aray bhai kia ghazab kijiay hai bhai, hum aap say nibat lein gay type.. hyderabadis eat very spicy food, are loaded, and wear saris from what i remember
[/QUOTE]
These are the typical stereotypes. I have known enterprising Dehli walay, not so loaded Memons, etc. Also, Urdu speakers have married into other ethnic groups (Punjabi/Pathans etc.) so the ethnic-cultural influence could become dilluted for their children.
I'd interested to know how rare/common are inter-ethnic marriages in Pakistanis these days. I have seen quite a few Urdu speakers marrying outside and vice versa.
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
That’s news to me.
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Ajkal inter-ethnic marriages have become very common, especially in a city like Karachi. However, there are still many khi-tes who aren't in favour of inter-ethnic marriages. I guess it all depends on your perspective, your upbringing and the type of people has been around in order to be comfortable with inter-ethnic marriages.
ravage, I thought it's the bengladeshi who have really bad in Pakistan?
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
Good for them.
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Zakk,
Just to answer your original question: There are no hierarchies, just stereotypes. ;)
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
sadiyah, i know all UP walay arent like that, Im a UP wala, and my potty mouth is very enviable indeed. rahi baat bangladeshis ki, I dont think they’re a large enough community, they sorta get coupled with the “shifty” biharis. To give you an example, everyone knows now that Altaf Hussain is a bihari right, some time ago his most vehement supporters would deny he is one, and would say that its an ilzam spread by ISI. we used to find it funny, indeed that sheyr was recited by my abbu to two people (who turned out to be bihari, the aap janab that ensued after that was horrific 
).. but yes once we got bihari relatives of our own we saw its a pretty bad problem for them.
LI its true sadly. but as sadiyah said, its getting better now, inter ethnicity marriages are quite common in karachi.
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
inter-ethnic marriage is something new in our family started by 2 generation. previously there never used to be marriages between 'outside muhajir' family. the biraderi system is fading now though now. and inter ethnic marriages are not discouraged anymore :-)
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
Do you mean children of immigrants, i.e. 2nd generation? Becuause those are the first ones who married outside the ethnic group in my family’s social circle. It was rare and not becasue it was discourage but because of proximity. As people moved away from the ‘old social circiles’ and move to other cities, they formed ties with people there.
Karachi is home to pretty much every ethnic group in Pakistan and it makes sense that people would formulate ties with each other.
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yep.
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
Karachi is the one place that has potential for becoming a Pakistani melting pot, potential for being representative of Pakistani culture, and not specific to a particular ethnicity.
inshallah :k:
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
Melting pot?
I see it more as a tossed salad, where everyone gets to keep their culture, yet at the same time people appreciate, tolerate and live with each other even with all the differences that we may have.
I feel it already represents many of the different cultures, languages and people of Pakistan.
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
aw tossed salads are no fun, i want atleast one grandkid to speak pushto
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
tossed salad - people get to speak urdu, pushto, punjabi, etc. in Karachi and dress the way they normally do in their area
melting pot - all start to speak urdu, eat and dress the same way most Khi-tes do
Re: A Question for Urdu speakers..
ok i'll go with tossed salad too then. thankew for educating me, im so new to these terms..