Monday, March 12, 2012

Hujra – the Oldest Social Club


Hujra is considered to be the most important part of the Pukhtoon culture. It can be loosely translated as a social club. From the western mountainous terrains of Pakistan to the heart of Afghanistan and throughout the world, where there are Pukhtoons, there exists the Hujra.  Exclusively for the male population, it serves host to all parts of social life of the Pukhtoon society, from resolving internal community disputes to the ceremonies of wedding.  Being prospered for centuries, the very existence of Hujra is threatened, due in part to modernization and in part to the Western democracy.



Our Hujra: built c1939.


A typical Hujra is a place which is owned and run by a tribe. The more affluent members of the tribe contribute more to the funds. Any time, any day of the year, anyone can enter the Hujra and he (as no females are allowed) can be sure of safety, food and shelter. No questions are asked from the guest until he is served with the best food and taken care of. Then the members present ask the guest how they can help him and assure him that he can stay as long as he wishes. This is evident from the fact that there are no hotels, motels or inns throughout the area. Hospitality is considered the pride of a Pukhtoon, and for this reason, everyone in the tribe tries to serve the guests in the Hujra. It is considered a shame if a guest leaves a Hujra without being served with food.

The bare essentials of a hujra include cots or charpoys, each having one or two pillows, instruments of folk music of which Rabab is a must. Huqqa or Cheelam (hubble-bubble) is found in almost every Hujra. Many of the bachelors of the tribe permanently stay at the Hujra. Every night, after dinner, when all members are together, the Tang Takor (music) starts. Among the members of the tribe, there are specialists for every musical instrument as well as singers. They sing folk songs, mostly about love or bravadoes in the battlefield and praising the martyrs. Interestingly, the music profession is considered a stigma among Pukhtoons. As Ghani Khan, the great pashto poet and philosopher, puts it, “Pukhtoon loves music but has contempt for the musician". 

Before I shifted to hostels for studies, I had been a regular to such a setting. The one in which I used to sit has a building which was erected in the pre-partition days. Every evening after the Maghrib prayers, our elders would ask about everybody and why was someone absent. We wouldn’t dine until each and everyone was present. We would sit on a dastarkhwan (table-spread) on the floor and everybody present would join. There was no distinction if somebody was a peon or a professor. And nobody left until everyone was finished with the meal. After that, qahwa (green tea) would be served and then everybody would start telling how their day went. They would discuss any topic under the sun, from global politics to village life or how to treat your ailing pigeon. About 2 hours after sunset, we the little ones would be told to go home and sleep while the rest would continue their gossips. After sometime, the elders would also leave. The bachelors would start their music and singing and continue well into the early hours of the morning. It is said that no matter how much formal education one gets but if one is not a regular to a Hujra, he is not social.

Some historians suggest that Pukhtoons descended from the Greeks and nothing supports this argument more than the institution of Hujra. Just like the Athenian democracy, Pukhtoons have a system of democratic decisions. Hujra serves as a state council for the tribe. Whenever there is a dispute, the Masharan (council of elders) convene a meeting of the Jirga (Jury) members. All and sundry are invited to attend the proceedings of the council. Apart from the crime of eloping with, or kidnapping of, a girl, all other disputes are usually resolved through this council. At the end of the proceedings, a banquet is held to commemorate the event. If a dispute is not resolved with some other tribe or if the crime is unpardonable, then all members of tribe get together and declare war on the opposing tribe.

Another tradition of the Pukhtoons has a close similarity with the Aristotelian Lyceum. Hujra serves as a school of worldly as well as unworldly knowledge. As different members of the tribe have different occupations and different life experiences, they share these with the rest. The body of knowledge is transferred from generation to generation in this form. It is not surprising if one goes to a Hujra one day and finds that people, who have never been to school in their lives, are discussing medicines with a striking accuracy. And the next day the very same people discuss secrets of doing business and even predicting the patterns of weather. Once my grandfather, who has never been to school, asked me about my research on medicinal plants. I gave a vague reply as I was not sure myself. Then he narrated a detail account of how they would make herbal medicines for cure of diseases like malaria. When I got back to my hostel and read my books, I was astonished at the accuracy of ingredients and dosage told by him.

Times have changed and like everything, the institution of Hujra is severely affected by this tide. The implementation of the Western democracy and the judicial system have eliminated the role of the Hujra as a council and court. Although scattered, hotels and restaurants have emerged and are proliferating in the area, taking away the hospitality factor from the Hujra. With the advent of cable television, people usually stay at their homes. And even if they go to Hujra, they are glued to the television, hence no transfer of knowledge. As the young ones go to bigger cities for better education, they are deprived of sitting in the Hujra. The community-run Hujras are very rare these days. The ones mostly found today are owned and run by the affluent people, mostly politicians. The people found in these kind of Hujras are those who are there for some monetary reward or to get the favor of the owner as the poor needs the blessings of the rich and influential people if they want their kids to get any job.

