Punjabi people

Punjabi people

1st: Har Gobind Khorana • Guru Nanak Dev • Amrita Pritam 2nd: Ranjit Singh • Satish Dhawan • Bulleh Shah 3rd: Bhagat Singh • Abdus Salam • Wasim Akram 4rd: Allama Iqbal • Amrita Sher-Gil • Giani Gurdit Singh 5th: Vinod Khosla • Mishal Husain • Vinod Dham 6th: Kiran Bedi • Nikki Haley • The Great Gama 7th: Kalpana Chawla • Sunil Mittal • Amir Khan Main article: List of Punjabi people
Total population
120 million (estimated)
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan 91,379,615 [1]  India 29,102,477 [2]  United Kingdom 2,300,000 [3]  Canada 800,000 [4]  United Arab Emirates 720,000  USA 640,000  Australia 620,000  Saudi Arabia 260,000  Malaysia  South Africa 120,000
Languages
• Punjabi (and related languages) • Urdu • Hindi • English
Religion
• Islam • Sikhism • Hinduism • small Christian minority •[5] • Others
Related ethnic groups
Sindhi people • Seraikis • Kashmiris • Hindkowans • Gujaratis • Rajasthanis

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Punjabi people (Punjabi: پنجابی (Shahmukhi), ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Gurmukhi), पंजाबी (Devanagri), also spelled Panjabi people; are an ethnic group, originating from the Punjab region, found between Pakistan and India. Punjab literally means the land of five-rivers (Persian:پنج آب panj ("five") āb ("waters")), and is also referred to as the breadbasket in both countries.^[6][7] Punjabis are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group of North Indian origin. The name Punjab was formally introduced by the Mughals in the 17th century CE, but the coalescence of the various tribes, castes and other communities inhabiting the Punjab into a broader, common "Punjabi" identity occurred only from the 19th century CE, particularly after the annexation of the region by the British. Prior to the British annexation of the Punjab and their final drawing/fixing of its administrative boundaries, the sense and perception of a common "Punjabi" ethno-cultural identity and community did not exist, though the majority of the various communities of the Punjab had long shared linguistic, cultural and racial commonalities.

Traditionally, Punjabi identity was primarily linguistic, regardless of religious affiliation or heritage, referring to those for whom the Punjabi language(s), was the first language and who resided in the Punjab region. As such, they more or less shared the same cultural background.^[8] However, in recent times, the definition has been broadened to include people of Punjabi origin, even if they no longer speak the Punjabi language(s), as many have adopted Urdu, Hindi or English, as their first language.

The Punjabi people are a heterogeneous group and can be subdivided into a number of "castes" in both the East and West Punjab called biradari (literally meaning a tribe, clan, group, or fraternity), each having their own subtle differences. Such subgroups include Jats, Rajputs, Khatris, Dalits, Brahmins and many more, many of which are shared with other regions and ethnic groups of South Asia.

Geographic distribution [edit]

The Punjab region, with its rivers. The land of the Punjabi People

In Pakistan, Punjabis constitute the largest ethnic group, comprising more than 40% of the total population of the country. They reside predominantly in the province of Punjab, neighboring Azad Kashmir in the region of Jammu and Kashmir and in Islamabad Capital Territory. Punjabis are also found in large communities in the largest city of Pakistan, Karachi.

In India, Punjabis represent 2.4% of the population. The majority of Punjabi-speaking people in India, can be found in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, as well as in Delhi and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Large communities of Punjabis are also found in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and UP.

History [edit]

Brief ancient history [edit]

Indigenous peoples flourished in this region, near the gateways to other continents, leading to a developed civilization in 5th to 4th millennium BC,^[9] the ancient Indus Valley Civilization.

