Vedic Punjab

Map of early Iron Age Vedic India after Witzel (1989). India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The Punjabi people ( Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی also Panjabi people) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia. Realms or tribes are labelled black, Foreign tribes mentioned in early Vedic texts purple, Vedic shakhas in green. A shakha ( Sanskrit IAST śākhā, literally "branch" or "limb" is a Hindu theological school that specializes in learning Rivers are labelled blue. The Thar desert is marked orange. The Thar Desert ( Hindi: थार मरुस्थल also known as the Great Indian Desert, is

The original Punjab region is now divided into several units: West Punjab (now in Pakistan) including the Gandhara and Multan regions, the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and the Indian Union territories of Delhi and Chandigarh. Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c West Punjab was a former province of Pakistan which existed from 1947 to 1955 Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. Haryana (हरियाणा Punjabi: ਹਰਿਆਣਾ hərɪjaːɳaː is a state in northern India. Himachal Pradesh ( Hindi: हिमाचल प्रदेश Punjabi: ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼ pronounced) is a state in the Chandigarh ( ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, चंडीगढ़) also called The City Beautiful Jammu, Kashmir and Sindh have been historically associated with the Punjab. History of Jammu Many historians and locals believe that Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboolochan in 14th century BC. This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis.

The Punjab is the 'Sapta Sindhu' region mentioned in the in the Rig Veda, the seven rivers are:

1. Saraswati (thought to be the present day Ghaggar),
2. Satadru/Shutadri (Sutlej),
3. Vipasa (Beas),
4. Asikani (Chenab),
5. Paroshani (Ravi),
6. Vitasta/Vet (Jhelum) and
7. Sindhu (Indus). The Sapta Sindhu ( Sanskrit: सप्त सिंधु also Hapta Hindu in Avestan "seven rivers" are the seven sacred rivers in Indian mythology The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" Saraswati (pronounced as; Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati Thai: สุรัสวดี is the The Ghaggar-Hakra River is a believed to be an intermittent river in India and Pakistan that flows only during the Monsoon season The Sutlej River (alternatively spelled as Satluj River (ਸਤਲੁਜ शतद्रु or सुतुद्री, ستلج and सतलुज is the longest HeadMarala3jpg|200px|right|thumb|A View of Marala Headworks on Chenab near Sialkot]] The Chenab River (ਚਨਾਬ, चनाब چناب literally 'Moon( The Ravi River (रवि ਰਾਵੀ راوی is a River in Pakistan and India. "Hydaspes" redirects here For the historic battle see Battle of the Hydaspes. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd

The modern name of the Vipasa,'Beas' is thought to be a corruption of Veda Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata. Vyāsa ( Devanāgarī: व्यास is a central and revered figure in the majority of Hindu traditions

The region came to be known as Punjab only in the Mughal period. It was one of the cradles of Indian civilization and Hinduism. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

Among the classic books that wholly or partly composed in this region are the following.

• Rigveda
• Grammar of Sakatayana
• Ashtadhyayi of Panini
• Nirukta of Yaska
• Charaka Samhita
• Mahabharata along with the Bhagavad Gita
• Brihatkatha of Gunadya
• The Bakhshali Manuscript

The world's oldest university Takshashila flourished here, even before the Buddha's birth. The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" Śākaṭāyana is a Sanskrit grammarian of Iron Age India (fl Pāṇini ( IAST: Pāṇini Dēvanāgarī: sa पाणिनि a Patronymic meaning "descendant of {{IAST|Paṇi}} " was an ancient Pāṇini ( IAST: Pāṇini Dēvanāgarī: sa पाणिनि a Patronymic meaning "descendant of {{IAST|Paṇi}} " was an ancient Nirukta ("explanation etymological interpretation" is one of the six {{IAST|Vedānga}} disciplines of Hinduism, treating Etymology, particularly The Charaka Samhita Sutra is an ancient Indian Ayurvedic text on Internal medicine written by Charaka. The Bakhshali Manuscript is a mathematical manuscript written on birch bark which was found near the village of Bakhshali in 1881 in what was For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder

The descendants of the Rishis, form the Brahmins of Hindu society. Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical The Brahmins of this region are called 'Saraswata' after the legendary Saraswati river region, once known for the ashramas of the rishis.

