Punjabis

The Punjabis (Punjabi: Template:Nastaliq Template:Small; ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Template:Small; romanised as Pañjābī)<ref name=":9">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> associated with the Punjab region, comprising areas of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> They generally speak Standard Punjabi or various Punjabi dialects on both sides.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Majority of the overall Punjabi population adheres to Islam with significant minorities practicing Sikhism and Hinduism and smaller minorities practicing Christianity. However, the religious demographics significantly vary when viewed from Pakistani and Indian sides, respectively, with over 95 percent of the Punjabi population from Pakistan being Muslim, with a small minority of Christians and Hindus and an even smaller minority of Sikhs. Over 57 percent of the population of the Indian state of Punjab is Sikh and over 38 percent Hindu with a small minority of Muslims and Christians.<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Harrison2007p132">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The ethnonym is derived from the term Punjab (Five rivers) in Persian to describe the geographic region of the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, where five rivers Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej merge into the Indus River,<ref name="Nayar1">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Gandhi 2013">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> in addition of the now-vanished Ghaggar.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The coalescence of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the Punjab region into a broader common "Punjabi" identity initiated from the onset of the 18th century CE.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Thandi 1996">Template:Cite book</ref> Historically, the Punjabi people were a heterogeneous group and were subdivided into a number of clans called biradari (literally meaning "brotherhood") or tribes, with each person bound to a clan. With the passage of time, tribal structures became replaced with a more cohesive and holistic society, as community building and group cohesiveness form the new pillars of Punjabi society.<ref name="Thandi 1996" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Traditionally, the Punjabi identity is primarily linguistic, geographical and cultural. Its identity is independent of historical origin or religion and refers to those who reside in the Punjab region or associate with its population and those who consider the Punjabi language their mother tongue.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Integration and assimilation are important parts of Punjabi culture, since Punjabi identity is not based solely on tribal connections.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> While Punjabis share a common territory, ethnicity and language, they are likely to be followers of one of several religions, most often Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism or Christianity.<ref name="Gupta, S.K">Template:Cite book</ref>

Etymology

The term "Punjab" came into currency during the reign of Akbar in the late sixteenth century.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Gandhi 2013" /><ref name=":1" /> Though the name Punjab is of Persian origin, its two parts (Template:Langx and Template:Langx) are cognates of the Sanskrit words, Template:Langx and Template:Langx, of the same meaning.<ref name=EoS>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The word pañjāb thus means 'The Land of Five Waters', referring to the rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas.<ref>"Punjab." Pp. 107 in Encyclopædia Britannica (9th ed.), vol. 20.</ref> All are tributaries of the Indus River, the Sutlej being the largest. References to a land of five rivers may be found in the Mahabharata, which calls one of the regions in ancient Bharat Panchanada (Template:Langx).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The ancient Greeks referred to the region as Pentapotamía (Template:Langx),<ref>Lassen, Christian. 1827. Commentatio Geographica atque Historica de Pentapotamia Indica [A Geographical and Historical Commentary on Indian Pentapotamia]. Weber. p. 4: "That part of India which today we call by the Persian name ''Penjab'' is named Panchanada in the sacred language of the Indians; either of which names may be rendered in Greek by Πενταποταμια. The Persian origin of the former name is not at all in doubt, although the words of which it is composed are both Indian and Persian.... But, in truth, that final word is never, to my knowledge, used by the Indians in proper names compounded in this way; on the other hand, there exist multiple Persian names which end with that word, e.g., Doab and Nilab. Therefore, it is probable that the name Penjab, which is today found in all geographical books, is of more recent origin and is to be attributed to the Muslim kings of India, among whom the Persian language was mostly in use. That the Indian name Panchanada is ancient and genuine is evident from the fact that it is already seen in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the most ancient Indian poems, and that no other exists in addition to it among the Indians; for Panchála, which English translations of the Ramayana render with Penjab...is the name of another region, entirely distinct from Pentapotamia...."Template:Whose translation</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Khalid">Template:Cite journal</ref> which has the same meaning as the Persian word.

