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Punjab (India)
Encyclopedia
Punjab) is a state
in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region
. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh
to the east, Haryana
to the south and southeast and Rajasthan
to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the west, it is also bounded to the north by Jammu and Kashmir
. The state capital is Chandigarh
. Major cities of Punjab includes Mohali
, Chandigarh
, Ludhiana, Amritsar
, Bathinda, Patiala and Jalandhar
.
After the partition of India
in 1947, the Punjab province
of British India was divided between India and Pakistan. The Indian Punjab
was divided in 1966 with the formation of the new states of Haryana
and Himachal Pradesh
as well as the current state of Punjab. Punjab is the only state in India with a majority Sikh population.
Agriculture
is the largest industry in Punjab; it is the largest single provider of wheat to India. Other major industries include the manufacturing of scientific instruments, water meter
, electrical goods, financial services
, machine tools, textiles, sewing machines, sports goods, starch
, tourism
, fertilizers, bicycles, garments, and the processing of pine oil
and sugar
. Punjab also has the largest number of Steel Rolling
Mill Plants in India which are located in Steel Town Mandi Gobindgarh
, District Fatehgarh Sahib
.
words پنج panj (five) and آب āb (water), and thus the (land of) five rivers. The five rivers are the Beas
, Sutlej, Ravi River
, Chenab River
and Jhelum River
. Traditionally, in English, there used to be a definite article before the name i.e. the Punjab. The name is also sometimes spelled as Panjab or Punjaab.
Most of the Punjab lies in a fertile plain, alluvial plain with many rivers and an extensive irrigation canal system. A belt of undulating hills extends along the northeastern part of the state at the foot of the Himalayas. Its average elevation is 300 meters above sea level, with a range from 180 meters in the southwest to more than 500 meters around the northeast border.
The southwest of the state is semi-arid, eventually merging into the Thar Desert
. The Siwalik Hills
extends along the northeastern part of the state at the foot of the Himalayas
.
The soil characteristics are influenced to a limited extent by the topography, vegetation and parent rock. The variation in soil profile characteristics are much more pronounced because of the regional climatic differences. Punjab is divided into three distinct regions on the basis of soil types; southwestern, central, and eastern.
Punjab falls under seismic zones
II, III, and IV. Zone II is considered a low damage risk zone; zone III is considered a moderate damage risk zones; and zone IV is considered a high damage risk zone.
Punjab has three seasons:
There is a transitional period between winter and summer in March and early April, as well as a transitional season between monsoon season and winter in October and November.
The Sivalik area is the richest area of Punjab in terms of floral and faunal diversity and has been identified as one of the micro-endemic zones of India. Amongst the Angiosperms, about 355 species of herbs, 70 tree species, 70 species of shrubs or under shrubs, 19 of climbers and 21 species of twiners have been recorded from the area. Apart from angiosperms, 31 species of Pteridophytes, 27 of bryophytes and one species of gymnosperms (Pinus roxburghii) have also been recorded. The area is also rich in fauna
l diversity including 396 species of birds, 214 species of Lepidoptera
, 55 species of fish
, 20 species of reptiles, and 19 species of mammals.
There are no natural forests in the plains; extensive tracts occur covered only with grass, shrubs and bushes. The mango fruit is largely cultivated in the south-east of the Punjab and attains a high degree of perfection about Multan and Hoshiarpur. Cultivated fruit trees, such as orange, pomegranate, apple, peach, fig, mulberry, quince, apricot, almond, and plum are abundant in the region.
There are a number of wetlands, bird sanctuaries and zoological parks across Punjab. These include the Hari-Ke-Pattan National Wetland and Wildlife Sanctuary at Harike in Tarn Taran Sahib
District, the Kanjli Wetland, the Kapurthala Sutlej Water Body Wetland, the Ropar Zoological Park, Chhatbir, Bansar Garden, Sangrur, the Aam Khas Bagh, Sirhind, the Ram Bagh Garden Amritsar, the Shalimar Garden, Kapurthala and the Baradari Garden at Patiala.
Alligators are also commonly found in local rivers. The silkworm is reared with great skill and industry, and bees produce abundant wax and honey. Camels thrive in the hot southern plains, and herds of buffaloes on the grazing lands adjoining the rivers. Horses are reared in the north-east part of the Punjab. Among poisonous snakes there are the cobra
and the sangehur, the bite of which causes instant death. Other mammals like the smooth-coated otter, hog deer, wild boar, flying fox, wildcat, squirrel, fruitbat, and mongoose can be seen in the wild and in reserves.
The state bird of Punjab is the Baz (Eastern Goshawk)
(Melierax poliopterus), the state animal is the Blackbuck
(Antilope cervicapra), and the state tree is the Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo
).
spanned much of the Punjab region
with cities such as Harrapa (modern-day Punjab, Pakistan). The arrival of the Indo-Aryans
led to the flourishing of the Vedic Civilization along the length of the Indus River
to cover most of Northern India
. This civilization shaped subsequent cultures in the Indian Subcontinent
and Afghanistan
. Punjab was part of the great ancient empires including the Gandhara
Mahajanapadas
, Nandas, Mauryas, Sungas, Kushans, Gupta
s, Palas
, Gurjara-Pratiharas and Hindu Shahis. Agriculture flourished and trading cities (such as Jalandhar
and Ludhiana) grew in wealth.
Due to its location, the Punjab region came under constant attack and influence from the west. Punjab faced invasions by the Persians, Greeks
, Scythians, Turks
, and Afghans
. This resulted in the Punjab witnessing centuries of bitter bloodshed. Its legacy is a unique culture that combines Zorastrian, Hindu
, Buddhist, Persian
, Central Asian, Islamic, Afghan
, Sikh
and British
elements.
The city of Taxila
, founded by son of Taksh the son Bharat
who was the brother of Ram
. It was reputed to house the oldest university in the world, Takshashila University, one of the teachers was the great Vedic
thinker and politician Chanakya
. Taxila was a great centre of learning and intellectual discussion during the Maurya Empire
. It is a UN World Heritage site
.
those of Alexander the Great, Chengiz Khan and Tamerlane. Of particular importance were the periods of contact between Punjab and various Persian Empires when the parts of it either became integrated with the empire itself, or was an autonomous region which paid taxes to the Persian King. In later centuries, when Persian was the language of the Mughal government, Persian architecture, poetry, art and music was an integral part of the region's culture. The official language of Punjab remained Persian
until the arrival of the British in the mid 19th century, where it was finally abolished and the administrative language was changed over to Urdu.
began at the time of the Conquest of Northern India by Babur
. His grandson, Akbar supported religious freedom and after visiting the langar of Guru Amar Das
had a favorable impression of Sikhism. As a result of his visit he donated land to the langar and had a positive relationship with the Sikh Gurus
until his death in 1605. His successor, Jahangir
, saw the Sikhs as a political threat. He arrested Guru Arjun Dev because of Sikh
support for Khusrau Mirza
and ordered him to be put to death by torture. Guru Arjan Dev's
Martyrdom led to the sixth Guru, Guru Har Gobind
, declaring Sikh sovereignty
in the creation of the Akal Takht
and the establishment of a fort to defend Amritsar
. Jahangir
attempted to assert authority over the Sikhs by jailing Guru Har Gobind
at Gwalior and released him after a number of years when he no longer felt threatened. Sikhism
did not have any further issues with the Mughal Empire
until the death of Jahangir in 1627. His successor, Shah Jahan
"took offense" at Guru Har Gobind's
sovereignty and after a series of assaults on Amritsar forced the Sikhs to retreat to the Sivalik Hills. Guru Har Gobind's
successor, Guru Har Rai
maintained the guruship in the Sivalik Hills by defeating local attempts to seize Sikh
land and taking a neutral role in the power struggle between Aurangzeb
and Dara Shikoh
for control of the Timurid dynasty
. The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, moved the Sikh community to Anandpur
and traveled extensively to visit and preach in Sikh communities in defiance Aurangzeb
, who attempted to install Ram Rai
to the guruship. He aided Kashmiri
Brahmins in avoiding conversion to Islam
and was arrested and confronted by Aurangzeb
. When offered a choice between conversion or death, he chose to die rather than compromise his principles and was executed. Guru Gobind Singh
, assumed the guruship in 1675 and to avoid battles with Sivalik Hill Rajas moved the guruship to Paunta
. He built a large fort to protect the city and garrisoned an army to protect it. The growing power of the Sikh
community alarmed Sivalik Hill Rajas who attempted to attack the city but the Guru's forces routed them at the Battle of Bhangani
. He moved on to Anandpur
and established the Khalsa
, a collective army of baptized Sikhs, on March 30, 1699. The establishment of the Khalsa
united the Sikh
community against various Mughal-backed claimants to the guruship. In 1701, a combined army composed of the Sivalik Hill Rajas and the Mughal
army under Wazir Khan attacked Anandpur
and, following a retreat by the Khalsa, were defeated by the Khalsa
at the Battle of Mukstar. In 1707, Guru Gobind Singh
accepted an invitation by Bahadur Shah I
, Aurangzeb's
successor to meet in southern India. When he arrived in Nanded
in 1708, Agents of Wazir Khan, the governor of Sirhind attempted to assassinate him but both were killed by Guru Gobind Singh, however they managed to stab Guru's Rib area, Later Bahadur Shah I hired a European surgeon to stitch the Guru's wound, but later his wound got open due to shooting an arrow from a very hard bow. On anticipating his death he passed the Guruship to Sikh's Holy Scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and made the scripture the eternal Guru of Sikhs, no body knows exactly Guru Gobind Singh died or not because he ran into a huge fire with his horse and falcon and disappeared. One thing left in the Ashes was his sword which is still present in Gurudwara Hazoor Sahib Nanded
, Maharashtra.
after meeting Guru Gobind Singh
at Nanded
. A short time before his death, Guru Gobind Singh
ordered him to reconquer Punjab
and gave him a letter that commanded all Sikhs to join him. After two years of gaining supporters, Banda Singh Bahadur initiated an agrarian uprising by breaking up the large estates of Zamindar families and distributing the land to the poor Sikh
, Hindu
,and Muslim
peasants who farmed the land. Banda Singh Bahadur started his rebellion with the defeat of Mughal
armies at Samana
and Sadhaura and the rebellion culminated in the defeat of Sirhind. During the rebellion, Banda Singh Bahadur made a point of destroying the cities in which Mughals had been cruel to Sikhs, including executing Wazir Khan in revenge for the deaths of Guru Gobind Singh's sons
, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh after the Sikh
victory at Sirhind. He ruled the territory between the Sutlej
river and the Yamuna river established a capital in the Himalayas
at Lohgarh
and struck coin
age in the names of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh
. In 1716, his army was defeated by the Mughals after they surrounded his fort at Gurdas Nangal and cut off the food supplies of Sikhs for 7 months . He was captured along with 700 of his men and sent to Delhi
.Zakarya Khan, the son of the Lahore Governor, then ordered his men to lop off more Sikh heads on the way because he was feeling ashamed because only 700 Sikhs kept his 100,000 Mughal army to struggle hard for 7 months. The prisoners were first taken to Lahore, and then to Delhi. Thus Muslims made a spectacle of killing sikhs and displaying their heads in most humiliating manner.In Delhi Banda Singh Bahadur was tortured and executed after refusing to convert to Islam
.
The period from 1716 to 1799 was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily in the Punjab
. This was caused by the overall decline of the Mughal Empire
. This left a power vacuum that was eventually filled by the Sikhs in the late 18th century, after fighting off local Mughal remnants and allied Rajput leaders, Afghans, and occasionally hostile Punjabi Muslims who sided with other Muslim forces. Sikh warlords eventually formed their own independent Sikh administrative regions (misls), which were united in large part by Ranjit Singh.
was born, and during the Mughal period gradually emerged as a formidable military force until subjugated and assimilated by the later rising and expanding Sikh Empire. After Ahmad Shah Durrani
rule, the Sikhs wrested control of the Punjab from his descendants and ruled in a confederacy
, which later became the Sikh Empire of the Punjab under maharaja ranjit singh. A denizen of the city of Gujranwala
, the capital of Ranjit Singh's empire was Lahore.
The Sikh Empire (1801–1849) was formed on the foundations of the Punjabi Army by Maharaja Ranjit Singh
. The empire extended from the Khyber Pass
in the west, to Kashmir in the north, to Sindh
in the south, and Tibet
in the east. The main geographical footprint of the empire was the Punjab region
. The religious demography
of the Sikh Empire was Muslim
(70%), Sikh
(15%), Hindu
(15%).