The remains of the ancient Indo-Aryan city of Taxila,^[10] and the many ornaments that have been found in this region,suggests that,^[11] centered at Harappa,^[12] Punjab became a center of early civilization from around 3300 BC. According to Historians this region was ruled by many small kingdoms and tribes around 4th and 5th BC. The earliest known notable local king of this region was known as King Porus^[13][14] and he fought a famous Battle of the Hydaspes^[15][16] against Alexander, but later surrendered. His kingdom, known as Pauravas, was situated between Hydaspes (modern Jhelum and Acesines (modern day Chenab).^[13] These kings fought local battles to gain more ground.Taxiles or Omphis another local North Indian king, wanted to defeat his eastern adversary Porus in a turf war and he invited Alexander the great to defeat Porus. This marked the first intrusion of the West in the Indian subcontinent and North India in general. But such was the valor of Porus and his kingdom forces in Punjab, that despite being defeated, he was appreciated by Alexander the Great for his skill and valor and he was granted further territories in the North.^[17] The other Indian kings did not like the fact that Porus was now an ally of Western forces. In less than ten years another Indian king Chandragupta Maurya^[18] defeated the forces and conquered the Northern Indian regions up to the Kabul river (in modern day Afghanistan). Despite the Greek & Macedonian rule in Northwest India, no trace of either the M170 or the M35 genetic markers associated with Greeks and Macedonians have been found in Punjab. The reason is that Alexander mostly ruled this land with the help of local allies like Porus.^[19] Centuries later, areas of the Punjab region would be ruled by local Indian kings, Ghaznavids and the Mughals. Islam arrived in Punjab, when the Muslim Umayyad army led by Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Southern Punjab in 711 AD, by defeating Raja Dahir. These Muslims would assimilate into Punajb, adopting the language and settling on the land. Centuries later, the Mughals ruled for just over two hundred years and were also assimilated in local cultures,^[20] adopting the Punjabi language, and marrying local women.

Harappa was the center of one of the Oldest Civilizations Indus Valley Civilization located in central Punjab. The Harappan architecture and Harrapan Civilization was one of the most developed in the old Bronze Age.

The earliest written Punjabi dates to the writing of Sufi Muslim poets of the 11th Century; its literature spread Punjab's unique voice of peace and spirituality to the entire civilization of the region.

When the Mughals were weakened, then under the command of Nader Shah of Persia the regions of North India and Punjab, were annexed into the Durrani Empire in 1747. Ahmad Shah Abdali was born in Multan, Punjab in the family of the Durrani rulers of Multan. He invaded Punjab for many years. The Durrani rulers would fall and the hands of Ranjit Singh; who was born to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur on 13 November 1780, in Gujranwala, Punjab, into a Sikh family. He took a leading role in orgaising a Sikh militia and got control of the Punjab region. He started a Sikh military expedition to expand his territory. He established a formidable Sikh army.^[21] Under his command the Sikh army started capturing most of the lands of Punjab,^[22] by defeating the local tribes, up to Khyber Pass. The famous Jamrud Fort^[23] at the entry of Khyber Pass was built by Ranjit Singh, as his forces were never defeated there. This formed the Sikh Empire. However, about a centuray later, as a result of vicious Wars between the Sikh Empire and the invading British army (such as the First Anglo-Sikh War^[24] and the Second Anglo-Sikh War^[25]) the Sikh Empire began to weaken. Ranjit Singh's death came in 1839, leading to the empire being irreversibly weakened, casuing divisions by internal affairs of political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British Empire to launch the Anglo-Sikh Wars, and take control of the Punjab.

Demographics of the contemporary Punjab [edit]

The Punjab Province that was created by the the British after their annexation of northwest India at the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Sikh War is now divided into several units: Pakistani Punjab, the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and the Indian Union territory of Chandigarh.

Following the independence of Pakistan and the subsequent partition of British India, a process of population exchange took place in 1947 as Muslims left East Punjab and headed to the newly created Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs left West Punjab^[26] for the newly created state of India. As a result of these population exchanges, both parts are now relatively homogeneous, where religion is concerned.

Taxila Pakistan is a World Heritage Site

Punjabi Hindus [edit]

See Also: List of Punjabi Hindus

In the pre-Islamic era, the population of Punjab mainly followed Hinduism. Today Punjabi Hindus are mostly found in Indian Punjab and in neighboring states like Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, which together forms a part of the historical greater Punjab region. Many of the Hindu Punjabis from the Indian capital Delhi are immigrants and their descendants, from various parts of Western(Pakistani) Punjab. Some Punjabi Hindus can also be found in the surrounding areas as well as the recent cosmopolitan migrants in other big cities like Mumbai. There has also been continuous migration of Punjabi Hindus to western countries like USA, Canada and UK.

The Hindu Punjabis speak different dialects including Lahnda, as well as Majhi (Standard Punjabi) and others like Doabi and Malwi. Some still have managed to retain the Punjabi dialects spoken in Western Punjab, but many have also adopted Hindi.

