SOCIO-GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS IN CHOLISTAN DESERT

Abstract

Religion has central importance in the life of most of the people in this
world. Cholistan is one of the largest deserts of Pakistan where an
overwhelming majority of the population is Muslims since centuries. Living
with semi nomadic culture, people in Cholistan have poor access to basic
human needs such as education, health, housing and drinking water. This
ethnographic study aims at exploring various factors affecting religious
knowledge and awareness among people of Cholistan. Using qualitative
research method, data were collected from 50 participants from both
Greater and Lesser Cholistan through protracted qualitative interviews and
participants observation. The findings of the study revealed that due to
adverse climatic and poor socio-economic conditions, people in the
Cholistan were least aware about religious teachings and rituals
particularly those living in Greater Cholistan. In the absence of formal ways
of religious learning and training, there were number of informal channels
such as interaction with people from settled areas, elderly family members,
religious gatherings and electronic as well as social media which affect
religious knowledge and awareness. The study concludes that social life
including religion is affected by environmental conditions and there is less
practice of religion in hostile climatic conditions.