Classic Cities of the Punjab Region

• Peshawar(Purushapur) , North West Frontier Province: Capital of Kanishka, the Kushan ruler and the site of the tallest stupa in Jambudvipa. ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered Kanishka (Kushan language Κανηϸκι, Middle Chinese: 迦腻色伽 was a king of the Kushan Empire in Central Asia, ruling an empire extending The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250
• Kandahar, Afghanistan: capital of the ancient kingdom of Gandhara. For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient In the Mahabharata, its ruler was the evil and scheming Sakuni, brother of Gandhari, wife of Dhritarashtra and mother of the Kauravas. The villain Shakuni ( Sanskrit: शकुनि an avatar of Dvapara the personification of Dvapara Yuga, was the brother of Gandhari in the Mahābhārata In the Mahābhārata Dhritarashtra ( Sanskrit: धृतराष्ट्र dhritarāshtra) was the son born to Vichitravirya 's first wife The term Kaurava ( Sanskrit:कौरव is a Sanskrit term that means a descendant of Kuru, a legendary king who is the ancestor of many of the characters
• Pushkalavati (Charsadda), North West Frontier Province: Founded by a son of Bharata, brother of Sri Rama, according to the Ramayana
• Takshashila (Taxila), Punjab(Pakistan): Also founded by a son of Bharata. Pushkalavati is an ancient site situated in Peshawar valley in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly.
• Multan(Mulasthan),Punjab(Pakistan): Pilgrimage site of the legendary Sun temple. ( Urdu:, Punjabi ملتان، ਮੁਲਤਾਨ is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District
• Rawalpindi, Punjab(Pakistan): city founded by Bappa Rawal, from the Sisodiya clan of Mewar Rajputs and ancestor of Rana Pratap Singh. ( Urdu: Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan 's capital city of Islamabad, in the province ' Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj (b Prince Kalbhoj ca 713-d 753 possibly at Eklingji eighth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty and founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r The Sisodia (also known as Sesodia or Shishodia or Shishodya or Sisodya or Sisodhya) are a Rajput clan who ruled the kingdom Geography The northern part of Mewar is a gently sloping plain drained by the Bedach & Banas River and its tributaries which empty northwest into the Chambal River Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India
• Sialkot, Punjab(Pakistan): city founded by Sul (Shalya), emperor of Madradesa and brother of Madri, second wife of emperor Pandu and mother to Nakul and Sahadeva
• Kasur, Punjab(Pakistan): city founded by Kusha, son of Sri Rama according to the Bichitra Natak written by Guru Gobind Singh. Sialkot ( Urdu / Punjabi:) the capital of Sialkot District, is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in King Shalya ( Sanskrit: शल्‍य was the brother of Madri, who was the mother of Nakula and Sahadeva, as well as the ruler In the Mahābhārata epic Madri ( Sanskrit: माद्री was a princess of the Madra kingdom and the second wife of Pandu. In the Mahābhārata epic Pandu ( Sanskrit: पाण्‍डु is the son of Vichitravirya and his second wife Ambalika from Vyasa Nakul is the name of one of the brothers among the five Pandavas in the Hindu epic poem Mahabharata. Sahadeva ( Sanskrit: सहदेव sahadéva)was one of the five Pandava brothers according to the epic Mahābhārata. Kasur ( Urdu / Punjabi:) the city of Bulleh Shah and the capital of Kasur District, is located 55 km southeast of Lahore. Bichitra Natak (or Bachittar/Vichitra (pa ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ Resplendent Drama is the autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru. Guru Gobind Singh (ਗੁਰੂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ gʊɾu gobɪn̪d̪ sɪ́ŋg ( December 22, 1666 &ndash 7 October, 1708) was
• Lahore,Punjab(Pakistan): city founded by Lava(Loh), son of Sri Rama according to the Bichitra Natak. ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Lava is molten rock expelled by a Volcano during an eruption When first expelled from a volcanic vent it is a Liquid at Temperatures Bichitra Natak (or Bachittar/Vichitra (pa ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ Resplendent Drama is the autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.
• Amritsar, Punjab(India): It is believed that the hermitage of Sage Valmiki, author of the Ramayana was located in the vicinity of the area that forms the modern city of Amritsar today. Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ meaning The Lake of the Holy Nectar, is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state Valmiki ( Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि vālmīki) (ca 400 BCE northern India is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki Valmiki is said to have composed the great epic at this very spot. Also, Sita gave birth to the twins, Lava and Kusha in this hermitage. SITA is a multinational Information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the Aviation industry
• Delhi, India: founded as Indraprastha by the Pandavas to serve as their capital. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population The city of Indraprastha ( City of Indra) ( Sanskrit: इन्‍द्रप्रस्‍थ a city in ancient India that was the capital of the kingdom In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava (or Pandawa brothers ( Sanskrit: पाण्‍डव pāṇḍavaḥ are the five acknowledged sons of Part of the ancient Punjab region
• Jalandhar, Punjab(India): A historic city mentioned in the Puranas and the most famous city in punjab. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jalandhar (ਜਲੰਧਰ Hindi:) previously known as Jullundur, is an ancient
• Kurukshetra,Haryana: The site of the Mahabharata war. Kurukshetra ( Hindi: कुरुक्षेत्र is the name of a City in Kurukshetra District of the Indian state of Haryana हरियाणा
• Karnal, Haryana:city founded by Karna. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Karnal ( Hindi: करनाल is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District Karna ( Sanskrit: कर्ण written Karṇa in IAST transliteration is one of the central characters of the Mahābhārata.
• Rohtak, Haryana: mentioned in the Mahabharata. Rohtak (रोहतक is a Municipal council located in Rohtak District in the Haryana state of India on N
• Katasraj temple, Punjab(Pakistan): Classic temple complex in the Chakwal district, site of the 'enchanted pool' episode in the Mahabharata, where Yudhishtira is tested by his father Lord Yama/Dharma. Katasraj temple is a Hindu temple situated in the Chakwal district of Punjab in Pakistan. Chakwal ( Urdu: چکوال) is the main town of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan and is located 90 km south-east of the federal In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira ( Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर yudhiṣṭhira) the eldest son of King This article is about the deity Yama in Hinduism For yama in the sense of a code of conduct see Yamas. The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious

Punjabi Hindu Sects

The Sanatan Dharmis

An important group amongst Hindus in the Punjab are the Sanatan Dharmis. For meditation they keep idols of Hindu deities before them. Major deities worshipped include Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Vishnu , Hanuman. Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Hanuman (हनुमत् sa-Latn '''Hanumat''' nominative singular sa हनुमान् sa-Latn ''Hanumān'' known also as ' Anjaneya' (son of Anjana is one of the One of the major ones is Vaishno Devi of Jammu, (all known commonly as Sheraan-wali('She of the lions') in Punjabi . Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi The worship of Hanuman is usually done on Tuesdays.

Sanatan Dharma Sabha was founded in the Punjab in late 19th century to promote traditional Hinduism. It sent scholars overseas and became a major force in some of the overseas Hindu communities. In January 1933 the session of the All-India Sanatan Dharma Sabha, presided over by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. Madan Mohan Malaviya (1861-1946 was an Indian politician notable for his role in the freedom struggle and his espousal of Hindu nationalism.

The Arya Samajis

An important sect amongst Punjabi Hindus is the Arya Samaj. Arya Samaj ( Sanskrit ārya samāja sa आर्य समाज " Noble Society" is a Hindu reform movement founded in India It was founded by Swami Dayananda (born in the town of Tankara near Morvi(or Morbi) in the Kathiawar region of modern-day Gujarat) in 1875 in Bombay and became popular amongst Hindus in the Punjab and U. This page is about the founder of the Arya Samaj. For others known by the same name please see Swami Dayananda (disambiguation WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Morvi or Morbi is a city and a Municipality in Rajkot district in the Indian Kathiawar or Kathiawad ( Gujarati: કાઠીયાવાડ; kaʈʰijaʋaɽ is a Peninsula in western India. Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial P. The first branch of the Arya Samaj was opened in Shantakruj, Mumbai in 1875. Arya Samajists do not believe in idol worship and in incarnations. They hold the Vedic religion to be the only true religion and as such, regard the Vedas as their only religious books. The Arya Samaj also pleads for Shuddhi or the re-conversion into Hinduism of those Hindus who were converted to other religions. Shuddhi is Sanskrit for Purification. In Hinduism it is a part of worship The places of worship of the Arya Samajists are different from those of the Sanatan Dharmis. Worship includes performing yajnas, reciting mantras and seeking spiritual solace by listening to religious discourses. In Hinduism, Yajna ( Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya

The Radhaswamis

The Radhaswami sect has its headquarters at the town of Beas and is popular amongst Punjabi Hindus. Like the Nirankaris and Namdharis, the Radhaswamis too are a transitional sect between Hinduism and Sikhism. The Sant Nirankari Mission (SNM was formally launched in May 1929 when Baba Buta Singh ji bestowed Divine Knowledge to Baba Avtar Singh ji in the province of Punjab (British Namdhari Sikhs (also known as Kuka Sikhs are an orthodox sect of Sikhism Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century

The Dev Samajis

Dev Samajis, an offshoot of Brahmo Samaj, are rationalists. Their headquarters is at Moga. Their activities are mostly confined to the moral fields. As such Dev Samajists have not attained much popularity. In all other respects the Dev Samajists are not different from the other Hindus.

Punjabi Hindu Castes

The principal castes among Hindus of the Punjab are Aroras, Banias, Bhatias, Brahmins, Dalits, Gujjars, Jats, Kalals, Khatris, Labanas, Rajputs, Sainis, Sansis,Sharma, Soods and Tarkhans. Aroras ( Hindi: अरोड़ा Punjabi: ਅਰੋੜਾ (or Aror-vanshis Aror Bans are an urban mercantile community of the Punjab and The Hindi word Bania is derived from the Sanskrit vanika (वणिकor trader The Brahmins of the Punjab region are chiefly Saraswat Brahmins. A Mazhabi is a Sikh who converted from the Balmiki faith and also practices Valmikism The Gujjar ( Hindi: गुज्जर Urdu: گجر or Gurjar (Hindi गुर्जर Urdu گُرجر are an ethnic group in India and For the village in Azerbaijan see Qalal Azerbaijan. Kalals are an Ethnic group present mainly in Punjab, India Khatri ( Punjabi: ਖੱਤਰੀ Hindi: खत्री is the Punjabi language adaptation or pronunciation of Sanskrit word Kshatriya Labana s are an Indian tribe The Labanas of Punjab and Haryana are mostly Sikhs. Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India Sharma is a common Indian and Pakistanii surname As a name it frequently occurs at the end of Brahmin names in northern India as well as This article is about Tarkhan a Northern Indian tribe For other uses see Tarkan (disambiguation The Tarkhan (pronounced Terr-khaan ethnic

Trivia

The popular prayer Jai Jagdish Hare was composed in Punjab by Pandit Shardha Ram Phillauri. Om Jai Jagdish Hare is the most popular of the Hindu Aartis Composed sometime around 1870s by Pandit Shardha Ram Phillauri in Punjab, Phillauri redirects here For the town of Phillaur see Phillaur.

References

• Religion and castes in Punjab

See also

• Hinduism and Sikh Panth
• Khawaja Shaikh
• Qanungoh Shaikh
• Punjabi Shaikh
• Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947
• Places in Pakistan with Hindu and Sikh Populations before 1947
• Jainism in Punjab

Further reading

• Talib, Gurbachan (1950). Hinduism and Sikhism, both religions from India, have had a complex relationship Khawaja Shaikh (خواجہ شيخ are a community in Punjab, Pakistan. Qanungoh Shaikhs ( قانون گوہ شيخ) are a clan of Muslim Shaikhs in Punjab, and other parts of Pakistan. Sheikh ( Arabic & Urdu: شيخ) is an Arabic word meaning elder of a tribe lord revered old man or Islamic scholar. Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947 is a book by Sikh author Gurbachan Singh Talib. This is a list of locations in Pakistan which used to have prominent Sikh and Hindu populations before the independence in 1947 Bhabra (or Bhabhra is an ancient merchant community from Punjab whose population mainly follows Jainism,. Sardar Gurbachan Singh Talib (1911-1986 was a Sikh scholar and author Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947. Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947 is a book by Sikh author Gurbachan Singh Talib. India: Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕ ਕਮੇਟੀ (also called the parliament of the Sikhs is an organisation  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")

External links

• Very Nice Info About Jalandhar, The Punjab (INDIA)
• The Punjab--An Overview
• Punjab History
• Punjab Historical Background
• Shri Durgiana Tirath