Punjabi Hindus represent about 37% of Punjab's population as most of them converted to Sikhism as they have been following their tradition of raising the eldest born as a Sikh and also due to spiritual purposes. There was a massive conversion of Punjabi Hindu Jats from 1850's to 1930's in order to get into the army as British rulers easily accepted Sikhs, due to the fact that Sikhs ruled the Punjab region with their valour and spirit. These conversions weren't forceful as Sikhs don't really differentiate people based on their social,economic or religious believes. The population of Hindu Punjabis is approximately 13 million in India. The most common castes among Hindu Punjabis are Baniya(Aggarwals),Brahmin,Rajput,Saini,Khatri and Arora.

Many generals of Maharaja Ranjt Singh were Punjabi Hindus and many revolutionaries like Lala Lajpat Rai, Sukhdev Thappar, and Bhai Pramanand.

Punjabi Muslims [edit]

The people of Punjab were mainly Hindus with a Buddhist minority, when the Umayyad Muslim army led by Muhammad bin Qasim from Syria, conquered the Punjab and Sindh in 711 AD. Bin Qasim recorded that he was so overwhelmed by the gold in the Aditya Temple in the thriving trading city of Multan (known as Mulasthana then), that he recovered the expenses for his entire invasion. Muslims became the majorty of the population of Punjab, but only few are found in Eastern Punjabi today, as most live in Western Punjab in Pakistan.

During the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni, non-Muslims were ordered to pay the jaziya tax, according to Islamic law.^[27][28][29] The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Turk Ghaznavid Empire based out of Ghazni.

Badshahi Masjid - The largest mosque of the Mughal Empire built by emperor Aurangzeb.

The Mughals controlled the region from 1524 until 1739 and would also lavish the province with building projects such as the Shalimar Gardens and the Badshahi Mosque, both situated in Lahore. Muslim soldiers, traders, architects, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and may have settled in the Punjab. Under the Muslims, Punjab became the most dynamic region of South Asia. Shah of Iran and founder of the Afsharid dynasty in Persia, Nasomeder Shah crossed the Indus and sacked the province in 1739. Shortly after, the Afghan conqueror Ahmad Shah Durrani, a pashtun born in Punjab, in the city of Multan made the Punjab a part of his Durrani Empire lasting until 1762. He was in constant combat with both the rising Sikh and Hindu Maratha armies.

Punjabi Sikhs [edit]

Portrait of Maharaja Ranjit Singh

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the religion of Sikhism was born, and during the Mughal period its Misls gradually emerged as a formidable military force until assimilated under the expanding Sikh Empire. After fighting Ahmad Shah Durrani, 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.^[30] The Sikhs made architectural contributions to the city and the Lahore Fort. The Sikh empire was the first local power to rule the region since Muhammed Ghori's defeat of Prithvi Raj Chauhan in 1192

The Punjabi Christian minority [edit]

Sadhu Sundar Singh, an influential Punjabi Christian missionary from Ludhiana (1889-1929)

The death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh 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.

In 1877, on St. Thomas' Day at Westminster Abbey, London, Rev Thomas Valpy French was appointed the first Anglican Bishop of Lahore, a large diocese which included all of the Punjab, then under British colonial rule, and remained so until 1887, during this period he also opened the Divinity College, Lahore in 1870.^[31][32][33] Rev Thomas Patrick Hughes served as a Church Missionary Society missionary at Peshawar (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).^[34]

Missionaries accompanied colonizing forces from Portugal, France, and Great Britain. Christianity was mainly brought by the British rulers of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of Karachi, where the majestic St. Patrick's Cathedral, Pakistan's largest church stands, and the churches in the city of Rawalpindi, where the British established a major military cantonment.

The total number of Punjabi Christians in Pakistan is approximately 2,800,000 and 300,000 in Indian Punjab. Of these, approximately half are Roman Catholic and half Protestant. Many of the modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule, however, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from their parents religion. The Churas were largely converted to Christianity in North India during the British raj. The vast majority were converted from the Mazhabi Sikh communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Hindu Churas; under the influence of enthusiastic British army officers and Christian missionaries. Consequently, since partition they are now divided between Pakistani Punjab and Indian Punjab. Large numbers of Mazhabi Sikhs were also converted in the Moradabad district and the Bijnor district^[35] of Uttar Pradesh. Rohilkhand saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into the Methodist Church.^[36] Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among the Mazhabi Sikhs and responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions.