The foundations of the Sikh Empire could be defined as early as 1707, starting from the death of Aurangzeb
and the downfall of the Mughal Empire
. The fall of the Mughal Empire provided opportunities for the army, known as the Dal Khalsa
, to lead expeditions against the Mughals and Afghans. This led to a growth of the army, which was split into different Punjabi armies and then semi-independent "misls". Each of these component armies were known as a misl
, each controlling different areas and cities. However, in the period from 1762–1799, Sikh
rulers of their misls appeared to be coming into their own. The formal start of the Sikh Empire began with the disbandment of the Punjab Army by the time of coronation of Ranjit Singh
in 1801, creating a unified political state. All the misl leaders who were affiliated with the Army were nobility with usually long and prestigious family histories in Punjab's history.
After Maharaja Ranjit Singh
's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British Empire
to launch the Anglo-Sikh Wars
. A series of events of the Sikhs being betrayed by some prominent leaders in the army led to its downfall. Maharaja
Gulab Singh and Raja Dhian Singh the top Generals of the army.
The Sikh Empire was finally dissolved after a series of wars with the British at the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War
in 1849 into separate princely states and the British province of Punjab
, which were granted statehood. Eventually, a Lieutenant Governorship was formed in Lahore as a direct representative of the British Crown.
. The war ended the following year, and the territory between the Sutlej and the Beas
was ceded to Great Britain, along with Kashmir
, which was sold to Gulab Singh of Jammu, who ruled Kashmir as a British vassal.
The Maharaja's death in the summer of 1839 brought political chaos and the subsequent battles of succession and the bloody infighting between the factions at court weakened the state. Relationships with neighbouring British territories then broke down, starting the First Anglo-Sikh War
; this led to a British official being resident in Lahore and the annexation of territory south of the Satluj to British India. Sikhs were the first people of the Punjab to rule their own land since Prithviraj Chauhan's defeat.
As a condition of the peace treaty, some British troops, along with a resident political agent and other officials, were left in the Punjab to oversee the regency of Maharaja Dhalip Singh, a minor. The Sikh army was reduced greatly in size. In 1848, out-of-work Sikh troops in Multan
revolted, and a British official was killed. Within a few months, the unrest had spread throughout the Punjab, and British troops once again invaded. The British prevailed in the Second Anglo-Sikh War
, and under the Treaty of Lahore
in 1849, the Punjab was annexed by the British East India Company
, and Dhalip Singh was pensioned off. The Punjab became a province of British India, although a number of small states, most notably Patiala,Kapurthala, Faridkot,Nabha,Jind etc. retained local rulers due to their loyalty towards British who recognized British sovereignty.
In every way, the Punjab was one of Great Britain's most important assets in colonial India. Its political and geographic predominance gave Britain a base from which to project its power over more than 500 princely states that made up India. Lahore was a center of learning and culture under British rule, and Rawalpindi became an important Army installation.
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
of 1919 occurred in Amritsar. In 1930, the Indian National Congress
proclaimed independence from Lahore. The 1940 Lahore Resolution of the Muslim League to work for Pakistan, made Punjab the centerstage of a different, bloodier and dirtier struggle.
In 1946, massive communal tensions and violence erupted between the majority Muslims of Punjab, and the Hindu and Sikh minorities. The Muslim League attacked the government of Unionist Punjabi Muslims, Sikh Akalis and the Congress, and led to its downfall. Unwilling to be cowed down, Sikhs and Hindus counter-attacked and the resulting bloodshed left the province in great disorder. Both Congress and League leaders agreed to partition Punjab upon religious lines, a precursor to the wider partition of the country.
In 1947 the Punjab Province of British India
was divided along religious lines into West Punjab
and East Punjab
. The western part was assimilated into new country of Pakistan
while the east stayed in India. This led to massive rioting as both sides committed atrocities against fleeing refugees.
The Partition of India
in 1947 split the former Raj
province of Punjab
; the mostly Muslim
western part became the Pakistan
i province of West Punjab
and the mostly Sikh
and Hindu
eastern part became the Indian province of Punjab. Many Sikhs and Hindus lived in the west, and many Muslims lived in the east, and so partition saw many people displaced and much intercommunal violence. Several small Punjabi princely states, including Patiala, also became part of India.
The undivided Punjab, of which Punjab (Pakistan) forms a major region today, was home to a large minority population of Punjabi
Sikhs and Hindus unto 1947 apart from the Muslim majority.
At the time of independence in 1947 and due to the ensuing horrendous exchange of populations, the Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus migrated to India
. Punjabi Muslims were uprooted similarly from their homes in East Punjab which now forms part of India. Approximately 7 million plus who moved to Pakistan, over 6 million settled in Punjab.
In 1950, two new states were created; the former Raj province became the state of Punjab, while the princely states were combined into the Patiala and East Punjab States Union
(PEPSU). Himachal Pradesh was created as a union territory
from several princely states in hilly region.
, was allocated to Punjab during the partition of British India in 1947, so a new capital for Indian Punjab was built at Chandigarh
.
After years of protest by Akali Dal and other Sikh organizations finally punjab was divided along linguistic basis in 1966. On 1 November 1966, the Hindi-speaking southern half of Punjab became a separate state, Haryana
and Pahari
speaking hilly areas in north east was given to Himachal Pradesh
. Chandigarh
was on the border between the two states, and became a separate union territory
but serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
During the 1970s, the Green Revolution
brought increased economic prosperity for the Punjab, mainly due to the late Pratap Singh Kairon. However, a growing polarisation
between the Indian National Congress
led central government and the main Sikh political party, the Shiromani Akali Dal
, began to widen during the 1970s. Hostility and bitterness arose from what was widely seen by the Akali Dal as increasing alienation, centralization and discriminatory attitudes towards Punjab by the Government of India. This prompted the Shiromani Akali Dal to pass the Anandpur Sahib Resolution which asked for granting maximum autonomy to the region of Punjab and other states and limited role and powers of the Central Government.
.The Jat Community account for 20% of the population and dalits 30%. In recent times, there is growing concern in the state about the immigration of labourers from other Indian states such as Orissa
, Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar
. Around 15-20% of Punjab's population is now made up of migrants from other states. The literacy rate in Punjab is 75%, male literacy being 80.23% and female literacy is 68.36%.
Being an agricultural state, a large part of the population lives in the rural area. Roughly 66% of people live in rural areas while the rest of the 34% are urban residents.
The state has a skewed sex ratio, according to the 2001 census there are 876 females per 1000 males in Punjab.
Sikhism
is the predominant faith in Punjab.
About 60% of the people in the state are Sikhs.
The holiest of Sikh
shrines, the Sri Harmandir Sahib
(or Golden Temple
), is in the city of Amritsar
. The Sri Akal Takht Sahib which resides within the Golden temple complex is the temporal seat of Sikhs. Of the five Takhts (Temporal Seats of religious authority) of Sikhism
, three are in Punjab. These are Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Damdama Sahib and Anandpur Sahib
. Anandpur Sahib
is where Guru Gobind Singh
created the Khalsa
in 1699 on the day of Vaisakhi
. During major holidays on the Sikh calendar (such as Vaisakhi
, Hola Mohalla
, Gurpurb
and Diwali
), many Sikhs gather and march in religious processions through virtually every city, town and village in Punjab. Sikhism is in fact so common that at least one Sikh Gurdwara
can be found in almost every village in the state beside towns and cities (in various architectural styles and sizes).
Hinduism is the second most practised faith in Punjab. A large segment of Punjabis who are categorized as Punjabi Hindus continue to live out heterogeneous religious practice that includes spiritual kinship with Sikhism
. This not only includes veneration of the Sikh Gurus
in private practice, but also visits to Sikh Gurdwara
s along with Hindu temples. Other religions like Islam
(1.5%) and Christianity
(1.2%) are also followed by few people in the state, alongside Buddhism
(0.2%) and Jainism
(0.2%).
, written in the Gurmukhi script, is the official and most commonly used language in the state. The language is now popular across India and the wider world due to large scale migration of Punjabis and the rich Punjabi music. Punjabi has always been an integral part of Indian Bollywood
cinema due to large numbers of Punjabis working in Bollywood. In recent years a trend of Bollywood songs written totally in Punjabi can be observed.
Punjabi
is also the most spoken language in Pakistan
and is the provincial language of Punjab (Pakistan), the second largest and the most populous province of Pakistan
. It is also the second official language in the Indian states of Haryana
, Himachal Pradesh
and the National capital of Delhi
.
Apart from India
and Pakistan
, Punjabi is the most spoken immigrant language in England
and fourth most spoken language in Canada
according to official census. Among the world languages, Punjabi is the 11th most spoken language in the world
.
The major dialects of Punjabi spoken in Punjab are Majhi
, Malwi, Pwadhi
and Doabi
.
Other languages common in Punjab are English
, Hindi
, Urdu
(mainly in Malerkotla
) and
Bihari languages
.
Punjab is served by several institutions of higher education
, which provide undergraduate and postgraduate courses in all the major arts, humanities, science, engineering, law, medicine, veterinary science, and business courses. Punjab Agricultural University is a leading institution globally for the study of agriculture, and played a significant role in Punjab's Green Revolution
in the 1960s-70s. Among the alumni of the Panjab University, Chandigarh
include Manmohan Singh
, the current Prime Minister of India
, and Har Gobind Khorana, a biochemistry
nobel laureate. One of the oldest institutions of higher education is the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana which has existed since 1894.
According to the India State Hunger Index
2008, Punjab has the lowest level of hunger in India.
According to India Today, Leading magazine in India, Punjab has been awarded best overall state since 2003, and has been able to retain the top position every year. It also affords best quality of life to its residents.
Punjab has the best infrastructure in all of India
Although it has a huge shortage of electricity due to high demand, all major cities in Punjab benefit from this and have some of the lowest tariffs in India. All of Punjab's villages have been provided electricity and connected to the state electrical power grid since 1974.
Punjab (Land of the five rivers) is one of the most fertile regions on earth
. The region is ideal for wheat-growing. Rice
, sugar cane, fruits and vegetables are also grown. Indian Punjab is called the "Granary of India" or "India's bread-basket". It produces 14% of India's cotton, 20% of India's wheat, and 9% of India's rice. The Fazilka and Ferozpur Districts are the largest producer of wheat and rice in the state. In worldwide terms, Indian Punjab produces 2% of the world's cotton, 2% of its wheat and 1% of the world's rice. The largest grown crop is wheat
. Other important crops are rice
, cotton
, sugarcane
, pearl millet
, maize
, barley
and fruit
. In Punjab per hectare consumption of fertilizer is 177 kg as compared to 90 kg at national level. Also Punjab State has been awarded National Productivity Award for agriculture extension services for consecutively ten years from 1991-92 to 1998-99 and 2001 to 2003-04. In recent years a drop in productivity has been observed mainly due to falling fertility of the soil. This is believed to be due to excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides over the years. Also a big worry is the rapidly falling water table on which almost 90% of the agriculture depends, which has witnessed alarming drops in recent years. By some estimates, groundwater is falling by a meter or more per year.
Excluding agriculture other major industries include the manufacture of scientific instruments, electrical goods, machine tools, textiles, tourism, sewing machines, sports goods, starch, fertilizers, bicycles, and the processing of pine oil and sugar.
on the advice of the central government. The head of government is an indirectly-elected Chief Minister who is vested with most of the executive powers. The state legislature
is the unicameral Punjab Legislative Assembly
, with 117 members elected from single-seat constituencies. The capital of Punjab is Chandigarh
which also serves as the capital of Haryana
, and is thus administered separately as a Union Territory
of India. The judicial branch of the state government is provided by the Punjab and Haryana High Court
in Chandigarh. The state of Punjab is divided into four administrative divisions and twenty two districts:
The area of Punjab can be divided into:
s and blocks.
The 22 districts:
Districts:
The state capital of Punjab is Chandigarh
.
There are 14 cities and 157 towns in Punjab. Punjab has some very valuable historical, colorful great cities .The major cities in Punjab are Ludhiana, Jalandhar
, Amritsar
, Patiala, Mohali
, Bathinda, Phagwara
. The State of Punjab in western India is one of the most fertile regions of the earth. The cities have rich culture of self dependence, self reliance and hard work.
Tourism in Indian Punjab centres around the historic palaces, battle sites, great Sikh architecture
of the state and the surrounding region. Examples include various sites of the Indus Valley Civilization
, the ancient fort of Bathinda, the architectural monuments of Kapurthala
, Patiala, and Chandigarh
, the modern capital designed by Le Corbusier
.
The Golden Temple
in Amritsar
is one of the major tourist destination of Punjab and indeed India
, attracting more visitors than the Taj Mahal
, Lonely Planet
Bluelist 2008 has voted the Harmandir Sahib as one of the world’s best spiritual sites. Moreover, there is a rapidly expanding array of international hotels in the holy city that can be booked for overnight stays.
Air
Punjab has six airports . Domestic airports are at Ludhiana, Patiala, Pathankot
, Mohali
. International airport, Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar
is the largest and most important airport in the state and is also the second busiest in North India
after Delhi
Airport.