Geographic distribution

Template:Main articles Punjab is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The boundaries of the region are ill-defined and focus on historical accounts. The geographical definition of the term "Punjab" has changed over time. In the 16th century Mughal Empire it referred to a relatively smaller area between the Indus and the Sutlej rivers.<ref name="JS_Grewal_1998">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref>

File:Punjab map (topographic) with cities.png

The Punjab region, with its rivers.

Pakistan

While the total population of Punjab is 110 million as noted in the 2017 Pakistan census,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> ethnic Punjabis comprise approximately 44.7% of the national population.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name="WorldAtlas"/> With an estimated national population of 252 million in 2024,<ref name="cia.gov"/> ethnic Punjabis thus number approximately 112.8 million in Pakistan;Template:Efn<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref> this makes Punjabis the largest ethnic group in Pakistan by population.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name="WorldAtlas"/>

Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Sunni population with Shia, Ahmadiyya and Christian minorities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

India

The Punjabi-speaking people make up 2.74% of India's population as of 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The total number of Indian Punjabis is unknown due to the fact that ethnicity is not recorded in the Census of India. Sikhs are largely concentrated in the modern-day state of Punjab forming 57.7% of the population with Hindus forming 38.5%.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 40% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly Hindi-speaking Punjabi Hindus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Sanjay2008">Template:Cite book</ref> The Indian censuses record the native languages, but not the descent of the citizens. Thus, there is no concrete official data on the ethnic makeup of Delhi and other Indian states.<ref name="Sanjay2008" />Template:Rp

Indian Punjab is also home to small groups of Muslims and Christians. Most of the East Punjab's Muslims left for West Punjab in 1947.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> However, a small community still exists today, mainly in Qadian, and Malerkotla.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Punjabi diaspora

File:Streetcars passing at the 400 Block of Granville Street, Vancouver, in 1908.jpg

Punjabis in Vancouver, 1908

The Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers to many parts of the world. In the early 20th century, many Punjabis began settling in the United States, including independence activists who formed the Ghadar Party. The United Kingdom has a significant number of Punjabis from both Pakistan and India. The most populous areas being London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. In Canada (specifically Vancouver,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Toronto,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Calgary<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) and the United States, (specifically California's Central Valley as well as the New York and New Jersey region). In the 1970s, a large wave of emigration of Punjabis (predominately from Pakistan) began to the Middle East, in places such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. There are also 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, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Of recent times many Punjabis have also moved to Italy.Template:Citation needed

File:Gurdwara Guru Ravidass, Nasinu, Fiji.jpg

Gurdwara Guru Ravidass, Nasinu, Fiji Established in 1939

File:Gurdwara Guru Ravidass Bhavan, Birmingham.jpg

Gurdwara Guru Ravidass Bhavan, Birmingham

File:Gurdwara Guru Ravidass Sabha,Southall .jpg

Gurdwara Guru Ravidass Sabha, Southall

Demography

Castes and tribes

Template:Main Template:See also Among the major castes and tribes of West Punjab (Pakistan) are the Jats, Rajputs, Arains, Gujjars and Awans.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopediah</ref> Prior to the partition in 1947, major communities of West Punjab also included the Khatris, Aroras and Brahmins.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":202">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":1822">Template:Cite book</ref>

While in East Punjab (India), Jats are almost 20 per cent of East Punjab's population. The Scheduled Castes constitute almost 32 per cent of its total population and 4.3 per cent of the SCs nationally, official data show. Of more than 35 designated Scheduled Castes in the state, the Mazhabis, the Ravidasias/Ramdasias, the Ad Dharmis, the Valmikis, and the Bazigars together make up around 87 per cent of East Punjab's total Scheduled Caste population. The Ravidasia Hindus/Ad-Dharmi and the Ramdasia Sikhs together constitute 34.93 per cent of East Punjab's total Scheduled Caste population and 11.15 per cent of Punjab Population. Ramdasia, Ad-Dharmi and Ravidassias are subgroups of the Chamar<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and are traditionally linked to leather-related occupations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Religions in Punjab

File:1500-1200 BCE Rigveda, manuscript page sample i, Mandala 1, Hymn 1 (Sukta 1), Adhyaya 1, lines 1.1.1 to 1.1.9, Sanskrit, Devanagari.jpg

Rig Veda is the oldest Hindu text that originated in the Punjab region.