Independence and its aftermath [edit]

Partition of Punjab. Religious percentage by Tehsils (1947)

Until 1947, the province of Punjab was ruled by a coalition constituting of the Indian National Congress, the Sikh-led Shiromani Akali Dal and the Unionist Muslim League. However, the growth of Muslim separatism led to the All India Muslim League becoming the dominant party in the 1946 elections. As Muslim separatism increased, the opposition from Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs increased substantially. Communal violence on the eve of Indian independence led to the dismissal of the coalition government, although the succeeding League ministry was unable to form a majority. Along with the province of Bengal, Punjab was partitioned on religious lines - the Muslim-majority West becoming part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan, and the Hindu and Sikh East remaining in India. Partition was accompanied by massive violence on both sides, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. West Punjab was virtually cleansed of its Hindu and Sikh populations, who were forced to leave for India, while Punjabi Muslims in the East and Delhi had to leave for Pakistan.

By the 1960s, Indian Punjab underwent reorganisation as Sikh demands for an autonomous state increased. The Hindu-majority areas were formed into the states of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana respectively, making Sikhs the majority in the state of Punjab itself. In the 1980s, Sikh separatism combined with popular anger against the Indian Army's counter-insurgency operations (especially Operation Bluestar) led to violence and disorder in Indian Punjab, which only subsided in the 1990s. Political power in Indian Punjab is contested between the secular Congress party and the Sikh religious Akali Dal and its allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party. Indian Punjab remains one of the most prosperous of India's states and is considered the "breadbasket of India."

Pakistani Punjabis made up a majority of the West Pakistani population, and Punjab constituted 40% of West Pakistan's total area.

Emigration [edit]

The Punjabi diaspora from both India and Pakistan is substantial. Emigration from the Punjab began in the 19th century, with many Punjabis settling in Britain and Canada, where a large Punjabi population remains in the province of British Columbia. In the early 20th century, many Punjabis began settling in the United States, including independence activists who formed the Ghadar Party. A new wave of emigration began in the 1970s to Middle Eastern states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and onwards Britain and other European countries, Canada and the U.S.

Geographic distribution [edit]

Pakistani Punjabis [edit]

The Punjabi people and other major ethnic groups of Pakistan

Punjabis make up more than 40% of the population of Pakistan. The Punjabis found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris, which descend from a common male ancestor. In addition, Punjabi society is divided into two divisions, the zamindar groups or qoums, traditionally associated with farming and the moeens, who are traditionally artisans. Some zamindars are further divided into groups such as the Rajput, Aheers, Harals, Ghosi (tribe), Jat, Shaikhs or (Muslim Khatri), Khattar, Kambohs, Gujjars, Dogars and Rahmani (Muslim Labana). Zamindar groups with Turko-Persian or Arab ancestry include the Mughal, Gakhars, Awan and Arain, comprising the main tribes in the north of the province, while Khagga, Bodla, Jhandir, Daudpota, Gardezi, Syed and Quraishi are found in the south, all of whom claim Arab ancestry. Immigrants from neighbouring regions, such as the Kashmiri, Pashtun and Baluch, also form important element in the Punjabi population. Pashtun tribes like the Niazis and the Khakwanis, are integrated into Punjabi village life. Especially the members of the Niazi tribe, who see themselves as Punjabis first. They have big communities in Mianwali, Bakkar, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh. Major Moeen groups include the Lohar, Khateek, Rawal, Chhimba Darzi, Teli, Julaha, Mallaah, Mirasi, who are associated with a particular crafts or occupation.^[37]

Punjabis have traditionally and historically been farmers and soldiers^{[citation needed]}, which has transferred into modern times with their dominance of agriculture and military fields in Pakistan. In addition, Punjabis in Pakistan have been quite prominent politically, having had many elected Members of Parliament. As the most ardent supporters of a Pakistani state, the Punjabis in Pakistan have shown a strong predilection towards the adoption of the Urdu language but nearly all speak Punjabi, and still identify themselves as ethnic Punjabis for the most part. Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Islamic Sunni-Shia population and a Christian minority have not completely wiped out diversity since the partition of British India. A variety of related sub-groups exist in Pakistan and are often considered by many Pakistani Punjabis to be simply regional Punjabis including the Seraikis (who overlap and are often considered transitional with the Sindhis).