Prominent Airports in Punjab are:
Rail
Almost all the major as well as smaller cities of the state are linked through railways. Amritsar
is the largest railway station having trains connecting to all major cities. Shatabdi Express
connects Amritsar to Delhi. The railway junction in Bhatinda is the largest in Asia
.
Road
All the cities and towns of Punjab are connected with four lane roads, National Highway. The Grand Trunk Road
also called as NH1 connect Calcutta to Peshawar
passing through Jalandhar
and Amritsar
. Another major National Highway connects Punjab to Jammu
passing through Hoshiarpur
and Pathankot
.
The state road conditions are the finest in India. The national Highways passing through the state is ranked the best in the country with road networks widely spread,covering isolated towns as well as border region.
The following National Highways connect major towns, cities and villages:
National Highway 1 (India)
, National Highway 10 (India)
, National Highway 15 (India)
, National Highway 1A (India)
National Highway 20 (India)
, National Highway 21 (India)
, National Highway 22 (India)
, National Highway 64 (India)
, National Highway 70 (India)
, National Highway 71 (India)
, National Highway 95 (India)
was a result of the early phase of the digital revolution in Panjab. While most saw the Nanakshahi as a small digitization organization, or as an assemblage of some unknown youth working towards capturing some manuscripts on their digital cameras, its founders saw it as a cornerstone of a fundamentally new approach to preserving Panjab’s heritage for future generations. In the shadow of search engines, a Semantic Web
approach thought of in the early 2003 reached maturity in 2006. This was when the organization planned to expand its operations from a mere three employee organization to one of the leading NGO’s working in the field of digital preservation all over India.
Digitized collections include manuscripts held by the Punjab Languages Department, items from the Government Museum and Art Gallery Chandigarh, Chief Khalsa Diwan
, SGPC, DSGMC and manuscripts in the Jawahr Lal Nehru Library of Kurukshetra University
. It also include hundreds of personal collections. With over 5 million pages digitized it is the biggest repository of digital data on Panjab.
such as bhangra, an extensive religious and non-religious dance tradition, a long history of poetry in the Punjabi language
, a significant film industry which dates back to before Partition, a vast range of cuisine
which has become widely popular abroad, and a number of seasonal and harvest festivals such as Lohri, Basant, Baisakhi and Teej
, all of which are celebrated in addition to the religious festivals of India.
A kissa
is a Punjabi language
oral story-telling tradition that has a mixture of origins ranging from the Arabian peninsula to Iran and Afghanistan.
Punjabi wedding traditions
and ceremonies are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. Marriage ceremonies are known for their rich rituals, songs, dances, food and dresses, which have evolved over many centuries.
Bhangra (,; pronounced pɑ̀ŋɡɾɑ̀ː) is a form of dance and music that originated in the Punjab region
. Bhangra dance began as a folk dance conducted by Punjabi
farmers to celebrate the coming of the harvest season. The specific moves of Bhangra reflect the manner in which villagers farmed their land. This hybrid dance became Bhangra. The folk dance has been popularised in the western world by Punjabi
Sikhs in England and the USA where competitions are held. It is seen in the West as an expression of South Asian culture as a whole. Today, Bhangra dance survives in different forms and styles all over the globe – including pop music, film soundtrack
s, collegiate competitions and cultural shows.
is considered the standard dialect of Punjabi language
, there are a number of local dialects through which the people communicate. These include Majhi
, Malwi, Doabi
, and Pwadhi
. The songs, ballads, epics and romances are generally written and sung in these dialects.
There are a number of folk tales that are popular in Punjab. These are the folk tales of Mirza Sahiban, Heer Ranjha
, Sohni Mahiwal
, Sassi Punnun
, Dulla Bhatti, Puran Baghat, Jeona Maud etc.
The mystic folk songs and religious songs include the Shalooks of Sikh gurus
, Baba Farid and others. They also include Kafis, Hamds, Baits, Dohas, Lohris, Sehra, and Jugni
.
The most famous of the romantic love songs are Mayhiah, Dhola and Boliyan. Punjabi romantic dances include Dhamaal
, Bhangra, Giddha
, Dhola, and Sammi.
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
to the east, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
to the south and southeast and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the west, it is also bounded to the north by Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
. The state capital is Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
. Major cities of Punjab includes Mohali
Mohali
Mohali is a city adjacent to Chandigarh, 18th District in Punjab, India. It is officially named after the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, Sahibzada Ajit Singh . It, along with Chandigarh and Panchkula, form a part of the Chandigarh Tricity...
, Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
, Ludhiana, Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Bathinda, Patiala and Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
.
After the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, the Punjab province
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
of British India was divided between India and Pakistan. The Indian Punjab
East Punjab
East Punjab was the part of the Punjab region that went to India following the Partition of the Punjab Province of British India between India and Pakistan in 1947...
was divided in 1966 with the formation of the new states of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
and Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
as well as the current state of Punjab. Punjab is the only state in India with a majority Sikh population.
Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
is the largest industry in Punjab; it is the largest single provider of wheat to India. Other major industries include the manufacturing of scientific instruments, water meter
Water meter
A water meter is a device used to measure the volume of water usage. This article provides an overview of technical aspects of water meters. The worldwide prevalence of metering as well as its economic benefits and costs are covered in the separate article on water metering.In many developed...
, electrical goods, financial services
Financial services
Financial services refer to services provided by the finance industry. The finance industry encompasses a broad range of organizations that deal with the management of money. Among these organizations are credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, consumer finance companies,...
, machine tools, textiles, sewing machines, sports goods, starch
Starch
Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, fertilizers, bicycles, garments, and the processing of pine oil
Pine oil
Pine oil is an essential oil obtained by the steam distillation of needles, twigs and cones from a variety of species of pine, particularly Pinus sylvestris....
and sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
. Punjab also has the largest number of Steel Rolling
Rolling
Rolling is a combination of rotation and translation of that object with respect to a surface , such that the two are in contact with each other without sliding. This is achieved by a rotational speed at the cylinder or circle of contact which is equal to the translational speed...
Mill Plants in India which are located in Steel Town Mandi Gobindgarh
Mandi Gobindgarh
Mandi Gobindgarh is a town and a municipal committee in Fatehgarh Sahib district in the Indian state of Punjab. It is also sometimes referred to as Steel City Mandi Gobindgarh is a town and a municipal committee in Fatehgarh Sahib district in the Indian state of Punjab. It is also sometimes...
, District Fatehgarh Sahib
Fatehgarh Sahib
Fatehgarh Sahib is headquarters of Fatehgarh Sahib district, one of the twenty districts in the state of Punjab in North-West India.-History:The city is an historically important town north of Patiala, especially for the Sikh faith...
.
Etymology
The word Punjab is a combination of the PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
words پنج panj (five) and آب āb (water), and thus the (land of) five rivers. The five rivers are the Beas
Beas River
The Beas River is a river in the northern part of India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab....
, Sutlej, Ravi River
Ravi River
The Ravi is a trans-boundary river flowing through Northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of the six rivers of the Indus System in Punjab region ....
, Chenab River
Chenab River
The Chenab River چنRiver' آب) is a major river of Jammu and Kashmir and the Punjab in Pakistan. It forms in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of the Punjab, Pakistan...
and Jhelum River
Jhelum River
Jehlum River or Jhelum River , ) is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...
. Traditionally, in English, there used to be a definite article before the name i.e. the Punjab. The name is also sometimes spelled as Panjab or Punjaab.
Geography
Punjab is located in northwestern India, and has an area of 50,362 km2. It extends from the latitudes 29.30° North to 32.32° North and longitudes 73.55° East to 76.50° East. It is bounded on the west by Pakistan, on the north by Jammu and Kashmir, on the northeast by Himachal Pradesh and on the south by Haryana and Rajasthan.Most of the Punjab lies in a fertile plain, alluvial plain with many rivers and an extensive irrigation canal system. A belt of undulating hills extends along the northeastern part of the state at the foot of the Himalayas. Its average elevation is 300 meters above sea level, with a range from 180 meters in the southwest to more than 500 meters around the northeast border.
The southwest of the state is semi-arid, eventually merging into the Thar Desert
Thar Desert
The Thar Desert |Punjab]] province. The Cholistan Desert adjoins the Thar desert spreading into Pakistani Punjab province.-Location and description:...
. The Siwalik Hills
Siwalik Hills
The Sivalik hills is a mountain range of the outer Himalayas also known as Manak Parbat in ancient times. Shivalik literally means 'tresses of Shiva’. This range is about long enclosing an area that starts almost from the Indus and ends close to the Brahmaputra, with a gap of about between the...
extends along the northeastern part of the state at the foot of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
.
The soil characteristics are influenced to a limited extent by the topography, vegetation and parent rock. The variation in soil profile characteristics are much more pronounced because of the regional climatic differences. Punjab is divided into three distinct regions on the basis of soil types; southwestern, central, and eastern.
Punjab falls under seismic zones
Earthquake hazard zoning of India
The Indian subcontinent has a history of devastating earthquakes. The major reason for the high frequency and intensity of the earthquakes is that India is driving into Asia at a rate of approximately 47 mm/year. Geographical statistics of India show that almost 54% of the land is vulnerable...
II, III, and IV. Zone II is considered a low damage risk zone; zone III is considered a moderate damage risk zones; and zone IV is considered a high damage risk zone.
Climate
Punjab's climate is characterized by extreme hot and extreme cold conditions. Annual temperatures in Punjab range from –2 to 40 °C (min/max), but can reach 47 °C (117 °F) in summer and –4 °C in winter. The northeast area lying near the foothills of the Himalayas receives heavy rainfall, whereas the area lying further south and west receives less rainfall and experiences higher temperatures. Average annual rainfall ranges between 960 mm in the sub-mountain region and 460 mm in the plains.Punjab has three seasons:
- Summer (April to June), when temperature typically rise as high as 110°F.
- Monsoon season (July to September), when a majority of rainfall occurs.
- Winter (December to February), when temperatures typically fall as low as 40°F.
There is a transitional period between winter and summer in March and early April, as well as a transitional season between monsoon season and winter in October and November.
Wildlife
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
l diversity including 396 species of birds, 214 species of Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
, 55 species of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, 20 species of reptiles, and 19 species of mammals.
There are no natural forests in the plains; extensive tracts occur covered only with grass, shrubs and bushes. The mango fruit is largely cultivated in the south-east of the Punjab and attains a high degree of perfection about Multan and Hoshiarpur. Cultivated fruit trees, such as orange, pomegranate, apple, peach, fig, mulberry, quince, apricot, almond, and plum are abundant in the region.
There are a number of wetlands, bird sanctuaries and zoological parks across Punjab. These include the Hari-Ke-Pattan National Wetland and Wildlife Sanctuary at Harike in Tarn Taran Sahib
Tarn Taran Sahib
Tarn Taran Sahib a city in the Indian state of Punjab. It is the district headquarters and hosts the municipal council of Taran Taran district.-History:Tarn Taran Sahib was founded by the fifth Sikh Guru Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji...
District, the Kanjli Wetland, the Kapurthala Sutlej Water Body Wetland, the Ropar Zoological Park, Chhatbir, Bansar Garden, Sangrur, the Aam Khas Bagh, Sirhind, the Ram Bagh Garden Amritsar, the Shalimar Garden, Kapurthala and the Baradari Garden at Patiala.
Alligators are also commonly found in local rivers. The silkworm is reared with great skill and industry, and bees produce abundant wax and honey. Camels thrive in the hot southern plains, and herds of buffaloes on the grazing lands adjoining the rivers. Horses are reared in the north-east part of the Punjab. Among poisonous snakes there are the cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
and the sangehur, the bite of which causes instant death. Other mammals like the smooth-coated otter, hog deer, wild boar, flying fox, wildcat, squirrel, fruitbat, and mongoose can be seen in the wild and in reserves.
The state bird of Punjab is the Baz (Eastern Goshawk)
Eastern Chanting Goshawk
The Eastern Chanting Goshawk or Somali Chanting Goshawk is a bird of prey of East Africa.-Taxonomy:...
(Melierax poliopterus), the state animal is the Blackbuck
Blackbuck
Blackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. Their range decreased sharply during the 20th century. Since 2003, the IUCN lists the species as near threatened....
(Antilope cervicapra), and the state tree is the Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo
Dalbergia sissoo
Dalbergia sissoo, known as Shisham, is an erect deciduous tree, native to the Indian Subcontinent. It is also called sissoo, sisu, sheesham, tahli and sometimes referred to as Indian Rosewood. It is state tree of Punjab state and provincial tree of Punjab province...
).
Ancient History
Punjab during Mahabharata times was known as Panchanada.Indus Valley CivilizationIndus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
spanned much of the Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
with cities such as Harrapa (modern-day Punjab, Pakistan). The arrival of the Indo-Aryans
Indo-Aryans
Indo-Aryan is an ethno-linguistic term referring to the wide collection of peoples united as native speakers of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranian family of Indo-European languages...
led to the flourishing of the Vedic Civilization along the length of the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
to cover most of Northern India
Hindustan
Hindustan or Indostan, literal translation "Land of River Sindhu ", is one of the popular names of South Asia. It can also mean "the land of the Hindus"...