Proto-Hinduism is the oldest of the religions practised by the Punjabi people.<ref name="Nayar1"/> The historical Vedic religion constituted the religious ideas and practices in the Punjab during the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE), centered primarily in the worship of Indra.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Refn The bulk of the Rigveda was composed in the Punjab region between circa 1500 and 1200 BC,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> while later Vedic scriptures were composed more eastwards, between the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. An ancient Indian law book called the Manusmriti, developed by Brahmin Hindu priests, shaped Punjabi religious life from 200 BC onward.<ref name="Nayar">Template:Cite book</ref>

Later, the spread of Buddhisim and Jainism in the Indian subcontinent saw the growth of Buddhism and Jainism in the Punjab.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Islam was introduced via southern Punjab in the 8th century, becoming the majority by the 16th century, via local conversion.<ref name="oxford2">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> There was a small Jain community left in Punjab by the 16th century, while the Buddhist community had largely disappeared by the turn of the 10th century.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of the Punjab region.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The rise of Sikhism in the 1700s saw some Punjabis, both Hindu and Muslim, accepting the new Sikh faith.<ref name="Nayar" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> A number of Punjabis during the colonial period of India became Christians, with all of these religions characterising the religious diversity now found in the Punjab region.<ref name="Nayar" />

Modern era

Due to religious tensions, emigration between Punjabi people started far before the partition and dependable records.<ref>Jones. (2006). Socio-religious reform movements in British India (The New Cambridge History of India). Cambridge University Press</ref><ref>Jones, R. (2007). The great uprising in India, 1857–58: Untold stories, Indian and British (worlds of the east India company). Boydell Press.</ref> Shortly prior to the Partition of India, Punjab Province (British India) had a slight majority Muslim population at about 53.2% in 1941, which was an increase from the previous years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Due to the partition of 1947, a rapid shift towards religious homogeneity occurred in all districts across the Punjab region owing to the new international border that cut through the province. This rapid demographic shift was primarily due to mass migration and population exchange but also caused by large-scale religious cleansing riots that occurred across the region at the time.<ref>South Asia: British India Partitioned Template:Webarchive</ref><ref>Avari, B. (2007). India: The ancient past. Template:ISBN</ref> According to historical demographer Tim Dyson, in the eastern regions of Punjab that ultimately became Indian Punjab following independence, districts that were 66% Hindu in 1941 became 80% Hindu in 1951; those that were 20% Sikh became 50% Sikh in 1951. Conversely, in the western regions of Punjab that ultimately became Pakistani Punjab, all districts became almost exclusively Muslim by 1951.Template:Sfn

As a result of the population exchanges during partition, both parts of Punjab are now relatively homogeneous, as far as religion is concerned. Today the majority of Pakistani Punjabis follow Islam with a small Christian minority, and less Sikh and Hindu populations, while the majority of Indian Punjabis are either Sikhs or Hindus with a Muslim minority. Punjab is also the birthplace of Sikhism and the movement Ahmadiyya.<ref name="alislam.org">Template:Cite web</ref>

Punjabi Muslims

Template:See also Punjabi Muslims are found almost exclusively in Pakistan with 97% of Punjabis who live in Pakistan following Islam, in contrast to Punjabi Sikhs and Punjabi Hindus who predominantly live in India.<ref name="Harrison2007p132" />