The recent definition of Punjabi, in Pakistani Punjab, is not based on racial classification, common ansectory or endogamy,^[38] but based on geographical and cultural basis and thus makes it a unique definition. In Pakistani Punjab, there is not a great emphasis on a single dialect of the language and Pakistani Punjabis speak many distinct dialects,^[39][40] which include Hindko, Seraiki, Potohari or Pahari and still identify themselves as Punjabis. People from a few provinces of Pakistan have made Punjab their home in recent times and now their consecutive generations identify themselves as Punjabis. The largest community to assimilate in Punjabi culture and now identify themselves as Punjabis are Kashmiris which include noted personalities like Nawaz Sharif, Sheikh Rasheed, Hamid Mir and the most noted poet Muhammad Iqbal, to name a few. The second largest community after Kashmiris are people of India, who identify themselves as Punjabis.' The other communities to assimilate in Punjabis include Baloch who can be found throughout Punjab, and Baltis. The welcoming nature of Punjab have led to successful integration of almost all ethnic groups in Punjab over time. The Urdu, Punjabi and other language speakers who arrived in Punjab in 1947^[41][42] have now assimilated and their second and third generations identify themselves as Punjabis even tough it is not the same in Sindh Pakistan where they form distinct ethnic groups.

Indian Punjabis [edit]

Indian Punjabi farmer.

Indian Punjabi Woman in Kitchen

The population of Indian Punjab is divided into two major religious groups, the Sikhs and Hindus.Punjabis make around 2.5% of the population of India. It is further sub-divided into various tribal groups, social groups (caste) and economic groups. Major sub-groups in India include the Aroras, Khatris, Kalals/Ahluwalias, Bania, Saini Sikhs, Saini Hindus, Brahmin, Chamar, Chhimba, Chura, Jatts, Kamboj, Labanas, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Nais, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Ramdasia, Soods and Tarkhans etc. All these subgroups are hardworking and well educated and living with unity, peace and harmony with each other.

Like the Punjabi Muslim society, these various castes are associated with particular occupations or crafts. Communities such as the Jatt and Rajput from a Zamindar background are essentially farmers along with Kamboj Sikh and Saini Sikhs, while the Arora, Bania, Bhatia are associated to trade. Other groups are associated with particular crafts, include Lohar who were historically ironsmiths, while Tarkhans were carpenters and the Nai were barbers.^[43]

Indian Punjab is also home to small groups of Muslims and Christian. Most of the East Punjab's Muslims (in today's states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh) left for West Punjab in 1947. However, a small community still exists today, mainly in Malerkotla which was spared during partition, the only Muslim princely state among the seven that formed the erstwhile Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU). The other six (mostly Sikh) states were: Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Faridkot, Kapurthala and Kalsia.

The Punjab region within India maintains a strong influence on the perceived culture of India towards the rest of the world. Numerous Bollywood film productions use the Punjabi language in their songs and dialogue as well as traditional dances such as bhangra. Bollywood has been dominated by Punjabi artists including Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Vinod Khanna, Dharmendra, Shammi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor. Prime Ministers of India including Gulzarilal Nanda and Inder Kumar Gujral in the past, and Dr. Manmohan Singh at present, are Punjabis, as are numerous players in the Indian cricket team both past and present including Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, Navjot Sidhu, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Yograj Singh.

The Punjabi diaspora [edit]

Punjabis around the world

The Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers to many parts of the world. The United Kingdom has a significant number of Punjabis from both Pakistan and India as does Canada (specifically Vancouver and Toronto) and the United States, (specifically California's Central Valley). The Middle East has a large immigrant community of Punjabis, in places such as the UAE and Kuwait. There are large communities in East Africa including the countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Punjabis have also emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia including Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Punjabis by country [edit]

Rank	Country	First language
1	Pakistan	91,379,615
2	India	29,109,672
3	United Kingdom	2,300,000
4	Canada	800,000
5	United Arab Emirates	720,000
6	United States	640,000
7	Saudi Arabia	620,000
8	Hong Kong	260,000
9	Malaysia	185,000
10	South Africa	140,000
11	Burma	120,000
12	France	90,000
13	Italy	80,000
14	Thailand	75,000
15	Japan	75,000[citation needed]
16	Mauritius	70,000
17	Singapore	70,000
18	Oman	68,000
19	Libya	65,000
20	Bahrain	60,000
21	Kenya	55,000
22	Australia	6,20,000
23	Tanzania	45,000
24	Kuwait	40,000
25	Norway	25,000
26	Denmark	15,103