The institution which survived all kind of strains and stresses during its life is now on the verge of extinction. In Pakistan, these are now only restricted to the tribal belt of FATA and some parts of Baluchistan. Only the future will tell whether we gained or lost by the abolition of this system. But we can be sure that an essential part of Pukhtoon culture is going into oblivion forever.


(P.S. I posted this again as a few people requested it. )

62 comments:

  1. Israr 1st time i read somthing positive about tribal system bcz the dramas we watched mostly presented it as cruel system. Hujra is also found in villages but not in such form that you explained. Punjabi call it Bethak( a place for sitting). In our childhood our father used to sit in bethak where other people from village also gather and discuss different matters. But as you said modernization has changed this culture for a large extent. But here are some iteresting things u wrot about Hujra like musical instruments.

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    1. .there are good and bad things about everything...so the tribal system had its own flaws... but as we know that our democracy is just an extension of feudal system, this tribal system was much better... and yes this system could be present in other societies like punjab or sindh but as i mentioned, there is a lot more to Hujra than just a sitting place...it works as a panchayat as well as a wedding hall, a guest house and so many other things.. :)

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  2. yeh Bathik is Punjabi Hujra....chopal is another word..its sad how this institution is on its way of extinction....but then this is not the only thing that is danger ..there are so many other positive things about our culture that are being ignored now..for example , the tradition of hospitality ! its fading too....the changin life style has changed us too...we are getting too busy for anybody around us...the breaking Family system...the spreading trend of Old homes..this is not our culture! this is not us...I wish Hujra survives...and so do other good things of our culture. nice work:-)

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    1. yup these are the fruits of modernization... perhaps we can never be ready to wholly accept the western modernization... family is the most important thing in our culture... yes hospitality is fading... and if we compare it with for example a 100 years ago, there is a tremendous amount of change occurred in every society of pakistan... wish all the good things survives...but.. :(

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  3. israr ths z realy a master piece among ur all creative writing dipcting a real pakhtoon culture. And hujra system z now vanishng due to lack of space and time in citz bt in KPK vilagz it z stil thr and may b nw that hustle and bustle z nt found bcz the new genratn due to sevral reason nw dnt want to b a part of vilage life. .!

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    1. thanks almas... yes hujra is still present in the villages but its vanishing very fast... lack of space is one problem but we dont have time for other people and every one is getting more and more selfish...

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  4. Hello My Friend,

    Eres más que genial y que te has escrito es una pieza de una persona muy artisto. FELICIDADES mi amigo. Estoy alegre que mi mejor amigo en todo mundo es muy inteligente y geneial. BRAVO....!!!!

    Hujra system is fading and the reasons are obvious. First and foremost reason for me is TV channelscomputers and internet. In our days we had only one or let's say 2 channels (including PTV2) on air and there were no PCs and no internet either. We had to go to hujra for our gossips and for having our chitchat and as Israr told the so-called TANG-TAKORE programme. We used to play a lot of games too during the nights like DoubleSaray Taash (one of the 52 different types of games with playing cards) or ludo etc. We were allowed to make as much noise as we can even in the middle of the night. It used to be fun.
    BUT there's still hope like Israr knows it very well that the very hujra that I own is still running OK. We still have some life left in our hujras. Indeed in my village our hujra is not the best and there are better hujras around which proves that it is not totally extinct but it's on the verge because you don't see boys of 12-18 in hujras. They prefer to stick to their internet and computer games and facebook and bla bla bla.
    A very nice article amigo. You are a great writer and I already confessed it. Keep the good work going. I am happy to see that the world is going to know you and I am always angry the way you had been deprived of your rights a number of times. But don't worry it's gonna be our turn soon.
    See you in August as I will come INSHALLAH. Da ALLAH pa Amaan.
    Regards.
    Abid Ali Khan.

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    1. mucha gracias mi amigo...

      yes you are spot on... the reasons are obvious and even the mighty wapda with all its loadshedding plans is unable to keep the people away from computers and tv :) and with friends like you who encouraged me to do something, i am happy that you people like what i write :) and yes Tang Takore rocks..especially with people like Watan :) and nothing can compare with Rabab :)

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  5. Israr Buddy: You have touched mind blowing topic, “Hujra”, the symbol of pride for Pukhtoon cast. The narration is so pivotal and depictive that I even remembered all seconds spent at our own Hujra. Beautiful after effects used in the shape of Rabab, Tang Takor, Cheelam, Qehwa, Dasterkhwan & so on, which reveals the obesity of Pakhtoon’s overall culture. We, the Pakhtoons are proud of our slogans and values, even though it is being eroded by modernism of today’s world. After all, we love our customs forever.