Forming the majority of the Punjabi ethnicity in the greater Punjab region,<ref name="Gandhi 2013 1">Template:Cite book</ref> Punjabi Muslims write the Punjabi language under the Perso-Arabic script known as Shahmukhi. With a population of more than 80 million,<ref name="Gandhi 2013 1"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> they are the largest ethnic group in Pakistan and the world's third-largest Islam-adhering ethnicity<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> after Arabs<ref>Margaret Kleffner Nydell Understanding Arabs: A Guide For Modern Times, Intercultural Press, 2005, Template:ISBN, page xxiii, 14</ref> and Bengalis.<ref>roughly 152 million Bengali Muslims in Bangladesh and 36.4 million Bengali Muslims in the Republic of India (CIA Factbook 2014 estimates, numbers subject to rapid population growth); about 10 million Bangladeshis in the Middle East, 1 million Bengalis in Pakistan, 5 million British Bangladeshi.</ref> The majority of Punjabi Muslims are adherents of Sunni Islam, while a minority adhere to Shia Islam and other sects, including the Ahmadiyya community which originated in Punjab during the British Raj.

• A Punjabi Muslim of the Ghakkar tribe
  A Punjabi Muslim of the Ghakkar tribe
• Punjabi Muslim of the Tanoli tribe
• Punjabi Muslim of Kharal tribe from Multan
  Punjabi Muslim of Kharal tribe from Multan
• Pothwari Muslim
  Pothwari Muslim
• Punjabi Muslim, Firuzpur
  Punjabi Muslim, Firuzpur

Punjabi Hindus

Template:See also In the Indian state of Punjab, Punjabi Hindus make up approximately 38.5% of the state's population; numbering 10.7 million and are a majority in the Doaba region. Punjabi Hindus form a majority in five districts of Punjab, namely, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar districts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Punjabi Hindus also form around 8-10 percent of Indian state Haryana's population and are very much influential in the state politics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 1947 partition, millions of Punjabi Hindus (including Hindkowan Hindus and Saraiki Hindus<ref name="The Tribune - Derawal Nagar">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>) migrated from West Punjab and North-West Frontier Province, of which many ultimately settled in Delhi. Determined from 1991 and 2015 estimates, Punjabi Hindus form approximately 24 to 35 per cent of Delhi's population;Template:EfnTemplate:Efn based on 2011 official census counts, this amounts to between 4,029,106 and 5,875,779 people.<ref name="delhi2011">Template:Cite web</ref>

Following the large scale exodus that took place during the 1947 partition, there remains a small Punjabi Hindu community in Pakistan today. According to the 2017 Census, there are about 200,000 Hindus in Punjab province, forming approximately 0.2% of the total population.<ref name="2017 Census">Template:Cite news</ref> Much of the community resides in the primarily rural South Punjab districts of Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur where they form 3.12% and 1.12% of the population respectively,<ref name="Districtwise">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> while the rest are concentrated in urban centres such as Lahore.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Punjabi Hindus in India use Nāgarī script to write the Hindi and Punjabi languages.<ref name="Bright1996p395">Template:Cite book</ref>

• A Hindu Khatri Trader of Hazara, ca. 1868-1872
  A Hindu Khatri Trader of Hazara, ca. 1868-1872
• Hindu Tarkhan Carpenters of Lahore, ca.1862-72
  Hindu Tarkhan Carpenters of Lahore, ca.1862-72
• Hindu Kamboj of Multan, ca.1862-72
  Hindu Kamboj of Multan, ca.1862-72
• A Hindu Arora Trader of Lahore, ca.1862-72
  A Hindu Arora Trader of Lahore, ca.1862-72
• A Hindu Kalal of Lahore, ca.1862-72
  A Hindu Kalal of Lahore, ca.1862-72

Punjabi Sikhs

File:Photograph of Sikh girls enrolled in a school run by the Church Missionary School, Amritsar, 1875.jpg

Photograph of Sikh girls enrolled in a school run by the Church Missionary School, Amritsar, 1875