Genetics of Indian Punjabis [edit]

The majority of Indian Punjabi population share similar genes with other north Indian populations including those from Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir , but also show a significant relationship with west Eurasian groups. In a 2004 Stanford study conducted with a wide sampling from India, including 112 Punjabis, and selected other countries, displayed the following:

Results show that Indian tribal and caste populations derive largely from the same genetic heritage of Pleistocene southern and western Asians and have received limited gene flow from external regions since the Holocene.^[44]

This study also found that roughly 42% of genetic markers in the Punjab were of West Asian origin, the highest amongst the sampled group of South Asians.^{[dubious – discuss][citation needed]} Another study also showed that there has been limited gene flow in and out of north India, but the highest amount of genetic inflow from the west showed up in the Punjab region:

Broadly, the average proportion of mtDNAs from West Eurasia among Indian caste populations is 17% (Table 2). In the northern States of India their share is greater, reaching over 30% in Kashmir and Gujarat, nearly 43% in Indian Punjab.^[45][46]

Some preliminary conclusions from these varying tests support a largely north Indian genetic base for most Punjabis accompanied by some of the highest degrees of west Asian admixture^{[citation needed]} found in north India.

Religion [edit]

Prior to the Partition of British India, Punjab had a slightly majority Muslim population at about 53.2% in 1941, which was an increase from an overall Muslim population of 47.6% in 1881.^[47] With the division of Punjab and the subsequent independence of Pakistan and later India, mass migrations of Muslims from Indian Punjab to Pakistan, and those of Sikhs and Hindus from Pakistan to Indian Punjab occured. Today, the majority of Pakistani Punjabis follow Islam with a small Christian minority, while the majority of Indian Punjabis are either Sikhs or Hindus. Punjab is also the birthplace of Sikhism and the reform Ahmadiyya^[5] sect in Islam.

Culture [edit]

The evening flag lowering ceremony at the India-Pakistan International Border near Wagah in Punjab.

Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjab region. It is one of the oldest and richest cultures 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 the culture are vast. Some of the main areas include Punjabi poetry, philosophy, spirituality, artistry, dance, music, cuisine, military weaponry, architecture, languages, traditions, values and history. Historically, the Punjab/Punjabis, in addition to their rural-agrarian lands and culture, have also enjoyed a unique urban cultural development in two great cities, Lahore^[48] and Amritsar.^[49]

Language [edit]

Punjabi, with its many dialects, is the most spoken language in Pakistan and fourth most common language in India. According to the Ethnologue 2005 estimate,^[50] there are 88 million native speakers of the Punjabi language, which makes it the twelfth most widely spoken language in the world. According to the 2008 Census of Pakistan,^[51] there are approximately 76,335,300 native speakers of Punjabi in Pakistan, and according to the Census of India, there are over 29,102,477 Punjabi speakers in India.^[52] Punjabi is also spoken as a minority language in several other countries where Punjabis have emigrated in large numbers, such as the United Kingdom (where it is the second most commonly used language^[53]) and Canada, in which Punjabi has now become the fourth most spoken language after English, French and Chinese, due to the rapid growth of immigrants from Pakistan and India.^[54] There are also sizable communities in the United States, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Persian Gulf countries, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Punjabis are linguistically and culturally related to the other Indo-Aryan peoples of South Asia. There are an estimated 120 million Punjabis around the world. If regarded as an ethnic group, they are among the world's largest. In South Asia, they are the second largest ethnic group after the Bengali People.

The main language of the Punjabi people is Punjabi and its associated dialects, which differ depending on the region of Punjab the speaker is from; there are notable differences in the Lahnda languages, spoken in the Pakistani Punjab. In the Pakistani Punjab Urdu is spoken by nearly all, and the vast majority still speak Punjabi, even though the language have no governmental support. In the Indian Punjab, most people speak Punjabi. English is sometimes used, and people may also speak Hindi and older people who lived in the undivided Punjab may be able to speak and write in Urdu. There is a significant hindi and other Indian languages influence in Punjabi. In India Sanskrit vocabulary have been adopted, due to the national status of Hindi language. The Punjabi languages have always absorbed numerous loanwords from surrounding areas and provinces (and from English).