. This civilization shaped subsequent cultures in the Indian Subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Punjab was part of the great ancient empires including the Gandhara
Gandhara
Gandhāra , is the name of an ancient kingdom , located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was located mainly in the vale of Peshawar, the Potohar plateau and on the Kabul River...
Mahajanapadas
Mahajanapadas
Mahājanapadas , literally "great realms", were ancient Indian kingdoms or countries...
, Nandas, Mauryas, Sungas, Kushans, Gupta
Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
s, Palas
Pala Empire
The Pāla Empire was one of the major middle kingdoms of India existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala , which means protector. The Palas were often described...
, Gurjara-Pratiharas and Hindu Shahis. Agriculture flourished and trading cities (such as Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
and Ludhiana) grew in wealth.
Due to its location, the Punjab region came under constant attack and influence from the west. Punjab faced invasions by the Persians, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Scythians, Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
, and Afghans
Demographics of Afghanistan
The population of Afghanistan is around 29,835,392 as of the year 2011, which is unclear if the refugees living outside the country are included or not. The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between...
. This resulted in the Punjab witnessing centuries of bitter bloodshed. Its legacy is a unique culture that combines Zorastrian, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, Buddhist, Persian
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Central Asian, Islamic, Afghan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
and British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
elements.
The city of Taxila
Taxila
Taxila is a Tehsil in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab province of Pakistan. It is an important archaeological site.Taxila is situated about northwest of Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi in Panjab; just off the Grand Trunk Road...
, founded by son of Taksh the son Bharat
Bharata (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty...
who was the brother of Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
. It was reputed to house the oldest university in the world, Takshashila University, one of the teachers was the great Vedic
Vedic period
The Vedic period was a period in history during which the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, were composed. The time span of the period is uncertain. Philological and linguistic evidence indicates that the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas, was composed roughly between 1700–1100 BCE, also...
thinker and politician Chanakya
Chanakya
Chānakya was a teacher to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta , and the first Indian emperor generally considered to be the architect of his rise to power. Traditionally, Chanakya is also identified by the names Kautilya and VishnuGupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise...
. Taxila was a great centre of learning and intellectual discussion during the Maurya Empire
Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC...
. It is a UN World Heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
those of Alexander the Great, Chengiz Khan and Tamerlane. Of particular importance were the periods of contact between Punjab and various Persian Empires when the parts of it either became integrated with the empire itself, or was an autonomous region which paid taxes to the Persian King. In later centuries, when Persian was the language of the Mughal government, Persian architecture, poetry, art and music was an integral part of the region's culture. The official language of Punjab remained Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
until the arrival of the British in the mid 19th century, where it was finally abolished and the administrative language was changed over to Urdu.
Sikhs in Punjab
The roots of SikhismSikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
began at the time of the Conquest of Northern India by Babur
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
. His grandson, Akbar supported religious freedom and after visiting the langar of Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552.-His life:...
had a favorable impression of Sikhism. As a result of his visit he donated land to the langar and had a positive relationship with the Sikh Gurus
Sikh Gurus
The Sikh Gurus established Sikhism from over the centuries beginning in the year 1469. Sikhism was founded by the first guru, Guru Nanak, and subsequently, all in order were referred to as "Nanak", and as "Lights", making their teachings in the holy scriptures, equivalent...
until his death in 1605. His successor, Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
, saw the Sikhs as a political threat. He arrested Guru Arjun Dev because of Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
support for Khusrau Mirza
Khusrau Mirza
Khusrau Mirza was the eldest son of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. His mother Manbai or Shah Begam was a Kachhwaha princess and the daughter of Raja Bhagwant Das. Prince Khusrau was born in Lahore on August 16, 1587...
and ordered him to be put to death by torture. Guru Arjan Dev's
Guru Arjan Dev
Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in Goindval, Punjab, India, the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. He became the Guru of the Sikhs on 1 September 1581 after the death of his father Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan died in...
Martyrdom led to the sixth Guru, Guru Har Gobind
Guru Har Gobind
Guru Hargobind Sahib, also Saccha Badshah was the sixth of the Sikh gurus and became Guru on 25 May 1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev. He was not, perhaps, more than eleven at his father's execution...
, declaring Sikh sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
in the creation of the Akal Takht
Akal Takht
The Akal Takht of the Timeless One or Seat of God. It is one of the five seats of temporal authority of the Sikhs equivalent to any parliament of world sovereign country. Akal means The Timeless One - another term for God. Takht means 'seat' or 'throne' in Persian...
and the establishment of a fort to defend Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
. Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
attempted to assert authority over the Sikhs by jailing Guru Har Gobind
Guru Har Gobind
Guru Hargobind Sahib, also Saccha Badshah was the sixth of the Sikh gurus and became Guru on 25 May 1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev. He was not, perhaps, more than eleven at his father's execution...
at Gwalior and released him after a number of years when he no longer felt threatened. Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
did not have any further issues with the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
until the death of Jahangir in 1627. His successor, Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
"took offense" at Guru Har Gobind's
Guru Har Gobind
Guru Hargobind Sahib, also Saccha Badshah was the sixth of the Sikh gurus and became Guru on 25 May 1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev. He was not, perhaps, more than eleven at his father's execution...
sovereignty and after a series of assaults on Amritsar forced the Sikhs to retreat to the Sivalik Hills. Guru Har Gobind's
Guru Har Gobind
Guru Hargobind Sahib, also Saccha Badshah was the sixth of the Sikh gurus and became Guru on 25 May 1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev. He was not, perhaps, more than eleven at his father's execution...
successor, Guru Har Rai
Guru Har Rai
Guru Har Rai was the seventh of ten living Gurus of the Sikhs who became Guru on 8 March 1644 following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Guru Har Gobind, who was the sixth guru. Before he died, he nominated five year old Har Krishan, his youngest son as the next Guru of the Sikhs...
maintained the guruship in the Sivalik Hills by defeating local attempts to seize Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
land and taking a neutral role in the power struggle between Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
and Dara Shikoh
Dara Shikoh
His Highness, The Imperial Prince Dara Shikoh was the eldest son and the heir apparent of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. His name دارا شكوه in Persian means "Darius the Magnificent"...
for control of the Timurid dynasty
Timurid Dynasty
The Timurids , self-designated Gurkānī , were a Persianate, Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turko-Mongol descent whose empire included the whole of Iran, modern Afghanistan, and modern Uzbekistan, as well as large parts of contemporary Pakistan, North India, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and the...
. The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, moved the Sikh community to Anandpur
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
and traveled extensively to visit and preach in Sikh communities in defiance Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, who attempted to install Ram Rai
Ramraiya
The Ramraiyas are a member of a group within Sikhism. They follow Ram Rai, the eldest son of Guru Har Rai , who was sent by his father as an emissary to the Mughal court at Delhi. He won the apporval of the emperor Aurangzeb but the displeasure of his own father, who when choosing the next Sikh...
to the guruship. He aided Kashmiri
Kashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
Brahmins in avoiding conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and was arrested and confronted by Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
. When offered a choice between conversion or death, he chose to die rather than compromise his principles and was executed. Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
, assumed the guruship in 1675 and to avoid battles with Sivalik Hill Rajas moved the guruship to Paunta
Paonta Sahib
Paonta Sahib पौंटा साहिब is a small beautiful town in the south of Sirmour district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is an important religious spot for Sikhs and a bustling industrial town...
. He built a large fort to protect the city and garrisoned an army to protect it. The growing power of the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
community alarmed Sivalik Hill Rajas who attempted to attack the city but the Guru's forces routed them at the Battle of Bhangani
Battle of Bhangani
The Battle of Bhangani was fought between Guru Gobind Singh's army and the combined forces of many Rajas of the Sivalik Hills , on 18 September 1688, at Bhangani near Paonta Sahib...
. He moved on to Anandpur
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
and established the Khalsa
Khalsa
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, a collective army of baptized Sikhs, on March 30, 1699. The establishment of the Khalsa
Khalsa
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united the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
community against various Mughal-backed claimants to the guruship. In 1701, a combined army composed of the Sivalik Hill Rajas and the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
army under Wazir Khan attacked Anandpur
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
and, following a retreat by the Khalsa, were defeated by the Khalsa
Khalsa
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at the Battle of Mukstar. In 1707, Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
accepted an invitation by Bahadur Shah I
Bahadur Shah I
Bahadur Shah was a Mughal Emperor, who ruled India from 1707 to 1712. His original name was Qutb ud-Din Muhammad Mu'azzam later titled as Shah Alam by his father. He took the throne name Bahadur Shah in 1707. His name Bahādur means "brave" & "hero" in Turko-Mongol languages...
, Aurangzeb's
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
successor to meet in southern India. When he arrived in Nanded
Nanded
Nanded is the second largest city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. It is also headquarters of Nanded district in the Marathwada Division of the state. It is an important holy place for the Sikh faith and is famous for the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara. It is the district headquarters once...
in 1708, Agents of Wazir Khan, the governor of Sirhind attempted to assassinate him but both were killed by Guru Gobind Singh, however they managed to stab Guru's Rib area, Later Bahadur Shah I hired a European surgeon to stitch the Guru's wound, but later his wound got open due to shooting an arrow from a very hard bow. On anticipating his death he passed the Guruship to Sikh's Holy Scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and made the scripture the eternal Guru of Sikhs, no body knows exactly Guru Gobind Singh died or not because he ran into a huge fire with his horse and falcon and disappeared. One thing left in the Ashes was his sword which is still present in Gurudwara Hazoor Sahib Nanded
Nanded
Nanded is the second largest city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. It is also headquarters of Nanded district in the Marathwada Division of the state. It is an important holy place for the Sikh faith and is famous for the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara. It is the district headquarters once...
, Maharashtra.
Banda Singh Bahadur
Banda Singh Bahadur was an ascetic who converted to SikhismSikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
after meeting Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
at Nanded
Nanded
Nanded is the second largest city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. It is also headquarters of Nanded district in the Marathwada Division of the state. It is an important holy place for the Sikh faith and is famous for the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara. It is the district headquarters once...
. A short time before his death, Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
ordered him to reconquer Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and gave him a letter that commanded all Sikhs to join him. After two years of gaining supporters, Banda Singh Bahadur initiated an agrarian uprising by breaking up the large estates of Zamindar families and distributing the land to the poor Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
,and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
peasants who farmed the land. Banda Singh Bahadur started his rebellion with the defeat of Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
armies at Samana
Samana, India
Samana is a city and a municipal council in Patiala district in the Indian state of Punjab.Before Independence, Samana was a part of Patiala Kingdom . Now it is a part of Patiala District of Punjab .- Geography :...
and Sadhaura and the rebellion culminated in the defeat of Sirhind. During the rebellion, Banda Singh Bahadur made a point of destroying the cities in which Mughals had been cruel to Sikhs, including executing Wazir Khan in revenge for the deaths of Guru Gobind Singh's sons
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh after the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
victory at Sirhind. He ruled the territory between the Sutlej
Sutlej
The Sutlej River is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroad region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. It is located north of the Vindhya Range, south of the Hindu Kush segment of the Himalayas, and east of the Central Sulaiman Range in Pakistan.The Sutlej...
river and the Yamuna river established a capital in the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
at Lohgarh
Lohgarh
Lohgarh is a village in Notified Area Committee of Zirakpur in district Mohali in state of Punjab in India-Colonies in Lohgarh:* Dashmesh Colony Patiala HW* Golden Enclave* Lohgarh village* Panchsheel Enclave.* Badal Colony* Balaji Enclave...
and struck coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
age in the names of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
. In 1716, his army was defeated by the Mughals after they surrounded his fort at Gurdas Nangal and cut off the food supplies of Sikhs for 7 months . He was captured along with 700 of his men and sent to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.Zakarya Khan, the son of the Lahore Governor, then ordered his men to lop off more Sikh heads on the way because he was feeling ashamed because only 700 Sikhs kept his 100,000 Mughal army to struggle hard for 7 months. The prisoners were first taken to Lahore, and then to Delhi. Thus Muslims made a spectacle of killing sikhs and displaying their heads in most humiliating manner.In Delhi Banda Singh Bahadur was tortured and executed after refusing to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Sikh Misls
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. This was caused by the overall decline of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
. This left a power vacuum that was eventually filled by the Sikhs in the late 18th century, after fighting off local Mughal remnants and allied Rajput leaders, Afghans, and occasionally hostile Punjabi Muslims who sided with other Muslim forces. Sikh warlords eventually formed their own independent Sikh administrative regions (misls), which were united in large part by Ranjit Singh.