Sikhism from Sikh, meaning a "disciple", or a "learner", is a monotheistic religion originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent during the 15th century.<ref name="Cole">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Partridge2013">Template:Cite book</ref> The fundamental beliefs of Sikhism, articulated in the sacred scripture Guru Granth Sahib, include faith and meditation on the name of the one creator, unity and equality of all humankind, engaging in selfless service, striving for social justice for the benefit and prosperity of all, and honest conduct and livelihood while living a householder's life.<ref name="Kalsi_Chelsea">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Cole_Sambhi">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Teece 2004 4">Template:Cite book</ref> Being one of the youngest amongst the major world religions, with 25-28 million adherents worldwide, Sikhism is the eighth-largest religion in the world.

The Sikhs form a majority of close to 58% in the modern day Punjab, India.

Gurmukhi is the writing script used by Sikhs and for scriptures of Sikhism. It is used in official documents in parts of India and elsewhere.<ref name="Bright1996p395" /> The tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh (1666 – 1708) established the Khalsa Brotherhood, and set for them a code of conduct.<ref name="colesambhip37">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="johnkoller313">Template:Cite book</ref>

Punjabi Christians

Template:See also Most of the modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule; initially, conversions to Christianity came from the "upper levels of Punjab society, from the privileged and prestigious", including "high caste" Hindu families, as well as Muslim families.<ref name="Jones1976">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Day2015">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Moghal1997">Template:Cite book</ref> However, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from the Chuhra group. The Churas were largely converted to Christianity in North India during the British Raj. The vast majority were converted from the Hindu Chura communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Mazhabi Sikhs; under the influence of enthusiastic army officers and Christian missionaries. Large numbers of Mazhabi Sikhs were also converted in the Moradabad district and the Bijnor district<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and Rohilkhand: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p183</ref> of Uttar Pradesh. Rohilkhand saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into the Methodist Church.<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and Rohilkhand: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p196</ref> Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among high caste Sikh families, and as a result, they responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions.<ref name="Chadha2005">Template:Cite book</ref>

Culture

File:Photograph of a group of Punjabi women, 1905.png

Photograph of a group of Punjabi women, 1905

Punjabi culture grew out of the settlements along the five rivers, which served as an important route to the Near East as early as the ancient Indus Valley civilisation, dating back to 3000 BCE.<ref name="Nayar1"/> Agriculture has been the major economic feature of the Punjab and has therefore formed the foundation of Punjabi culture, with one's social status being determined by landownership.<ref name="Nayar1"/> The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following the Green Revolution during the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, has been described as the "breadbasket of both India and Pakistan".<ref name="Nayar1"/> Besides being known for agriculture and trade, the Punjab is also a region that over the centuries has experienced many foreign invasions and consequently has a long-standing history of warfare, as the Punjab is situated on the principal route of invasions through the northwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent, which promoted to adopt a lifestyle that entailed engaging in warfare to protect the land.<ref name="Nayar1"/> Warrior culture typically elevates the value of the community's honour (izzat), which is highly esteemed by Punjabis.<ref name="Nayar1"/>

Language

Template:MainPunjabi, sometimes spelled Panjabi,Template:Efn is an Indo-Aryan language natively spoken by the Punjabi people.

Punjabi is the most popular first language in Pakistan, with 80.5 million native speakers as per the 2017 census, and the 11th most popular in India, with 31.1 million native speakers, as per the 2011 census.

The language is spoken among a significant overseas diaspora, particularly in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

In Pakistan, Punjabi is written using the Shahmukhi alphabet, based on the Perso-Arabic script; in India, it is written using the Gurmukhi alphabet, based on the Indic scripts. Punjabi is unusual among the Indo-Aryan languages and the broader Indo-European language family in its usage of lexical tone.<ref>Template:Cite book Other tonal Indo-Aryan languages include Hindko, Dogri, Western Pahari, Sylheti and some Dardic languages.</ref>