Cuisine [edit]

Punjabi cuisine has an immense range of dishes and has become world-leader in the field; so much so that many entrepreneurs that have invested in the sector have built large personal fortunes due to the popularity of Punjabi cuisine throughout the world. Punjabi Cuisine uses very unique spices, which make the food utterly mouthwatering.

Music of Punjab [edit]

Bhangra describes dance-oriented popular music with Punjabi rhythms, developed since the 1980s. The name refers to one of the traditional and folkloric Punjabi dances. Thus in bhangra music the emphasis is usually on the music (i.e. rhythm for dancing) and less on the singer and the lyrics. Bhangra music is appreciated all over the globe. Sufi music and Qawali are other important genres in Punjab.

Punjabi dances [edit]

Owing to the long history of the Punjabi culture and of the Punjabi people, there are a large number of dances normally performed at times of celebration, the time of festivals known as Melas and the most prominent dances are at Punjabi weddings, where the elation is usually particularly intense. Punjabi dances are performed either by men or by women. The dances range from solo to group dances and also sometimes dances are done along with musical instruments like Dhol, Flute, Supp, Dhumri, Chimta etc. "Bhangra" dance is the most famous aspect of Punjabi dance tradition.Its popularity has attained a level where a music is produced with the intent of aiding people to carry out this form of dancing.

Punjabi wedding traditions [edit]

Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are conducted in Punjabi, and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. While the actual religious marriage ceremony among Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains may be conducted in Arabic, Punjabi, Sanskrit, by the Kazi, Pandit or Granthi, there are also many commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, make-up and dress. The Punjabi wedding has many rituals and ceremonies that have evolved since traditional times. Punjabi receptions of all sorts are known to be very energetic, filled with loud Bhangra music, people dancing,and a wide variety of Punjabi food. Alcohol consumption by the menfolk is part of the tradition amongst Hindu and some Sikh communities that allow it.

Punjabi folk tales [edit]

The folk tales of Punjab include many stories^[55] which are passing through generations and includes folk stories like Heer Ranjha, Mirza Sahiban,^[56] Sohni Mahiwal etc. to name a few.

Village life in Punjab [edit]

The village life of land of five rivers is as entrancing as any other thing of this region. The village life is simple and people usually live in small communities and they live in peace and harmony with each other. Most villages are centred around extended families, sharing common patrilineal ancestry.

Festivals in Punjab [edit]

Jashan-e-Baharan, Basant, Kanak katai da mela ( Wheat cutting celebrations ) and many more.

Traditional dresses wore in Punjab [edit]

The Punjabi traditional clothing is very diverse and for various occasions various clothing is chosen. It include Shalwar Kameez, Kurta, Achkan and Dhoti in men while in women there is wide range of clothing but mainly it comprises Shalwar Kameez, Churidars with Dupatta with traditional Paranda Ghari wore on the hair. Khaddi topi (Embroidered cap) is also wore by some women with dupatta on special occasions. Shalwar Kameez and Sherwani are for formal occasions and office work while Dhoti is mostly wore by people who are involved in farming throughout Punjab. The shorter version of Dhoti that is unique to Punjab is known as Chatki with close resemblance to Kilt but use of Chatki for formal occasions is very very rare and not many people are familiar with Chatkis. Punjabi Jutti and Tillay wali Jutti is a very famous footwear for both men and women in Punjab. In men Pagri (turban) is also wore as a traditional cap in many occasions. Dupatta with embroidery of different styles with Matthay da Tikka is also very famous in Punjabi culture.

Sports in Punjab [edit]

The people of Punjab are known to have keen interest in sports. A variety of indoor and outdoor sports are played in Punjab. The sports been played here include Cricket, Hockey, Kabaddi, Boxing, Basketball Horse racing, Gulli-danda, Kho kho, Naiza Baazi (Tent pegging), Greyhound racing, Bandar Killa, Chuppan Chupai (Hide-and-seek), Stapu (Hopscotch), Bantay (Marbles), pugan pugai, French cricket, Kings (card game), Yassu Panju, Snooker, Pitho Garam, Baraf Paani (Tag (game), Dodgeball, chiri uri kawa ura, Carrom, Ludo (board game) and sometimes one form of martial arts known as Gatka is also taken as a form of sports.