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    1. thanks buddy... yes Hujra is a symbol associated with every pakhtoon... :)

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  6. Dear Israr i love what ever you write..but this topic “Hujra” is simply amazing,not because we (Pukhtoon) knows the essence of this topic but it is more important for all those who like to knows about our traditions...

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    1. yes dear we should spread the knowledge about our traditions and customs to non-pakhtoons as well so that they better understand our society :)

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  7. Mind blowing bro
    You have explained Hujra in a very nice way but alas!it is near to be finished............m proud of u

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    1. thanks bro...yes Hujra is on the verge of extinction as you can see around you...a few of these left in our own village which will be finished in the next decade or so :(

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  8. I just like the way the word sounds as I roll it around in my mouth; Hujra....

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  9. nice info about Hujra ... may it survive the time...

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  10. hmmm....too complicated for me btu still informative

    Hey dear! am from Pakistan n was just browsing through good blogs to find smart writers like you to befriend. I write on relationships mostly as well as some funny stuff.
    I hope u can be a follower if u like my blog? Don’t forget to comment please !!
    The Emotional Lava
    Best of Luck for ur blogging.

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    1. yes it is complicated as we cannot understand a different culture in a single reading :) and thanks :)

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  11. Interesting stuff. It sounds like a better system for men than for women.

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    1. yes it is a better system for men... if there comes families then the women are escorted to home but they cannot sit in the hujra

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  12. wowwwwwww,,,,Misterio salute to ur writings,,,it adds a lot to my knowledge but nevertheless one thing which I wish to share and that was something which u told me last year at your hujra that bachelors in family usually don't sleep at home but in hujra,,,, it was really surprising for me at that time but u know when I came here and came to know in one of our intercultural training that
    Germans parents usually detaches their kids just after two or three months unlike our two or three years,,,, not becoz they are selfish but actually they have the feelings that by this way our kids will be more independent and autonomous,,,, and u know that thinking is same to our system where we give autonomy to young ones to develop themselves in an independent way,,,,,and personally I think this sort of growth give mental and psychological strength to our youth,,,, which is unfortunately lacking nowadays,,,, any how we have to think about this change otherwise we can really loss our identity,,,,,!

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    1. thanks dear for you appreciating my writings :)
      and dear i mentioned that thing in the article that bachelors permanently stays at the Hujra means they sleep there as well :)
      and yes Hujra is an all round institution so it has a system for training the young ones to live independently but now as the system is in danger, so are all the good and some bad things as well... lets hope it survives....

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  13. Hi Israr. Thanks for following my blog. My apologies for missing out your name. I have received a large number of followers in the last week, hence I was unable to add all links there. I have updated my post and added your URL to it. Thanks for your time :)

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  14. Thank you for your well wishes, Muhammad! Hope your week is a Great one!
    Happy Monday!
    Maria :)

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  15. well i wonder you were a kid before shifting to hostels.
    nice writing btw. our culture all together is getting affected by something we say westernization. its good to adopt traditions but not at the cost of your own.

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    1. well... i was 15 at the time when i shifted to hostels...but still our elders thought us to be kids and hence the cut-off time....

      thanks for appreciating my writing...yes our cultures are affected because we are only trying to copy the outer looks of westernization without the advancement in science and technology in these countries...

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  16. Its so sad that in the guise of modernism we are loosing grip of our rich and varied culture..... was a great experience to read about Hujra. I wish to sit and dine at Hujra one day :)

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    1. you are absolutely right.. modernism is playing havoc with our traditions... i am sure like here, in india also many traditions and cultures are being wiped out by modernism :(

      i am glad you enjoyed and learnt something about Hujra :)

      lol... yes you can sit in Hujra when you come here :)

      have a nice weekend :)

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    2. yep that's exactly happening here too...
      and I can go on writing about that :P may b u get to read a post on it in time ahead..

      yeah I'd love to visit Pak at least once in my lifetime :)

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    3. ahan... so i am waiting for you post then :)
      yes you should visit pakistan at least once in your lifetime :)

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  17. Very interesting post Israr and it is sad that with progress the Hujra may become a thing of the past,for it seems that good and learning had a solid base there.

    Was/is there a similar social outlet for the womenfolk?