The Sikh Empire
At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the religion of SikhismSikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
was born, and during the Mughal period gradually emerged as a formidable military force until subjugated and assimilated by the later rising and expanding Sikh Empire. After Ahmad Shah Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani , also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī and born as Ahmad Khān, was the founder of the Durrani Empire in 1747 and is regarded by many to be the founder of the modern state of Afghanistan.Ahmad Khan enlisted as a young soldier in the military of the Afsharid kingdom and quickly rose...
rule, the Sikhs wrested control of the Punjab from his descendants and ruled in a confederacy
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
, which later became the Sikh Empire of the Punjab under maharaja ranjit singh. A denizen of the city of Gujranwala
Gujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
, the capital of Ranjit Singh's empire was Lahore.
The Sikh Empire (1801–1849) was formed on the foundations of the Punjabi Army by Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Punjab)
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
. The empire extended from the Khyber Pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
in the west, to Kashmir in the north, to Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
in the south, and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in the east. The main geographical footprint of the empire was the Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. The religious demography
Demography
Demography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...
of the Sikh Empire was Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
(70%), Sikh
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
(15%), Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
(15%).
The foundations of the Sikh Empire could be defined as early as 1707, starting from the death of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
and the downfall of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
. The fall of the Mughal Empire provided opportunities for the army, known as the Dal Khalsa
Dal Khalsa (Sikh Empire)
The Dal Khalsa was an army that operated in the 18th and 17th century Punjab region.-Mughal Rule of Punjab:The religion of Sikhism began at the time of the Conquest of Northern India by Babur. His grandson, Akbar supported religious freedom and after visiting the langar of Guru Amar Das had a...
, to lead expeditions against the Mughals and Afghans. This led to a growth of the army, which was split into different Punjabi armies and then semi-independent "misls". Each of these component armies were known as a misl
Misl
Misl generally refers to the twelve sovereign states in the Sikh Confederacy. The states formed a commonwealth that was described by Antoine Polier as an "aristocratic republic"...
, each controlling different areas and cities. However, in the period from 1762–1799, Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
rulers of their misls appeared to be coming into their own. The formal start of the Sikh Empire began with the disbandment of the Punjab Army by the time of coronation of Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Punjab)
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
in 1801, creating a unified political state. All the misl leaders who were affiliated with the Army were nobility with usually long and prestigious family histories in Punjab's history.
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
to launch the Anglo-Sikh Wars
First Anglo-Sikh War
The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...
. A series of events of the Sikhs being betrayed by some prominent leaders in the army led to its downfall. Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
Gulab Singh and Raja Dhian Singh the top Generals of the army.
The Sikh Empire was finally dissolved after a series of wars with the British at the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War
Second Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
in 1849 into separate princely states and the British province of Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
, which were granted statehood. Eventually, a Lieutenant Governorship was formed in Lahore as a direct representative of the British Crown.
The British in Punjab
By 1845 the British had moved 32,000 troops to the Sutlej frontier, to secure their northernmost possessions against the succession struggles in the Punjab. In late 1845, British and Sikh troops engaged near Ferozepur, beginning the First Anglo-Sikh WarFirst Anglo-Sikh War
The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...
. The war ended the following year, and the territory between the Sutlej and the Beas
Beas River
The Beas River is a river in the northern part of India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab....
was ceded to Great Britain, along with Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, which was sold to Gulab Singh of Jammu, who ruled Kashmir as a British vassal.
The Maharaja's death in the summer of 1839 brought political chaos and the subsequent battles of succession and the bloody infighting between the factions at court weakened the state. Relationships with neighbouring British territories then broke down, starting the First Anglo-Sikh War
First Anglo-Sikh War
The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...
; this led to a British official being resident in Lahore and the annexation of territory south of the Satluj to British India. Sikhs were the first people of the Punjab to rule their own land since Prithviraj Chauhan's defeat.
As a condition of the peace treaty, some British troops, along with a resident political agent and other officials, were left in the Punjab to oversee the regency of Maharaja Dhalip Singh, a minor. The Sikh army was reduced greatly in size. In 1848, out-of-work Sikh troops in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
revolted, and a British official was killed. Within a few months, the unrest had spread throughout the Punjab, and British troops once again invaded. The British prevailed in the Second Anglo-Sikh War
Second Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
, and under the Treaty of Lahore
Treaty of Lahore
The Treaty of Lahore of March 9, 1846, was a peace treaty marking the end of the First Anglo-Sikh War. The Treaty was concluded, for the British, by the Governor-General Sir Henry Hardinge and two officers of the East India Company and, for the Sikhs, by the seven year old Maharaja Duleep Singh...
in 1849, the Punjab was annexed by the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, and Dhalip Singh was pensioned off. The Punjab became a province of British India, although a number of small states, most notably Patiala,Kapurthala, Faridkot,Nabha,Jind etc. retained local rulers due to their loyalty towards British who recognized British sovereignty.
In every way, the Punjab was one of Great Britain's most important assets in colonial India. Its political and geographic predominance gave Britain a base from which to project its power over more than 500 princely states that made up India. Lahore was a center of learning and culture under British rule, and Rawalpindi became an important Army installation.
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Jallianwala Bagh massacre
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre , also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place in the Jallianwala Bagh public garden in the northern Indian city of Amritsar, and was ordered by Brigadier-General Reginald E.H. Dyer...
of 1919 occurred in Amritsar. In 1930, the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
proclaimed independence from Lahore. The 1940 Lahore Resolution of the Muslim League to work for Pakistan, made Punjab the centerstage of a different, bloodier and dirtier struggle.
In 1946, massive communal tensions and violence erupted between the majority Muslims of Punjab, and the Hindu and Sikh minorities. The Muslim League attacked the government of Unionist Punjabi Muslims, Sikh Akalis and the Congress, and led to its downfall. Unwilling to be cowed down, Sikhs and Hindus counter-attacked and the resulting bloodshed left the province in great disorder. Both Congress and League leaders agreed to partition Punjab upon religious lines, a precursor to the wider partition of the country.
Independence and its aftermath
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
was divided along religious lines into West Punjab
West Punjab
West Punjab was a province of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955. The province covered an area of 160,622 km², including much of the current Punjab province and the Islamabad Capital Territory, but excluding the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The capital was the city of Lahore and the province...
and East Punjab
East Punjab
East Punjab was the part of the Punjab region that went to India following the Partition of the Punjab Province of British India between India and Pakistan in 1947...
. The western part was assimilated into new country of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
while the east stayed in India. This led to massive rioting as both sides committed atrocities against fleeing refugees.
The Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947 split the former Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
province of Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
; the mostly Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
western part became the Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i province of West Punjab
West Punjab
West Punjab was a province of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955. The province covered an area of 160,622 km², including much of the current Punjab province and the Islamabad Capital Territory, but excluding the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The capital was the city of Lahore and the province...
and the mostly Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
eastern part became the Indian province of Punjab. Many Sikhs and Hindus lived in the west, and many Muslims lived in the east, and so partition saw many people displaced and much intercommunal violence. Several small Punjabi princely states, including Patiala, also became part of India.
The undivided Punjab, of which Punjab (Pakistan) forms a major region today, was home to a large minority population of Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
Sikhs and Hindus unto 1947 apart from the Muslim majority.
At the time of independence in 1947 and due to the ensuing horrendous exchange of populations, the Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus migrated to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Punjabi Muslims were uprooted similarly from their homes in East Punjab which now forms part of India. Approximately 7 million plus who moved to Pakistan, over 6 million settled in Punjab.
In 1950, two new states were created; the former Raj province became the state of Punjab, while the princely states were combined into the Patiala and East Punjab States Union
Patiala and East Punjab States Union
The Patiala and East Punjab States Union was a state of India from 1948-56. It was created by combining eight princely states: Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kalsia, Malerkotla and Nalagarh. The state was inaugurated on July 15, 1948 and formally became a state of India in 1950. The...
(PEPSU). Himachal Pradesh was created as a union territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
from several princely states in hilly region.
Formation of current Punjab
The capital of the undivided Province of Punjab, LahoreLahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, was allocated to Punjab during the partition of British India in 1947, so a new capital for Indian Punjab was built at Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
.
After years of protest by Akali Dal and other Sikh organizations finally punjab was divided along linguistic basis in 1966. On 1 November 1966, the Hindi-speaking southern half of Punjab became a separate state, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
and Pahari
Pahari languages
The Pahari languages are a geographic group of Indic languages spoken in the lower ranges of the Himalayas, from Nepal in the east to the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in the west.-Classification:The Pahari languages fall into three groups:*Eastern, consisting...
speaking hilly areas in north east was given to Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
. Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
was on the border between the two states, and became a separate union territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
but serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
During the 1970s, the Green Revolution
Green Revolution
Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s, that increased agriculture production around the world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s....
brought increased economic prosperity for the Punjab, mainly due to the late Pratap Singh Kairon. However, a growing polarisation
Polarization (politics)
In politics, polarization is the process by which the public opinion divides and goes to the extremes. It can also refer to when the extreme factions of a political party gain dominance in a party. In either case moderate voices often lose power and influence as a consequence.-Definitions of...
between the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
led central government and the main Sikh political party, the Shiromani Akali Dal
Shiromani Akali Dal
The Shiromani Akali Dal , translation: Supreme Akali Party) is a Sikh nationalist political parties based in Punjab. The current party to be recognized by the Election Commission of India is the one led by Parkash Singh Badal...
, began to widen during the 1970s. Hostility and bitterness arose from what was widely seen by the Akali Dal as increasing alienation, centralization and discriminatory attitudes towards Punjab by the Government of India. This prompted the Shiromani Akali Dal to pass the Anandpur Sahib Resolution which asked for granting maximum autonomy to the region of Punjab and other states and limited role and powers of the Central Government.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Indian Census, the population of Indian Punjab is 27,704,236 (Males 14,634,819 & Females 13,069,417) The Indian state of Punjab is 60% Sikh and 37% Hindu. There is a small Muslim population still living there, especially in MalerkotlaMalerkotla
Malerkotla is a city and a municipal council in Sangrur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj...
.The Jat Community account for 20% of the population and dalits 30%. In recent times, there is growing concern in the state about the immigration of labourers from other Indian states such as Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. Around 15-20% of Punjab's population is now made up of migrants from other states. The literacy rate in Punjab is 75%, male literacy being 80.23% and female literacy is 68.36%.
Being an agricultural state, a large part of the population lives in the rural area. Roughly 66% of people live in rural areas while the rest of the 34% are urban residents.
The state has a skewed sex ratio, according to the 2001 census there are 876 females per 1000 males in Punjab.
Religion
| Religion | No. of people | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Sikh Sikh A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"... s |
14,656,345 | 60.00% |
| Hindu Hindu Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion... s |
8,997,942 | 37.00% |
| Muslim Muslim A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable... s |
382,045 | 1.57 % |
| Christian Christian A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament... s |
292,800 | 1.20 % |
| Buddhists | 41,487 | 0.17 % |
| Jains | 39,276 | 0.16 % |
| Others | 8,594 | 0.04 % |
| Total population | 24,358,999 | 100% |
Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
is the predominant faith in Punjab.
About 60% of the people in the state are Sikhs.
The holiest of Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
shrines, the Sri Harmandir Sahib
Harmandir Sahib
The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple, is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab . Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev...
(or Golden Temple
Harmandir Sahib
The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple, is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab . Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev...
), is in the city of Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
. The Sri Akal Takht Sahib which resides within the Golden temple complex is the temporal seat of Sikhs. Of the five Takhts (Temporal Seats of religious authority) of Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
, three are in Punjab. These are Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Damdama Sahib and Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
. Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
is where Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
created the Khalsa
Khalsa
+YouWebImagesVideosMapsNewsMailMoreTranslateFrom: ArabicTo: EnglishEnglishHindiEnglishAllow phonetic typingHindiEnglishArabicAssumptionGoogle Translate for Business:Translator ToolkitWebsite TranslatorGlobal Market Finder...
in 1699 on the day of Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival celebrated across North Indian states, especially Punjab by all Punjabis regardless of religion. In Sikhism the Khalsa was founded on same day as the Vaisakhi festival, so Sikhs celebrate twice as much....
. During major holidays on the Sikh calendar (such as Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival celebrated across North Indian states, especially Punjab by all Punjabis regardless of religion. In Sikhism the Khalsa was founded on same day as the Vaisakhi festival, so Sikhs celebrate twice as much....
, Hola Mohalla
Hola Mohalla
Hola Mahalla is a Sikh Olympics event which begins on the first day of the lunar month of Chet in the Nanakshahi calendar. It most often falls in March, and sometimes coincides with the Sikh New Year. The event lasts for a week, and consists of camping out and enjoying various displays of fighting...
, Gurpurb
Gurpurb
This is the anniversary of a guru's birth or death; marked by the holding of a festival.A gurpurb in Sikh tradition is a celebration of an anniversary related to the lives of the Sikh gurus. Observance of these anniversaries is an important feature of the Sikh way of life.There are indications in...
and Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
), many Sikhs gather and march in religious processions through virtually every city, town and village in Punjab. Sikhism is in fact so common that at least one Sikh Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
can be found in almost every village in the state beside towns and cities (in various architectural styles and sizes).
