Punjab [ˈpʌnʤɑb] (help·info) (Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬ, پنجاب, Hindi: पंजाब, Urdu: پنجاب), also Panjab (Persian: پنجاب, meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Gurmukhī (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ Shahmukhi:) is the most common script used for writing the Punjabi language. Shahmukhi (, Gurmukhi: ਸ਼ਾਹਮੁਖੀ literally "from the King's mouth" is a local variant of the Arabic script Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised f. ap-), is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The "Five Rivers" are Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum; all these are tributaries of the Indus river. The Ravi River (रवि ਰਾਵੀ راوی is a River in Pakistan and India. 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( "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 Punjab has a long history and rich cultural heritage. The people of the Punjab are called Punjabis and speak a language named Punjabi. The Punjabi people ( Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی also Panjabi people) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an The main religions of the Punjab region are Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

The area that is now known as the Greater Punjab was a location comprised of vast territories of northern India and eastern Pakistan. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and It comprised, in its original sense, regions extending from Swat/Kabul in the west to Delhi in the east i. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population e the area including parts of Afghanistan and the plains up to the Ganges ^[1]. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent It was a centre of the prehistoric Indus Valley civilization and after c. The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin 1500 BCE the site of early Aryan settlements ^[2]. In ancient times, the area was inhabited by people called Vahikas or Arattas ^[3]. The Vahikas or Arattas were divided into many tribes or clans like the Gandharas, Prasthalas, Khasas, Vasatis, Trigartas, Pauravas, Malavas, Yaudheyas, Saindhavas, and Sauviras. A clan is a group of People united by Kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient The Khasas are an ancient people believed to be a section of the Indo-Iranians who originally belonged to Central Asia from where they had penetrated in remote There were also Iranian and transfrontier peoples such as the Kambojas and Pahlavas, as well as Ionians (Yavanas) and nomadic Scythians (Shakas). The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. The Kambojas were a Kshatriya Tribe of Iron Age India, frequently mentioned in ( post-Vedic) Sanskrit and Pali literature The Pahlavas are a people mentioned in ancient Indian texts like the Manu Smriti, various Puranas the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Brhatsamhita Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this "Yona" is a Pali word used in ancient India to designate Greek speakers The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, ^[4]

The region, populated by Indo-Aryans, has been ruled by many different empires and ethnic groups, including Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, ancient Macedonians, Persians, Arabs, Turks, Mughals, Afghans, Balochis, Sikhs and British. Aryan is an English word derived from the Sanskrit " Ārya " meaning "noble" or "honorable" A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the The Ancient Macedonians (Μακεδόνες Makedónes were an ancient tribe which inhabited the alluvial plain around the rivers Haliacmon and lower Axius, north layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most The Demographics of Afghanistan are ethnically and linguistically mixed The Baloch ( بلوچ; alternative transliterations Baluch Balouch Bloach Balooch Balush Balosh Baloosh Baloush) are an Iranian people inhabiting Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In 1947, it was partitioned between British India's successor states, India and Pakistan. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and

The Pakistani Punjab now comprises the majority of the region together with the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province and Azad Kashmir. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. The Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir, usually shortened to Azad Jammu and Kashmir ( AJK) or simply Azad Kashmir (literally "free The Indian Punjab has been further sub-divided into the modern Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. 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 Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population The Pakistani part of the region West Punjab covers an area of 205,344 square kilometres (79,284 square miles), whereas the Indian State of Punjab is 50,362 square kilometres (19,445 square miles). Besides the Indian Punjab, the region also includes the areas of Jammu region and Himachal and Haryana states of India that were created out of East Punjab in 1966. History of Jammu Many historians and locals believe that Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboolochan in 14th century BC. Himachal Pradesh ( Hindi: हिमाचल प्रदेश Punjabi: ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼ pronounced) is a state in the Haryana (हरियाणा Punjabi: ਹਰਿਆਣਾ hərɪjaːɳaː is a state in northern India. East Punjab was the part of the Punjab region that went to India following the Partition of the British province of the Punjab between The populations of the region are similarly divided as 86,084,000 (2005) in West Punjab (Pakistan) and 24,289,296 (2000) in the present-day State of (East) Punjab (India) and a further 30 million in the rest of the region. Punjabi is spoken by (approximately) 65% of population in Pakistani Punjab(another 25% speak Punjabi variants) and 92. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an 2% in Indian Punjab. ^[5] The capital city of undivided Punjab was Lahore, which now sits close to the partition line as the capital of West Punjab. ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Indian Punjab has as its capital the city of Chandigarh. Chandigarh ( ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, चंडीगढ़) also called The City Beautiful Indian Punjab uses the Gurmukhi script, while Pakistani Punjab uses the Shahmukhi script. Gurmukhī (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ Shahmukhi:) is the most common script used for writing the Punjabi language. Shahmukhi (, Gurmukhi: ਸ਼ਾਹਮੁਖੀ literally "from the King's mouth" is a local variant of the Arabic script