Prominent Punjabis [edit]

See also [edit]

• Punjab region
• Punjabi culture
• Punjabi language
• Punjabi cuisine
• Music of Punjab
• Punjabi dance
• Punjabi folklore
• Punjabi press
• History of the Punjab

References [edit]

References and further reading [edit]

• Mohini Gupta, Encyclopaedia of Punjabi Culture & History - Vol. 1 (Window on Punjab) [Hardcover], ISBN 978-81-202-0507-9
• Iqbal Singh Dhillion, Folk Dances of Punjab ISBN 978-81-7116-220-8
• Punjabi Culture: Punjabi Language, Bhangra, Punjabi People, Karva Chauth, Kila Raipur Sports Festival, Lohri, Punjabi Dhabha, ISBN 978-1-157-61392-3
• Kamla C. Aryan, Cultural Heritage of Punjab ISBN 978-81-900002-9-1
• Shafi Aqeel, Popular Folk Tales from the Punjab ISBN 978-0-19-547579-1
• Online Book of Punjabi Folk Tales, http://archive.org/stream/KamalKahanisaeedBhuttaABookOnPunjabiFolktales/KamalKahaniReviewByHassnainGhayoor#page/n0/mode/2up
• Punjabi Wedding Songs http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/boliyan-book/id464162568?mt=8
• Colloquial Panjabi: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series) ISBN 978-0-415-10191-2
• A website dedicated to Punjabi Language ( Shahmukhi and Gurmukhi Scripts) http://www.apnaorg.com/
• Gilmartin, David. Empire and Islam: Punjab and the Making of Pakistan. Univ of California Press (1988), ISBN 0-520-06249-3.
• Grewal, J.S. and Gordon Johnson. The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India). Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition (1998), ISBN 0-521-63764-3.
• Punjab Digital Library http://www.panjabdigilib.org
• Denzil Ibbetson, Punjab Castes: Race, Castes and Tribes of the People of Punjab. Cosmo Publications, ISBN 81-7020-458-5.
• Ibbetson, Denzil, (2002). Panjab castes. Low Price Publications. ISBN 81-7536-290-1.
• Latif, Syed. History of the Panjab. Kalyani (1997), ISBN 81-7096-245-5.
• Rose, H.A. Denzil Ibbetson, Edward Maclagan (reprint 1990). Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province. Asian Educational Services, India, ISBN 81-206-0505-5.
• Sekhon, Iqbal S. The Punjabis : The People, Their History, Culture and Enterprise. Delhi, Cosmo, 2000, 3 Vols., ISBN 81-7755-051-9.
• Singh, Gurharpal. Ethnic Conflict in India : A Case-Study of Punjab. Palgrave Macmillan (2000).
• Singh, Gurharpal (Editor) and Ian Talbot (Editor). Punjabi Identity: Continuity and Change. South Asia Books (1996), ISBN 81-7304-117-2.
• Singh, Khushwant. A History of the Sikhs - Volume 1.Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-562643-5
• Steel, Flora Annie. Tales of the Punjab : Told by the People (Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints). Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition (2002), ISBN 0-19-579789-2.
• Tandon, Prakash and Maurice Zinkin. Punjabi Century 1857-1947, University of California Press (1968), ISBN 0-520-01253-4.
•  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country Studies. Pakistan, India
• DNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia, BMC Genetics 2004, 5:26
• Ethnologue Eastern Panjabi
• Ethnologue Western Panjabi
• Indian Census
• Pakistan Census
• The Genetic Heritage of the Earliest Settlers Persists Both in Indian Tribal and Caste Populations, Am. J. Hum. Genet. 72:313–332, 2003
• Talib, Gurbachan (1950). Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947. India: Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. Online 1 Online 2 Online 3 (A free copy of this book can be read from any 3 of the included "Online Sources" of this free “Online Book”)
• The Legacy of The Punjab by R. M. Chopra, 1997, Punjabee Bradree, Calcutta.
• http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/2891/11/11_chapter%204.pdf

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Punjabi people

• Peoples and Languages in Pre-Islamic Indus Valley
• Free Punjabi (Gurmukhi) Primer - Especially designed for those who know English
• Ma Boli International Punjabi Film Festival , Vancouver
• Punjabi Links

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