Hinduism is the second most practised faith in Punjab. A large segment of Punjabis who are categorized as Punjabi Hindus continue to live out heterogeneous religious practice that includes spiritual kinship with Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
. This not only includes veneration of the Sikh Gurus
Sikh Gurus
The Sikh Gurus established Sikhism from over the centuries beginning in the year 1469. Sikhism was founded by the first guru, Guru Nanak, and subsequently, all in order were referred to as "Nanak", and as "Lights", making their teachings in the holy scriptures, equivalent...
in private practice, but also visits to Sikh Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
s along with Hindu temples. Other religions like Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
(1.5%) and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
(1.2%) are also followed by few people in the state, alongside Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
(0.2%) and Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
(0.2%).
Language
The Punjabi languagePunjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, written in the Gurmukhi script, is the official and most commonly used language in the state. The language is now popular across India and the wider world due to large scale migration of Punjabis and the rich Punjabi music. Punjabi has always been an integral part of Indian Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
cinema due to large numbers of Punjabis working in Bollywood. In recent years a trend of Bollywood songs written totally in Punjabi can be observed.
Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
is also the most spoken language in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and is the provincial language of Punjab (Pakistan), the second largest and the most populous province of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It is also the second official language in the Indian states of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
and the National capital of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
Apart from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Punjabi is the most spoken immigrant language in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and fourth most spoken language in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
according to official census. Among the world languages, Punjabi is the 11th most spoken language in the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
.
The major dialects of Punjabi spoken in Punjab are Majhi
Majhi dialect
Majhi dialect is referred to as the standard dialect of Punjabi language originating from the Majha region of the Punjab...
, Malwi, Pwadhi
Pwadhi
Pwadhi is one of the Punjabi dialects spoken in Powadh , a region of Punjab and also in parts of Haryana between the Satluj and Ghaggar rivers. Powadh extends from Rupnagar near Satluj up to the Ghaggar river in the east, which separates the states of Punjab and Haryana, and into Fatehgarh Sahib...
and Doabi
Doabi
Doabi is one of the Punjabi dialects spoken in Doab . The word "Do Aabi" means "the land between two rivers" and this dialects is spoken between the rivers of Beas and Sutlej...
.
Other languages common in Punjab are English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
(mainly in Malerkotla
Malerkotla
Malerkotla is a city and a municipal council in Sangrur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj...
) and
Bihari languages
Bihari languages
Bihari is a name given to the western group of Eastern Indic languages, spoken in Bihar and neighboring states in India. Angika, Bajjika, Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Maithili are spoken in Nepal as well. The Angika, Bajjika, Bhojpuri, Magahi and Maithili speaking population form more than 21% of Nepalese...
.
Education
Punjab is served by several institutions of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
, which provide undergraduate and postgraduate courses in all the major arts, humanities, science, engineering, law, medicine, veterinary science, and business courses. Punjab Agricultural University is a leading institution globally for the study of agriculture, and played a significant role in Punjab's Green Revolution
Green Revolution
Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s, that increased agriculture production around the world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s....
in the 1960s-70s. Among the alumni of the Panjab University, Chandigarh
Panjab University, Chandigarh
Panjab University is one of the oldest universities in India. The university campus is residential, spread over an area of in sectors 14 and 25 of the city of Chandigarh...
include Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
, the current Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, and Har Gobind Khorana, a biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
nobel laureate. One of the oldest institutions of higher education is the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana which has existed since 1894.
- Aryabhatta Group of Institutes, Barnala
- Adesh Institute of Engineering and Technology, Faridkot
- Central University of PunjabCentral University of PunjabThe Central University of Punjab is a Central University located in Bathinda, Punjab, India. It has been established through an Act of Parliament: “The Central Universities Act, 2009" by Govt. of India...
, Bathinda - Guru Nanak Dev UniversityGuru Nanak Dev UniversityGuru Nanak Dev University was established at Amritsar, India on November 24, 1969 to commemorate Guru Nanak Dev's birth quincentenary celebrations. Guru Nanak Dev University campus is spread over 500 acres near village of Kot Khalsa, nearly 8 km west of the Amritsar City on Amritsar - Lahore...
, Amritsar - Punjabi UniversityPunjabi UniversityPunjabi University, located at Patiala, is one of the premier institutions of higher education in Punjab, India. Panjabi University teaches and researches in science, engineering and technology, humanities, social sciences, performing arts and sports....
, Patiala - Panjab University, ChandigarhPanjab University, ChandigarhPanjab University is one of the oldest universities in India. The university campus is residential, spread over an area of in sectors 14 and 25 of the city of Chandigarh...
- Punjab Engineering CollegePunjab Engineering CollegePEC University of Technology, formerly known as Punjab Engineering College , is an engineering institute located in the city of Chandigarh, India...
, Chandigarh - Swami Sarvanand Giri Panjab University Regional Centre, HoshiarpurSwami Sarvanand Giri Panjab University Regional Centre, HoshiarpurSwami Sarvanand Giri Panjab University Regional Centre is an off-campus establishment of NAAC accredited "Five Star" Panjab University, Chandigarh. Panjab University started its 2nd Technical Institute in Kandi Area of Punjab at Hoshiarpur from the session 2006-2007...
- Chitkara Institute Of Engineering And Technology, RajpuraRajpuraRajpura is a city and a municipal council in Patiala district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Geography:Rajpura is located at . It has an average elevation of 259 metres ....
- Lala Lajpat Rai Institute of Engineering and Technology(LLRIET), MogaMoga, PunjabMoga is a city and a municipality in Moga district in the Indian state of Punjab.It became part and headquarter of 17th District in the state, Moga district of Punjab State on 24th day of November 1995, by then Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar. Before this, Moga was a part of Faridkot District...
- Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Bathinda
- Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Ferozepur
- Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, LudhianaGuru Nanak Dev Engineering College, LudhianaGuru Nanak Dev Engineering College is an engineering institution situated at Gill Park, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.It is one of the oldest engineering institutions in the northern region, established in 1953. Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College was established by the Nankana Sahib Education Trust [NSET]...
- Punjab Agricultural UniversityPunjab Agricultural UniversityThe Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, Punjab is one of the State Agricultural Universities in India. It was established in 1962 and is the nation's oldest agricultural university in India, after Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar. It has an...
, Ludhiana - Punjab Technical UniversityPunjab Technical UniversityPunjab Technical University is a state university located at Jalandhar, India. It was established by an act of State Legislature on 16 January 1997, to promote technical, management and pharmaceutical education in the Punjab state at the degree level and above...
, Jalandhar - Desh Bhagat Institute of Engineering and Management, MogaMoga, PunjabMoga is a city and a municipality in Moga district in the Indian state of Punjab.It became part and headquarter of 17th District in the state, Moga district of Punjab State on 24th day of November 1995, by then Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar. Before this, Moga was a part of Faridkot District...
- Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering and Technology, SVIETSVIETSVIET stands for Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering & Technology situated at Ramnagar Jhansla, Banur, Rajpura in India affiliated to PTU run by Shri Raghunath rai charitable trust and is part of SVGOI .The trust is managed by a governing bodyheaded by Shri Ashwani Garg, Chairman of the...
, RajpuraRajpuraRajpura is a city and a municipal council in Patiala district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Geography:Rajpura is located at . It has an average elevation of 259 metres .... - Swami Vivekanand College of Education, Moonak(SVCE) [Sangrur]
- Baba Farid University of Health SciencesBaba Farid University of Health SciencesBaba Farid University of Health Sciences was established in July 1998 by Punjab Act No. 18. It is named after Baba Farid, a 12th century Punjabi sufi and headquartered in Faridkot.-Faculty of Medical Sciences:* Christian Medical College, Ludhiana...
, Faridkot - Regional Institute of Management and Technology, Fatehgarh SahibFatehgarh SahibFatehgarh Sahib is headquarters of Fatehgarh Sahib district, one of the twenty districts in the state of Punjab in North-West India.-History:The city is an historically important town north of Patiala, especially for the Sikh faith...
- Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversityGuru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversityGuru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, is a veterinary university in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. It was a part of Punjab Agricultural University and was established on 9th August 2005 to serve the society by promoting the livestock production, health and prevention of diseases...
, Ludhiana - National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and ResearchNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and ResearchThe National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, India was established by the Government of India to cater to the long-standing demand for setting up a dedicated nodal for quality higher education and advanced research in the pharmaceutical sciences...
, MohaliMohaliMohali is a city adjacent to Chandigarh, 18th District in Punjab, India. It is officially named after the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, Sahibzada Ajit Singh . It, along with Chandigarh and Panchkula, form a part of the Chandigarh Tricity... - Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar
- Thapar University, Patiala
- Rajiv Gandhi National University of LawRajiv Gandhi National University of LawRajiv Gandhi National University of Law , is a National Law University located in Patiala, Punjab, India. It was established in 2006 by the Punjab Government as a public university dedicated to the field of Legal Education...
, Patiala - Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and TechnologySant Longowal Institute of Engineering and TechnologySant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology or SLIET is one of the most prestigious technical university in north India. The institute is located on of land provided by the Punjab government in Longowal city in Sangrur district.-History:...
, SangrurSangrurSangrur is a city in the Indian state of Punjab, India. It is the headquarters of the Sangrur district. It is located at the intersection of the roads connecting Delhi with Ludhiana and Patiala with Bathinda, at a distance of 80 km from Ludhiana and 48 km from Patiala. The... - Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, RupnagarRupnagarRupnagar is a city and a municipal council in Rupnagar district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was formerly known as Ropar. The town of Rupnagar is said to have been founded by a Raja called Rokeshar, who ruled during the 11th century and named it after his son Rup Sen. It is also the site of...
- Lovely Professional UniversityLovely Professional UniversityLovely Professional University is a private semi-residential university created under the state government private university act. LPU claims to be the largest private university in India in terms of number of students on a single campus and is situated on 600+ acres of green area on NH-1 at the...
, PhagwaraPhagwaraPhagwara is a city and a municipal council in Kapurthala district in North India, in the central part of the Punjab.-Location:Phagwara lies on the Delhi–Amritsar national highway No.01 and is also served by the rail link between Delhi and Amritsar. It is located between the two big cities of... - Quest Group of Institutions, MohaliMohaliMohali is a city adjacent to Chandigarh, 18th District in Punjab, India. It is officially named after the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, Sahibzada Ajit Singh . It, along with Chandigarh and Panchkula, form a part of the Chandigarh Tricity...
Economy
India State Hunger Index
The India State Hunger Index is a tool to calculate hunger and malnutrition at the regional level in India. It is constructed in the same fashion as the Global Hunger Index 2008 and was calculated for 17 states in India, covering more than 95 percent of the population.The ISHI was developed by...
2008, Punjab has the lowest level of hunger in India.
According to India Today, Leading magazine in India, Punjab has been awarded best overall state since 2003, and has been able to retain the top position every year. It also affords best quality of life to its residents.
Punjab has the best infrastructure in all of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Although it has a huge shortage of electricity due to high demand, all major cities in Punjab benefit from this and have some of the lowest tariffs in India. All of Punjab's villages have been provided electricity and connected to the state electrical power grid since 1974.
Punjab (Land of the five rivers) is one of the most fertile regions on earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. The region is ideal for wheat-growing. Rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, sugar cane, fruits and vegetables are also grown. Indian Punjab is called the "Granary of India" or "India's bread-basket". It produces 14% of India's cotton, 20% of India's wheat, and 9% of India's rice. The Fazilka and Ferozpur Districts are the largest producer of wheat and rice in the state. In worldwide terms, Indian Punjab produces 2% of the world's cotton, 2% of its wheat and 1% of the world's rice. The largest grown crop is wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
. Other important crops are rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, pearl millet
Pearl millet
Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. Grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times, it is generally accepted that pearl millet originated in Africa and was subsequently introduced into India. The center of diversity, and suggested area of domestication, for...
, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
and fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
. In Punjab per hectare consumption of fertilizer is 177 kg as compared to 90 kg at national level. Also Punjab State has been awarded National Productivity Award for agriculture extension services for consecutively ten years from 1991-92 to 1998-99 and 2001 to 2003-04. In recent years a drop in productivity has been observed mainly due to falling fertility of the soil. This is believed to be due to excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides over the years. Also a big worry is the rapidly falling water table on which almost 90% of the agriculture depends, which has witnessed alarming drops in recent years. By some estimates, groundwater is falling by a meter or more per year.
Excluding agriculture other major industries include the manufacture of scientific instruments, electrical goods, machine tools, textiles, tourism, sewing machines, sports goods, starch, fertilizers, bicycles, and the processing of pine oil and sugar.