Contents 1 Etymology 2 The Punjabi Language 3 Geography 4 History 5 Demographics 6 Economy 7 Timeline 8 Photo gallery 9 See also 10 Further reading 11 References 12 External links

Etymology

The name Punjab means "the land of five rivers", and literally translates from Persian into the words Panj (پنج), meaning "five", and Āb (آب) meaning "water" respectively. The rivers, tributaries of the Indus River, are the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd "Hydaspes" redirects here For the historic battle see Battle of the Hydaspes. 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. The Sutlej River (alternatively spelled as Satluj River (ਸਤਲੁਜ शतद्रु or सुतुद्री, ستلج and सतलुज is the longest The five rivers, now divided between India and Pakistan, merge to form the Panjnad, which joins the Indus.

The Punjabi Language

Main article: Punjabi language

The language of the region is Punjabi. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an The official written script of Punjabi in the state of Punjab in India is holy and called Gurmukhi "(from the Mouth of the Guru)". Gurmukhī (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ Shahmukhi:) is the most common script used for writing the Punjabi language. All holy sacred Sikh texts are written in the Punjabi Script. ^[6] Due to this holy element, it is common for people to believe it is inauspicious for any piece of paper that has been written on in Punjabi to touch the ground.

Geography

Most of the Punjab is an alluvial plain, bounded by mountains to the North. Alluvium (from the Latin, alluvius, from alluere, "to wash against" is Soil or Sediments deposited by a river or other running Despite its dry conditions, it is a rich agricultural area due to the extensive irrigation made possible by the great river system traversing it. Punjab region temperature range from -2° to 40°C (MIN/MAX), but can reach 47°C (117°F) in summer and can touch down to -5°C in winter. Punjab has five rivers flowing through it which leads to various land formations such as doabs etc. Doab is the land between two rivers. Ambala is a doab. Another example of a doab is Mesopotamia which is between the rivers Tigris and Ufiris.

History

Main article: History of the Punjab

As a result of numerous invasions, many ethnic groups and religions make up the cultural heritage of the Punjab.

In prehistoric times, one of the earliest known cultures of South Asia, the Harappa civilization, was located in the Punjab. Harappa ( Urdu:, Hindi: हड़प्पा) is a City in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about 35km (22 miles southwest

The Vedic and Epic period was socially and culturally prolific in the Punjab. The Vedic Period (or Vedic Age) is the period in the History of India during which the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, were being During this period, the Hindu scriptures, the Rig Veda and the Upanishads, were composed in the Punjab. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings Tradition maintains that the sage Valmiki composed the Ramayana near the present location of Amritsar. 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 Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ meaning The Lake of the Holy Nectar, is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state In legend, Krishna delivered the divine message of the Bhagavad Gita at Kurukshetra. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Kurukshetra ( Hindi: कुरुक्षेत्र is the name of a City in Kurukshetra District of the Indian state of Haryana हरियाणा Eighteen principal Puranas were written in the region. For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The authors of Vishnu Purana and the Shiva Purana belonged to Central Punjab. The Shiva Purana is one of the Purāṇa s dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva.

The epic battles described in the Mahabharata were fought in the Punjab. The Gandharas, Kambojas, Trigartas, Andhra, Pauravas, Bahlikas (Bactrian settlers of Punjab), Yaudheyas and others sided with the Kauravas in the great battle fought at Kurukshetra. Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient The Kambojas were a Kshatriya Tribe of Iron Age India, frequently mentioned in ( post-Vedic) Sanskrit and Pali literature "Bactrian" redirects here For the camel see Bactrian camel. 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 Kurukshetra ( Hindi: कुरुक्षेत्र is the name of a City in Kurukshetra District of the Indian state of Haryana हरियाणा ^[7] According to Dr Fauja Singh and Dr L. M. Joshi: "There is no doubt that the Kambojas, Daradas, Kaikayas, Andhra, Pauravas, Yaudheyas, Malavas, Saindhavas and Kurus had jointly contributed to the heroic tradition and composite culture of ancient Punjab" ^[8].