Punjabi developed from Prakrit languages and later Template:IAST (Template:Langx, 'deviated' or 'non-grammatical speech')<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> From 600 BCE, Sanskrit was advocated as official language and Prakrit gave birth to many regional languages in different parts of India. All these languages are called Prakrit (Sanskrit: Template:Langx) collectively. Paishachi, Shauraseni and Gandhari were Prakrit languages, which were spoken in north and north-western India and Punjabi developed from one of these Prakrits. Later in northern India, these Prakrits gave rise to their own Apabhraṃśa, a descendant of Prakrit.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Punjabi emerged as an Apabhraṃśa, a degenerated form of Prakrit, in the 7th century CE and became stable by the 10th century. The earliest writings in Punjabi belong to Nath Yogi era from 9th to 14th century CE.<ref name="Hoiberg 2000">Template:Cite book</ref> The language of these compositions is morphologically closer to Shauraseni Apbhramsa, though vocabulary and rhythm is surcharged with extreme colloquialism and folklore.<ref name="Hoiberg 2000" /> The Arabic and modern Persian influence in the historical Punjab region began with the late first millennium Muslim conquests on the Indian subcontinent.<ref name="google">Template:Cite book</ref> Many Persian and Arabic words were incorporated in Punjabi.<ref name="google2">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="google3">Template:Cite book</ref> So Punjabi relies heavily on Persian and Arabic words which are used with a liberal approach to language. After the fall of the Sikh empire, Urdu was made the official language of Punjab (in Pakistani Punjab, it is still the primary official language), and influenced the language as well.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Punjabis also speak several languages and dialects related to Punjabi, such as the Pothwari spoken in the Pothohar region of Northern Pakistani Punjab<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Traditional dress

Template:Main Kaintha

File:Painting of a native lady of Amritsar, ca.1880's (detail).jpg

Painting of a native lady of Amritsar, ca.1880's

The Kaintha, a traditional necklace which is usually made out of gold or steel, is an integral element of Punjabi clothing. It is adorned with a pendant that stands out from the rest of the necklace, which is accompanied by matching color schemes as well as yarn in the back to hold the piece together. It is worn with the Shalwar Kameez alongside a shawl, chunni, or vest. Men and women alike traditionally wear the Kaintha to the Mayian and Jaggo ceremonies. It is also commonly worn while performing the traditional Bhangra and Giddha dances

Phulkari

A traditional element of Punjabi clothing has been the Phulkari. The phulkari is folk embroidery that was typically inclusive of work in floral patterns but has taken on a larger aspect of including geometrical shapes, symbols and motifs relevant to the culture. This pattern has been worn by women for hundreds of years in very vibrant colours. The pattern is typically stitched with woven silk and colourful thread. The phulkari pattern is adorned onto dupattas/chunis, better known as a decorative scarf. Over time the phulkari pattern has taken onto embellishments onto suits, dresses, accessories and more. You will see women wearing phulkari during important religious and cultural folk celebrations (i.e.: Vaisakhi, Lohri) and then in wedding celebrations such as the Jago.<ref>Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2024, February 21). Punjab. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Punjab-state-India</ref><ref>Malhotra, A., & Mir, F. (2012). Punjab Reconsidered: History, culture, and Practice. Oxford University Press.</ref><ref>Snehi, Y. (2013). Book review: Punjab reconsidered: History, culture and practice. Studies in History, 29(1), 155–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/0257643013496694</ref><ref>Szivak, J. (2022). The changing landscape of Punjab in Bollywood film songs. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 45(6), 1112–1127. https://doi.org/10.1080/00856401.2022.2114061</ref>

Dastar

A Dastar is an item of headgear associated with Sikhism and is an important part of the Punjabi and Sikh culture. Among the Sikhs, the dastār is an article of faith that represents equality, honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa Sikh men and women, who keep the Five Ks, wear the turban to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The Sikhs regard the dastār as an important part of the unique Sikh identity. After the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, was sentenced to death by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru created the Khalsa and gave five articles of faith, one of which is unshorn hair, which the dastār covers.<ref name="turban">“Importance of turban in Sikhism”, earlytimes.in. 29 May 2018.</ref> Prior to Sikhi, only kings, royalty, and those of high stature wore turbans, but Sikh Gurus adopted the practice to assert equality and sovereignty among people.<ref name="Turban">Template:Cite web</ref>