Government and politics
Each of the states of India possesses a parliamentary system of government, with a ceremonial state Governor, appointed by the President of IndiaPresident of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
on the advice of the central government. The head of government is an indirectly-elected Chief Minister who is vested with most of the executive powers. The state legislature
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
is the unicameral Punjab Legislative Assembly
Punjab Legislative Assembly
The Punjab Legislative Assembly or the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the state of Punjab in northern India. At present, it consists of 117 members, directly elected from 117 single-seat constituencies. The tenure of the legislative assembly is five years, unless sooner...
, with 117 members elected from single-seat constituencies. The capital of Punjab is Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
which also serves as the capital of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, and is thus administered separately as a Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
of India. The judicial branch of the state government is provided by the Punjab and Haryana High Court
Punjab and Haryana High Court
Punjab and Haryana High Court is a common High Court for both the States of Punjab and Haryana and Union territory of Chandigarh, in India. It is situated at Chandigarh, the capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana. The sanctioned strenghth of this High Court is 68 judges consisting of Chief...
in Chandigarh. The state of Punjab is divided into four administrative divisions and twenty two districts:
Regions and Districts
- Malwa is a region of Punjab south to river satluj. The Malwa area makes up majority of the Punjab region consisting 11 districts. Cities such as Ludhiana, Patiala, SangrurSangrurSangrur is a city in the Indian state of Punjab, India. It is the headquarters of the Sangrur district. It is located at the intersection of the roads connecting Delhi with Ludhiana and Patiala with Bathinda, at a distance of 80 km from Ludhiana and 48 km from Patiala. The...
, Bhatinda and MohaliMohaliMohali is a city adjacent to Chandigarh, 18th District in Punjab, India. It is officially named after the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, Sahibzada Ajit Singh . It, along with Chandigarh and Panchkula, form a part of the Chandigarh Tricity...
located in the Malwa region. malwa is also famous for cotton farming. - MajhaMajhaMajha is a region of the Punjab comprising the modern districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran in the Indian State of Punjab and the districts of Narowal, Lahore and Kasur in the Pakistani Province of Punjab. The term previously applied to Panjabis living north of the Sutlej...
is a historical region of the Indian Punjab comprising the modern districts of AmritsarAmritsarAmritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, PathankotPathankotPathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
, GurdaspurGurdaspurGurdaspur is a city in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. It is located in the center of and is the administrative head of Gurdaspur District. It was the location of a fort which was famous for the siege it sustained in 1712 from the Mughals...
and Tarn TaranTarn Taran districtTarn Taran district is one of the districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. Some of its main cities are Tarn Taran Sahib which is located near Amritsar and Patti, City of Taran Taran is a holy place for Sikhs of India and abroad.Tarn Taran district was formed in 2006 from...
. It lies between rivers RaviRavi RiverThe Ravi is a trans-boundary river flowing through Northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of the six rivers of the Indus System in Punjab region ....
, Beas and the SutlejSutlejThe Sutlej River is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroad region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. It is located north of the Vindhya Range, south of the Hindu Kush segment of the Himalayas, and east of the Central Sulaiman Range in Pakistan.The Sutlej...
. This region is called heartland of punjab, it is also celebrated as being the 'Cradle of SikhismSikhismSikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
'. - DoabaDoabaDoaba is the region of Indian Punjab surrounded by the rivers Beas and Sutlej. The name "Doaba" literally translates to "land of two rivers" . It is one of the most fertile regions of the world, and was the centre of the Green Revolution in India.Scheduled castes form more than 35% of the...
is the region of Indian Punjab between the rivers BeasBeas RiverThe Beas River is a river in the northern part of India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab....
and SutlejSutlejThe Sutlej River is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroad region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. It is located north of the Vindhya Range, south of the Hindu Kush segment of the Himalayas, and east of the Central Sulaiman Range in Pakistan.The Sutlej...
. The name "Doaba" literally translates to "land between two rivers" ("Do" two, "Ab" river; Punjabi). It is one of the most fertile regions of the world, and was the centre of the Green Revolution in India. To this day, it remains one of the largest per capita producers of wheat in the world.The biggest cities in Doaba are JalandharJalandharJalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
, HoshiarpurHoshiarpurHoshiarpur is a city and a municipal council in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the fourth century. In 1809 it was occupied by the forces of Maharaja Karanvir Singh and was united into the greater state of Punjab....
, NawanshahrNawanshahrNawanshahr is a city and it became district in 1995. now it is a municipal council in Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar district in the Indian state of Punjab. It is the headquarters of Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar District....
and KapurthalaKapurthalaKapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The secular and aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent buildings based on French and Indo-Saracenic...
.
Administrative divisions
The state of Punjab has 22 districts which comprise of sub-divisions, tehsilTehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s and blocks.
The 22 districts:
Districts:
- AmritsarAmritsar DistrictAmritsar district is one of 22 districts in the state of Punjab in West India. It has a population of 3,074,207 and covers an area of 5075 km²...
- BarnalaBarnala districtBarnala is one of the district of Indian state of Punjab. Earlier Barnala was part of Sangrur district , but now Barnala is a separate district....
- BathindaBathinda DistrictBathinda district is in Punjab, India. The districts encompasses an area of 3,344 square kilometres. It is bounded by Faridkot district on the north, Mukatsar district on the west, Barnala and Mansa districts on the east, and the state of Haryana on the south...
- FirozpurFirozpur DistrictFerozepur district is one of the twenty two th districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India.It comprises an area of 11,142 km². The surface is level, with the exception of a few sand-hills in the south and south-east...
- FazilkaFazilka districtFazilka district is one of the 22 districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. It has 314 revenue villages.Fazilka city is the capital of the district.-History:...
- Fatehgarh SahibFatehgarh Sahib districtFatehgarh Sahib district , is one of the twenty two districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India, with its headquarters in the city of Fatehgarh Sahib....
- FaridkotFaridkot DistrictFaridkot district is one of the twenty districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. According to Punjab's Geo-Area, Faridkot is a Malwa District. It is one of the biggest cotton markets in South-East Asia. The name 'Faridkot' is derived from Baba Farid, a god-lover who wanted...
- GurdaspurGurdaspur DistrictGurdaspur district is a district in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. Gurdaspur is the district headquarters. It internationally borders Narowal District of the Pakistani Punjab, Kathua District of Jammu and Kashmir, the Punjab districts of Amritsar and...
- HoshiarpurHoshiarpur DistrictHoshiarpur District , is a district of Punjab state in northern India.In 2011, Hoshiarpur had population of 1,582,793 of which male and female were 806,921 and 775,872 respectively. There was change of 6.85 percent in the population compared to population as per 2001...
- JalandharJalandhar DistrictJalandhar district , Jalandhar Zilā) is one of the 22 districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. The capital is Jalandhar City...
- KapurthalaKapurthala DistrictKapurthala district is a district of Punjab state in northern Republic of India. The city of Kapurthala is the district headquarters....
- LudhianaLudhiana District-Rainfall:The rainfall in the district increases from the southwest toward the northeast. About 70% of the rainfall is received during the period of July through September...
- Mansa
- MogaMoga DistrictMoga district is one of the Twenty districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. It became the 17th district of Punjab State on 24 November 1995. It is also known as NRI district. Most Punjabi Non-resident Indians belong to rural areas of Moga District, who immigrated to the...
- MohaliMohali DistrictMohali district is one of the twenty twodistricts of Punjab a state in the North-West of the Republic of India. It is the most recently created district in the state of Punjab introduced in 2006.- Kharar block :...
- MuktsarMuktsar DistrictSri Muktsar Sahib district is one of the Twenty Two districts in the state of Punjab in northwest India. Its capital is Muktsar; other towns include Malout, the largest town by population, and Gidderbaha....
- PatialaPatiala DistrictPatiala district is one of the twenty districts in the state of Punjab in North-West India.Patiala District lies between 29 49’ and 30 47’ north latitude, 75 58’ and 76 54' east longitude, in the southeast part of the state...
- PathankotPathankot districtPathankot district is a district in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. Pathankot is the district headquarters. It internationally borders Narowal District of the Pakistani Punjab, Kathua District of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Punjab and...
- RupnagarRupnagar districtRupnagar district is one of the twenty districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. The town of Rupnagar is said to have been founded by a Raja called Rokeshar, who ruled during the 11th century and named it after his son Rup Sen. It is also the site of an ancient town of...
- SangrurSangrur districtSangrur district is in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. Earlier Barnala was part of Sangrur district, but now Barnala is a separate district.-Sangrur consists of following cities:DHURIMALERKOTLA...
- Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar
- Tarn TaranTarn Taran districtTarn Taran district is one of the districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. Some of its main cities are Tarn Taran Sahib which is located near Amritsar and Patti, City of Taran Taran is a holy place for Sikhs of India and abroad.Tarn Taran district was formed in 2006 from...
The state capital of Punjab is Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
.
There are 14 cities and 157 towns in Punjab. Punjab has some very valuable historical, colorful great cities .The major cities in Punjab are Ludhiana, Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
, Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Patiala, Mohali
Mohali
Mohali is a city adjacent to Chandigarh, 18th District in Punjab, India. It is officially named after the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, Sahibzada Ajit Singh . It, along with Chandigarh and Panchkula, form a part of the Chandigarh Tricity...
, Bathinda, Phagwara
Phagwara
Phagwara is a city and a municipal council in Kapurthala district in North India, in the central part of the Punjab.-Location:Phagwara lies on the Delhi–Amritsar national highway No.01 and is also served by the rail link between Delhi and Amritsar. It is located between the two big cities of...
. The State of Punjab in western India is one of the most fertile regions of the earth. The cities have rich culture of self dependence, self reliance and hard work.
Tourism
Sikh architecture
Sikh Architecture, is a style of architecture that is characterized with values of progressiveness, exquisite intricacy, austere beauty and logical flowing lines. Due to its progressive style, it is constantly evolving into many newly developing branches with new contemporary styles...
of the state and the surrounding region. Examples include various sites of the Indus Valley Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
, the ancient fort of Bathinda, the architectural monuments of Kapurthala
Kapurthala
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The secular and aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent buildings based on French and Indo-Saracenic...
, Patiala, and Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
, the modern capital designed by Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
.
The Golden Temple
Harmandir Sahib
The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple, is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab . Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev...
in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
is one of the major tourist destination of Punjab and indeed India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, attracting more visitors than the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
, Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
Bluelist 2008 has voted the Harmandir Sahib as one of the world’s best spiritual sites. Moreover, there is a rapidly expanding array of international hotels in the holy city that can be booked for overnight stays.
Transportation
Infrastructure of Punjab has been rated the best in India. Public transport in Punjab is provided by buses, auto rickshaws and Indian railways.The state has a large network of multimodal transportation system:Air
Punjab has six airports . Domestic airports are at Ludhiana, Patiala, Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
, Mohali
Mohali
Mohali is a city adjacent to Chandigarh, 18th District in Punjab, India. It is officially named after the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, Sahibzada Ajit Singh . It, along with Chandigarh and Panchkula, form a part of the Chandigarh Tricity...
. International airport, Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
is the largest and most important airport in the state and is also the second busiest in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
after Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
Airport.
Prominent Airports in Punjab are:
- Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport
- Sahnewal AirportSahnewal AirportSahnewal Airport or Ludhiana Airport is the local airport serving the city of Ludhiana in Punjab. Near the smaller town of Sahnewal, the airport is located southeast of Ludhiana on the Grand Trunk Road.-External links:*...
- Pathankot AirportPathankot AirportPathankot Airport is a military airport located in Pathankot in the Gurdaspur district in the state of Punjab, India. The airfield is mostly used by the Indian Air Force. Nos 26 and 108 Squadrons operate from the airfield under the control of No. 18 Wing IAF and Western Air Command. They fly...
- Patiala AirportPatiala AirportPatiala Airport is a civil aerodrome serving Patiala, Punjab in India. It was built by Maharajadhiraj Bhupinder Singh of Patiala in the first decade of the twentieth century as a place to operate his aircraft...
- Chandigarh AirportChandigarh AirportChandigarh Airport is located in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, India. The airport is currently undergoing construction of an integrated passenger terminal, and many other facilities.-International airport:...
Rail
Almost all the major as well as smaller cities of the state are linked through railways. Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
is the largest railway station having trains connecting to all major cities. Shatabdi Express
Shatabdi Express
Shatabdi Express trains are a series of fast passenger trains operated by Indian Railways to connect Metro cities with other cities important for tourism, pilgrimage or business...
connects Amritsar to Delhi. The railway junction in Bhatinda is the largest in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
All the cities and towns of Punjab are connected with four lane roads, National Highway. The Grand Trunk Road
Grand Trunk Road
The Grand Trunk Road also formerly known as Uttarapatha, Shah Rah-e-Azam or Sadak-e-Azam or Badshahi Sadak is one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads...
also called as NH1 connect Calcutta to Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
passing through Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
and Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
. Another major National Highway connects Punjab to Jammu
Jammu
Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
passing through Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur is a city and a municipal council in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the fourth century. In 1809 it was occupied by the forces of Maharaja Karanvir Singh and was united into the greater state of Punjab....
and Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
.