In 326 BCE, Alexander the Great invaded the Punjab from the north and incorporated it into his empire. Events By place Macedonian Empire In the spring Alexander the Great crosses the Indus near Attock and enters Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' His armies entered the region via the Hindu Kush. The Hindu Kush is a Mountain range located between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

At all times during the establishment and consolidation of Mughal rule, there was conflict, chaos, and political upheaval in the Punjab. However, with the Mughals prosperity, growth and relative peace was established, particularly under the reign of Jahangir. Nuruddin Salim Jahangir (full title Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Khushru-i-Giti Panah Abu'l-Fath Nur ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi ''( September 20 The period was also notable for the emergence of Guru Nanak (1469-1538), the founder of a powerful popular movement which has left a lasting impression on the history and culture of Punjab. Guru Nanak Dev (ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ (गुरु नानक گرونانک Gurū Nānak ( 15 april 1469, Nankana Sahib Born in the district of Sheikhupura, he rejected the division of mankind into rigid compartments of orthodox religions and castes and preached the oneness of humanity, and oneness of God, thus aiming at creating a new order which embraced the all pervasive spirit in man. Sheikhupura or Shekhupura ( Urdu: شيخوپورہ formerly Kot Dayal Das (Urdu کوٹ دیال داس is an industrial city in the This new philosophy would serve as the foundation for the Sikh faith. Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism.

In 1713, Banda Bahadur wanted to establish a Sikh state in the Punjab. Year 1713 ( MDCCXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (1670-1716 (Lachhman Dev was a Sikh warrior known for his struggle against the Mughal Empire in the For this he fought relentlessly with the Mughals. His state lasted just under a year before its collapse. A number of years afterwards, he was captured and executed.

In 1756, the Marathas under Raghunath Rao defeated the Afghan Ahmed Shah Abdali on his first attempt at conquering India. Year 1756 ( MDCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Marāthās ( Marathi: mr मराठा also Mahrattas) form an Indo Aryan group of Hindu Warriors hailing mostly from the present-day Raghunathrao was Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy from 1773 to 1774 Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (c1723-1773 ( also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī ( احمد شاه ابدالي) and born as Ahmad Khān Abdālī, The Marathas chased the retreating Afghans back to Attock. The Marāthās ( Marathi: mr मराठा also Mahrattas) form an Indo Aryan group of Hindu Warriors hailing mostly from the present-day Attock ( Urdu:) the headquarters of Attock District, is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan The Sikhs and Khatris (the dominant groups of Punjab) were co-operative to the Marathas for having successfully removed the Muslims from their land and signed formal treaties of friendship. A Treaty is an agreement under International law entered into by actors in international law namely States and International organizations. At the formation of the Dal Khalsa in 1748 at Amritsar, the Punjab was divided into 36 areas and 12 separate Sikh principalities. Year 1748 ( MDCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ meaning The Lake of the Holy Nectar, is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state From this point onwards the beginnings of a Punjabi Sikh Empire emerged.

Out of the 36 areas, 22 were united by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The other 14 accepted British sovereignty. Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself Ten years after Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death, the empire broke up and the British seized the Punjab.

The British raj had political, cultural, philosophical and literary consequences in the Punjab, including the establishment of a new system of education. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British During the independence movement, many Punjabis played a significant role, including Lajpat Rai, Ajit Singh Sindhu, Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Bhai Parmanand, Muhammad Iqbal, Chaudhary Rehmat Ali, and Ilam Din Shaheed. Lala Lajpat Rai ( Punjabi: ਲਾਲਾ ਲਜਪਤ ਰਾਯ لالا لجپت راے Hindi: लाला लाजपत राय was an Indian Sardar Ajit Singh Sindhu was born in a military family from Punjab in India. Bhagat Singh ( Punjabi: ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ بھگت سنگھ pə̀gət̪ sɪ́ŋg ( September 27, 1907 &ndash March 23, 1931 Udham Singh ( Gurmukhi:ਉਧਮ ਸਿੰਘ}} Devanagari:उधम सिंह् udham siṅgh; December 26, 1899 &ndash Bhai Parmanand (born on 4 November 1876 - died December 8, 1947) was an Indian nationalist. Chaudhary Rahmat Ali ( Urdu / Punjabi: چودھری رحمت علی (or Rehmat Ali Khan; Urdu / Punjabi: رحمت علی خان