    Anna :o]

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    1. thank you for reading and liking...yes it is sad but it is happening :(
      yes it has a solid base for learning and free for all :)

      well, no there is not any place like this for women folk... they usually gathers in homes which are also large in size and having huge lawns and verandas etc... but not like Hujra :(

      have a nice weekend :)

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  18. It was informative :)
    I like reading about different cultures and their way of living :)
    But yes, now cause of western inclination, such places aren't really in the spotlight.

    YES, BE GLAD THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A BMW ;D

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    1. i am glad you found it informative... :)
      and one can learn a lot from studying different culture of the past and present :)

      hahaha... yes i am glad for that :)

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  19. Israr
    i realy liked ur post about Hujra, it let me know about ur culture. its true all our traditions r going to die due to modernization but it is our duty to keep our culture alive bcz its our recognition......... keep sharing more about Pakhtoons.....:)

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    1. Kiran,

      thank you for liking this post and reading again.. yes traditions are somehow finding it difficult to survive in the face of modernism... i will try to write more and more :)

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  20. Well.. i cant really comment about it as i really don't have an idea about this :(
    However, i was on a break from blogging and i guess i missed a lot of good posts from you... But now its good to be back :)

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    1. ah...so bad... you could not understand it :( anyhow yes i felt you were absent from blogger for a long long time...i am glad you are back and we can read some exquisite posts from you again :)

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  21. informative i guess....first time here ...loved it ..following it!

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    1. Welcome to our blog... i am glad you like it..thanks for following :)

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  22. Happy Birthday :D Have a great time :)
    Hope you get a BMW someday. But I always hope that you don't act like a jerk :P

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    1. thank you very much :) stay blessed...

      yes i do hope to get a BMW gift..and we will see whether i can act like a jerk or not :P

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  23. I was totally in the dark about this. Even their existence, to an extent. Sigh. This post has to be your best in terms to unbiased information.

    AND I hear that it's your birthday today! Why, happy birthday! Janam din bohut bohut mubarak ho aapko. :-)

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    1. its not your fault, as the institution is on the decline and almost extinct and whatever remains of it is being portrayed by the media as an evil thing like Jirga to barter girls etc etc... sigh...

      thank you very much..yes you heard right..it is my b.day 24 march... shukrya :)

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  24. A very very happy b'day to u :)
    May this be the best ever... have loads of fun, giftz n everything else u crave :D

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    1. very very thank you much :) hahaha... yes i am still waiting for the gifts :P

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  25. Thank you for your comment :) It was 55 word,because i saw many blogs where this is a particular writing category.It is meant to express the fiction in just 55 words :) Google about it,You'll get to know more :)

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    1. yes right its 55 words..but still i am curious like why it is 55 words? why not 50 ? or 60 or something? i know it is a category and not ur fault but still :( ...

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    2. I used to write four liners and everybody asked me why i write only four liners why not five..and i had no answer to this because this was the category i created myself :D :P

      Anyway..I just saw happy b'day wishes flooding ur comments..sorry for being late.
      Happy BIRTHDAY!Buddhapa mubarak ho! :D

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    3. hahaha...see people will always ask questions...cannot help :P

      wow..your own category :)

      yes you are late :@
      anyways thank you for reminding me my budhapa ..bahut buri ho :P

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  26. didnt know about this. such an informative post and a sharing of a way of life that once was.

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    1. i am glad my post could add a little bit to your knowledge :) have a nice weekend ;)

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  27. This is a very interesting and informative post. Something new for me as we're having different cultures and traditions. Indeed, it adds more knowledge for me. I like this post.

    I'm back here again after a hiatus. It's a refreshing feeling being able to read some of what I had missed. Keep writing, Israr! :)

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  28. i am glad you found it informative...yes one should learn about different cultures and traditions because afterall, no matter how diverse the cultures are, these are human products and one can always learn something from them...

    i am glad you came back after a very very long time...i hope you are in perfect health :)

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  29. hye dear all and specialy to Israr.
    I read your effort and found it very informative. one thing i wana share here, that Hujra system is neither decreasing its trend nor on its verge. These days many of the developmental actors are using a new formula i.e. ACR Alternative conflict resolution i.e. they are forming comittees, whre they infolve the vilalge influentials and other key players of the village. so a hope, that Hujra is again coming in its REMIX form, InshahAllah.

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    1. thank you dear haseeb jan..welcome to our blog...
      i do hope that Hujra stays as an essential part of Pakhtoon's culture... but from where we stand, it is definitely waning as conflict resolution was only one aspect of the Hujra system..there was much much more to it :) have a nice weekend :)

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