The state road conditions are the finest in India. The national Highways passing through the state is ranked the best in the country with road networks widely spread,covering isolated towns as well as border region.
The following National Highways connect major towns, cities and villages:
National Highway 1 (India)
National Highway 1 (India)
National Highway 1 or is a National Highway in Northern India that links the National capital New Delhi to the town of Attari in Punjab near the India-Pakistan International border. This was a part of Grand Trunk Road of Sher Shah Suri, that ran from Lahore to Bengal, built on earlier roads that...
, National Highway 10 (India)
National Highway 10 (India)
National Highway 10 a National Highway, length , in northern India that originates at Delhi and ends at the town of Fazilka in Punjab near the Indo-Pak Border.-External links:* Map of NH-10...
, National Highway 15 (India)
National Highway 15 (India)
National Highway 15 is a major National Highway in Western and Northwestern India. NH 15 connects Kandla in Gujarat with Pathankot in Punjab. This -long highway passes through Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran Sahib, Zira, Kotkapura, Bhatinda, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer...
, National Highway 1A (India)
National Highway 1A (India)
National Highway 1A , is a National Highway in North India that connects the Kashmir valley to Jammu and the rest of India. The northern terminal is in Uri in Jammu & Kashmir and the southern terminal is in Jalandhar. Stretches of NH 1A run through some extremely treacherous terrain and shut-offs...
National Highway 20 (India)
National Highway 20 (India)
National Highway 20 is a National Highway in India that runs almost entirely in the state of Himachal Pradesh connecting Pathankot in Punjab with Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. The total length of NH 20 is . -See also:...
, National Highway 21 (India)
National Highway 21 (India)
National Highway 21 is a National Highway in Northern India that connects Chandigarh with Manali in Himachal Pradesh. The total length of NH 21 is . -See also:* List of National Highways in India...
, National Highway 22 (India)
National Highway 22 (India)
National Highway 22 is a National Highway in Northern India that connects Ambala with Khab, a small town near the India-China border and Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh. In reality, Khab is not the last place in India on the NH22. The NH22 extends beyond Khab into Namgial, situated on the top of the...
, National Highway 64 (India)
National Highway 64 (India)
National Highway 64 is a National Highway in India entirely within the state of Punjab. This long highway connects Chandigarh to Dabwali.- Route :* Banur* Rajpura* Patiala* Sangrur* Barnala* Rampura Phul* Bathinda-See also:...
, National Highway 70 (India)
National Highway 70 (India)
National Highway 70 is a National Highway in Northern India. NH 70 links Jalandhar in Punjab to Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. The highway is long, of which is in Punjab and is in Himachal Pradesh.-See also:...
, National Highway 71 (India)
National Highway 71 (India)
National Highway 71 is a National Highway in Northern India. NH 71 connects Jalandar in Punjab to Rewari in Haryana, running a distance of . It runs for a distance of in Punjab and in Haryana...
, National Highway 95 (India)
National Highway 95 (India)
National Highway 95 is a National Highway in India entirely within the state of Punjab. NH-95 connects Kharar near Chandigarh to Ferozepur and runs for a length of .-See also:* List of National Highways in India...
Digital Library of Panjab
Launched in 2003 under Nanakshahi Trust, the Panjab Digital LibraryPanjab Digital Library
The Panjab Digital Library is a NGO that is digitizing and preserving cultural heritage of Panjab since 2003. There are many historically significant documents stored and made available online. Its scope covers Sikh and Punjabi culture. The library funded by The Nanakshahi Trust was finally...
was a result of the early phase of the digital revolution in Panjab. While most saw the Nanakshahi as a small digitization organization, or as an assemblage of some unknown youth working towards capturing some manuscripts on their digital cameras, its founders saw it as a cornerstone of a fundamentally new approach to preserving Panjab’s heritage for future generations. In the shadow of search engines, a Semantic Web
Semantic Web
The Semantic Web is a collaborative movement led by the World Wide Web Consortium that promotes common formats for data on the World Wide Web. By encouraging the inclusion of semantic content in web pages, the Semantic Web aims at converting the current web of unstructured documents into a "web of...
approach thought of in the early 2003 reached maturity in 2006. This was when the organization planned to expand its operations from a mere three employee organization to one of the leading NGO’s working in the field of digital preservation all over India.
Digitized collections include manuscripts held by the Punjab Languages Department, items from the Government Museum and Art Gallery Chandigarh, Chief Khalsa Diwan
Chief Khalsa Diwan
The Chief Khalsa Diwan is a 104-year old Sikh organisation, which is the central Organization of various Singh Sabhas spread across Punjab. Unlike the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, the Diwan is an apolitical body and only concerns itself with religious, educational and cultural...
, SGPC, DSGMC and manuscripts in the Jawahr Lal Nehru Library of Kurukshetra University
Kurukshetra University
Kurukshetra University was established in 1956 in Kurukshetra in Haryana, India, situated 160 km from Delhi, and member of Association of Commonwealth Universities The Kurukshetra University was the dream of the then Punjab Governor, Sir Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh, a great Sanskrit...
. It also include hundreds of personal collections. With over 5 million pages digitized it is the biggest repository of digital data on Panjab.
Culture
The culture of the Punjab comprises many elements including musicMusic of Punjab
Punjab is a region in the South Asia, divided into two parts Western Punjab and Eastern Punjab . Punjabi music has a diverse style of music, ranging from Folk and Sufi to Classical, notably the Patiala gharana-Sufi Music :...
such as bhangra, an extensive religious and non-religious dance tradition, a long history of poetry in the Punjabi language
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, a significant film industry which dates back to before Partition, a vast range of cuisine
Punjabi cuisine
Punjabi cuisine is food from the Punjab region of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It can be non-vegetarian or completely vegetarian. One of the main features of Punjabi cuisine is its diverse range of dishes...
which has become widely popular abroad, and a number of seasonal and harvest festivals such as Lohri, Basant, Baisakhi and Teej
Teej
Teej is a fasting festival for Hindu women. It takes place on the third day of Shukla Paksha of the Shraavana or Saawan month of Hindu calendar that normally falls from late July to early September...
, all of which are celebrated in addition to the religious festivals of India.
A kissa
Punjabi Kisse
A Punjabi Qissa is a tradition of Punjabi language oral story-telling that came to South Asia with migrants from the Arabian peninsula and contemporary Iran and Afghanistan....
is a Punjabi language
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
oral story-telling tradition that has a mixture of origins ranging from the Arabian peninsula to Iran and Afghanistan.
Punjabi wedding traditions
Punjabi wedding traditions
Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Punjabi and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture.The actual religious marriage ceremony - among Sikhs, the weddings are conducted in Punjabi; among Muslims, in Urdu; and among Hindus, in Sanskrit. There are...
and ceremonies are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. Marriage ceremonies are known for their rich rituals, songs, dances, food and dresses, which have evolved over many centuries.
Bhangra
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. Bhangra dance began as a folk dance conducted by Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
farmers to celebrate the coming of the harvest season. The specific moves of Bhangra reflect the manner in which villagers farmed their land. This hybrid dance became Bhangra. The folk dance has been popularised in the western world by Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
Sikhs in England and the USA where competitions are held. It is seen in the West as an expression of South Asian culture as a whole. Today, Bhangra dance survives in different forms and styles all over the globe – including pop music, film soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s, collegiate competitions and cultural shows.
Punjabi Folklore
The folk heritage of the Punjab is the traditional urge of thousands of years of its history. While MajhiMajhi dialect
Majhi dialect is referred to as the standard dialect of Punjabi language originating from the Majha region of the Punjab...
is considered the standard dialect of Punjabi language
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, there are a number of local dialects through which the people communicate. These include Majhi
Majhi dialect
Majhi dialect is referred to as the standard dialect of Punjabi language originating from the Majha region of the Punjab...
, Malwi, Doabi
Doabi
Doabi is one of the Punjabi dialects spoken in Doab . The word "Do Aabi" means "the land between two rivers" and this dialects is spoken between the rivers of Beas and Sutlej...
, and Pwadhi
Pwadhi
Pwadhi is one of the Punjabi dialects spoken in Powadh , a region of Punjab and also in parts of Haryana between the Satluj and Ghaggar rivers. Powadh extends from Rupnagar near Satluj up to the Ghaggar river in the east, which separates the states of Punjab and Haryana, and into Fatehgarh Sahib...
. The songs, ballads, epics and romances are generally written and sung in these dialects.
There are a number of folk tales that are popular in Punjab. These are the folk tales of Mirza Sahiban, Heer Ranjha
Heer Ranjha
For 1970 Hindi movie of same name and characters, see Heer Raanjha.Heer Ranjha is one of the four popular tragic romances of the Punjab. The other three are Mirza Sahiba, Sassi Punnun and Sohni Mahiwal. There are several poetic narrations of the story, the most famous being 'Heer' by Waris Shah...
, Sohni Mahiwal
Sohni Mahiwal
Sohni Mahiwal and is included in seven popular tragic romances from Sindh and Baluchistan. The other six are Momal Rano, Umar Marvi, LiLa Chanesar, Noori Jam Tamachi, Sassi Punnun and Dhaj, Ror Kumar commonly known as Seven Queens of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai...
, Sassi Punnun
Sassi Punnun
Sassi Punnun ; is one of the seven popular tragic romances from Sindh and Baluchistan. The other six are Umar Marui, Sohni Mehar, Lila Chanesar, Noori Jam Tamachi, Momal Rano and Dhaj, Ror Kumar commonly known as Seven Queens of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai...
, Dulla Bhatti, Puran Baghat, Jeona Maud etc.
The mystic folk songs and religious songs include the Shalooks of Sikh gurus
Sikh Gurus
The Sikh Gurus established Sikhism from over the centuries beginning in the year 1469. Sikhism was founded by the first guru, Guru Nanak, and subsequently, all in order were referred to as "Nanak", and as "Lights", making their teachings in the holy scriptures, equivalent...
, Baba Farid and others. They also include Kafis, Hamds, Baits, Dohas, Lohris, Sehra, and Jugni
Jugni
Jugni is an age-old narrative device used in Punjabi folk music and sung at Punjabi weddings in Pakistan, India, US, Canada, Australia and UK. The word literally means 'Female Firefly', in folk music it stands in for the poet-writer who uses Jugni as an innocent observer to make incisive, often...
.
The most famous of the romantic love songs are Mayhiah, Dhola and Boliyan. Punjabi romantic dances include Dhamaal
Dhamaal
Dhamaal is a 2007 Hindi Caper film directed and produced by Indra Kumar and starring Riteish, Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Javed Jaffrey and Aashish Chaudhary....
, Bhangra, Giddha
Giddha
About the Folk dance=Giddha is a popular folk dance of women in Punjab region of India and Pakistan. The dance is often considered derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance and is just as energetic as Bhangra; at the same time it manages to creatively display feminine grace, elegance...
, Dhola, and Sammi.
See also
- SikhSikhA Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
- Punjabi peoplePunjabi peopleThe Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
- Punjabi CulturePunjabi CulturePunjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjab region. It is one of the oldest in world history, dating from ancient antiquity to the modern era. The Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjabi people who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of...
- History of the PunjabHistory of the PunjabThe first known use of the word Punjab is in the book Tarikh-e-Sher Shah Suri , which mentions the construction of a fort by "Sher Khan of Punjab". The first mentioning of the Sanskrit equivalent of 'Punjab', however, occurs in the great epic, the Mahabharata...
- History of IndiaHistory of IndiaThe history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
- Punjab regionPunjab regionThe Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
- Punjab (Pakistan)Punjab (Pakistan)Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
- Punjabi folklorePunjabi folklorePunjabi folklore , more particularly its folksongs are said to be the autobiography of its people.Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the...
Further reading
- Radhika Chopra. Militant and Migrant: The Politics and Social History of Punjab (2011)
- Harnik Deol. Religion and Nationalism in India: The Case of the Punjab (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia) (2000)
- Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, Encyclopedia of Jalandhar, Sikh University Press, Brussels, Belgium (2005)
- Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, SIKH HISTORY in 10 volumes, Sikh University Press, Brussels, Belgium (2010-11)
- J. S. Grewal. The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India) (1998)
- J. S. Grewal. Social and Cultural History of the Punjab: Prehistoric, Ancient and Early Medieval (2004)
- Nazer Singh. Delhi and Punjab: Essays in history and historiography (1995)
- Tai Yong Tan. The Garrison State: Military, Government and Society in Colonial Punjab, 1849-1947 (Sage Series in Modern Indian History) (2005)
Primary sources
- J. C. Aggarwal and S. P. Agrawal, eds. Modern History of Punjab: Relevant Select Documents (1992)
- R. M. Chopra, " The Legacy of The Punjab ", 1997, Punjabee Bradree, Calcutta.