Punjabi suit

File:Punjabi Traditional Fashion - Cultural Night - Wiki Conference India - CGC - Mohali 2016-08-05 7370.JPG

Punjabi traditional dress in India

A Punjabi suit that features two items - a qameez (top), salwar (bottom) is the traditional attire of the Punjabi people.<ref name="DSOF">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="BlanesMapril2013">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Khandelwal2002">Template:Cite book</ref> Shalwars are trousers which are atypically wide at the waist but which narrow to a cuffed bottom. They are held up by a drawstring or elastic belt, which causes them to become pleated around the waist.<ref name="StevensonWaite2011">Template:Cite book</ref> The trousers can be wide and baggy, or they can be cut quite narrow, on the bias. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic.<ref name="StevensonWaite2011-b">Template:Cite book</ref> The side seams are left open below the waist-line (the opening known as the chaakTemplate:Refn), which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. The kameez is usually cut straight and flat; older kameez use traditional cuts; modern kameez are more likely to have European-inspired set-in sleeves. The combination garment is sometimes called salwar kurta, salwar suit, or Punjabi suit.<ref name="Shukla2015-sawar-kurta">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Mooney2011">Template:Cite book</ref> The shalwar-kameez is a widely-worn,<ref name="Marsden2005">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Haines2013">Template:Cite book</ref> and national dress,<ref name="Ozyegin2016">Template:Cite book</ref> of Pakistan. When women wear the shalwar-kameez in some regions, they usually wear a long scarf or shawl called a dupatta around the head or neck.<ref name="SWIE">Template:Cite book</ref> The dupatta is also employed as a form of modesty—although it is made of delicate material, it obscures the upper body's contours by passing over the shoulders. For Muslim women, the dupatta is a less stringent alternative to the chador or burqa (see hijab and purdah); for Sikh and Hindu women, the dupatta is useful when the head must be covered, as in a temple or the presence of elders.<ref name="Shukla2015">Template:Cite book</ref> Everywhere in South Asia, modern versions of the attire have evolved; the shalwars are worn lower down on the waist, the kameez have shorter length, with higher splits, lower necklines and backlines, and with cropped sleeves or without sleeves.<ref name="Koerner2016">Template:Cite book</ref>

Music

Template:Main Bhangra describes dance-oriented popular music with Punjabi rhythms, developed since the 1980s. Sufi music and Qawali, commonly practised in Punjab, Pakistan; are other important genres in the Punjab region.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Dance

Template:Main 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 traditional musical instruments. Bhangra is one of the most famous dances originating in the Punjab by farmers during the harvesting season. It was mainly performed while farmers did agricultural chores. As they did each farming activity they would perform bhangra moves on the spot.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> This allowed them to finish their job in a pleasurable way. For many years, farmers performed bhangra to showcase a sense of accomplishment and to welcome the new harvesting season.<ref name=":5">Template:Cite book</ref> Traditional bhangra is performed in a circle<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and is performed using traditional dance steps. Traditional bhangra is now also performed on occasions other than during the harvest season.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Folk tales

Template:Main The folk tales of Punjab include Heer Ranjha, Mirza Sahiban, Sohni Mahiwal.<ref>Tales of the Punjab. Digital.library.upenn.edu.</ref><ref>Peelu: The First Narrator of the Legend of Mirza-SahibaN. Hrisouthasian.org.</ref>

Festivals

Template:MainThe Punjabi Muslims typically observe the Islamic festivals.<ref name="Official Holidays 2016">Official Holidays 2016, Government of Punjab – Pakistan (2016)</ref><ref name="kmc.gos.pk">Official Holidays 2016 Template:Webarchive, Karachi Metropolitan, Sindh, Pakistan</ref> The Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus typically do not observe these, and instead observe Lohri, Basant and Vaisakhi as seasonal festivals.<ref name="autogenerated5">Census of India, 1961: Punjab. Manage of Publications</ref> The Punjabi Muslim festivals are set according to the lunar Islamic calendar (Hijri), and the date falls earlier by 10 to 13 days from year to year.<ref>Template:Cite book;

Eid ul-Fitar, Ramzan Id/Eid-ul-Fitar in India, Festival Dates</ref> The Hindu and Sikh Punjabi seasonal festivals are set on specific dates of the luni-solar Bikrami calendar or Punjabi calendar and the date of the festival also typically varies in the Gregorian calendar but stays within the same two Gregorian months.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Some Punjabi Muslims participate in the traditional, seasonal festivals of the Punjab region: Baisakhi, Basant and to a minor scale Lohri, but this is controversial. Islamic clerics and some politicians have attempted to ban this participation because of the religious basis of the Punjabi festivals,<ref>The ban on fun, IRFAN HUSAIN, Dawn, 18 February 2017</ref> and they being declared haram (forbidden in Islam).<ref>The barricaded Muslim mind, Saba Naqvi (28 August 2016), Quote: "Earlier, Muslim villagers would participate in Hindu festivals; now they think that would be haraam, so stay away. Visiting dargahs is also haraam"</ref>

Punjabi State

Template:Main According to Pippa Virdee, the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan has shadowed the sense of loss of what used to be a homeland nation for the Punjabi people in the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Since the mid-1980s, there has been a drive for Punjabi cultural revival, consolidation of Punjabi ethnicity and a virtual Punjabi nation.<ref name="Punjabi Identity">Template:Cite book</ref> According to Giorgio Shani, this is predominantly a Sikh ethno-nationalism movement led by some Sikh organisations, and a view that is not shared by Punjabi people organisations belonging to other religions.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

See also

• Dialects of the Punjab
• Punjabi press
• Punjabi cuisine
• Punjabi diaspora

Bibliography

• Template:Citation

Further reading

• Mohini Gupta, Encyclopaedia of Punjabi Culture & History – Vol. 1 (Window on Punjab) [Hardcover], Template:ISBN
• Iqbal Singh Dhillion, Folk Dances of Punjab Template:ISBN
• Punjabi Culture: Punjabi Language, Bhangra, Punjabi People, Karva Chauth, Kila Raipur Sports Festival, Lohri, Punjabi Dhabha, Template:ISBN
• Kamla C. Aryan, Cultural Heritage of Punjab Template:ISBN
• Shafi Aqeel, Popular Folk Tales from the Punjab Template:ISBN
• Online Book of Punjabi Folk Tales
• Colloquial Panjabi: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series) Template:ISBN
• Gilmartin, David. Empire and Islam: Punjab and the Making of Pakistan. Univ of California Press (1988), Template:ISBN.
• Grewal, J.S. and Gordon Johnson. The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India). Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition (1998), Template:ISBN.
• Latif, Syed. History of the Panjab. Kalyani (1997), Template:ISBN.
• Sekhon, Iqbal S. The Punjabis : The People, Their History, Culture and Enterprise. Delhi, Cosmo, 2000, 3 Vols., Template:ISBN.
• 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), Template:ISBN.
• Singh, Khushwant. A History of the Sikhs – Volume 1.Oxford University Press, Template:ISBN
• Steel, Flora Annie. Tales of the Punjab : Told by the People (Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints). Oxford University Press, US; New Ed edition (2002), Template:ISBN.
• Tandon, Prakash and Maurice Zinkin. Punjabi Century 1857–1947, University of California Press (1968), Template:ISBN.
• DNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia, BMC Genetics 2004, 5:26
• Ethnologue Eastern Panjabi
• Ethnologue Western Panjabi
• Template:Cite journal
• Template:Cite bookOnline 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.
• Glimpses of Punjabi society and everyday life in Punjab villages shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in

External links

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