The Punjabis also play a prominent role in the mutiny against the British of 1857. Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the The cities like Jhelum and Ludhiana served as centre of rebellion against the British government. Ludhiana (ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ | लुधियाना is a city and a Municipal corporation in Ludhiana district in the Indian state of

At the time of partition in 1947, the province was split in to East and West Punjab. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. East Punjab became part of India, while West Punjab became part of Pakistan. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Punjab bore the brunt of the civil unrest following the end of the British Raj, with casualties estimated in the hundreds of thousands or even higher.

Demographics

Main article: Punjabi people

Ethnic ancestries of modern Punjabis include Indo-Aryan, and some Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian settlers of the region, including Indo-Greek. The Punjabi people ( Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی also Panjabi people) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia. The Indo-Scythians are a branch of the Indo-Iranian Sakas ( Scythians) who migrated from southern Siberia into Bactria, The Indo-Parthian Kingdom was established during the 1st century by Gondophares, and at its greatest extent extended into areas that are in present-day Afghanistan The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries Punjabi people are generally believed to be the descendants of these people. With the advent of Islam, settlers from Persia, Afghanistan and Central Asia have also integrated into Punjabi society. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Sikhism is the main religion of the Indian Punjab - it arose in the Punjab itself. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century 59. 9% of the population are Sikh, 36. 9% is Hindu, and the rest are Jains, Christians, Muslims or Buddhists. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical However, due to large scale migration from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal and Orissa demographics of Punjab have become more skewed than reported earlier. Indian Punjab contains the holy Sikh city of Amritsar. Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ meaning The Lake of the Holy Nectar, is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state The states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, formerly constituents of the British province of Punjab, are mostly Hindu-majority. 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 Indian Punjabis speak Punjabi language written in Gurmukhi script. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Gurmukhī (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ Shahmukhi:) is the most common script used for writing the Punjabi language. Islam is the religion of more than 98% of the population of the Punjab in Pakistan. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. There are small Hindu and Sikh minorities among others. Pakistan uses the Shahmukhi script, that is closer to Persian script. Shahmukhi (, Gurmukhi: ਸ਼ਾਹਮੁਖੀ literally "from the King's mouth" is a local variant of the Arabic script In total Pakistan has 70 million Punjabis, and India has 39 million Punjabis.

Economy

The historical region of Punjab is considered to be one of the most fertile regions on Earth. Phulkari, an embroidery technique from the Punjab in India, literally means flower working, which was one time used for word embroidery but in course WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Patiala ( Punjabi: ਪਟਿਆਲਾ is a city in the Punjab state of India. Both east and west Punjab produce a relatively high proportion of India and Pakistan's food output, respectively. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The agricultural output of the Punjab region in Pakistan contributes significantly to Pakistan's GDP. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture The region is important for wheat growing. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. In addition, rice, cotton, sugar cane, fruit and vegetables are also major crops. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. The term " vegetable " generally means the edible parts of Plants The definition of the word is traditional rather than Scientific, however Both Indian and Pakistani Punjab are considered to have the best infrastructure of their respective countries. ^[9] The Indian Punjab has been estimated to be the second richest state in India (the richest being Maharashtra. Maharashtra ( Marathi: mahārāṣṭra, IPA) is a state located on the western coast of India. Haryana is the fourth. Haryana (हरियाणा Punjabi: ਹਰਿਆਣਾ hərɪjaːɳaː is a state in northern India. ^[10] The Pakistani Punjab produces 68% of Pakistan's food grain production. ^[11]

Called "The Granary of India" or "The Bread Basket of India", Indian Punjab produces 1% of the world's rice, 2% of its wheat, and 2% of its cotton. ^[12] In 2001, it was recorded that farmers made up 39% of Indian Punjab's workforce. ^[13]

Timeline

• 3300 - 1500 BCE: Harappan civilization
• 1500 - 1000 BCE: Early (Rigvedic) Vedic civilization
• 1000 - 500 BCE: Middle and late Vedic Period
• 599 BCE: Birth of Mahavira
• 567 - 487 BCE: Time of Gautama Buddha
• 550 BCE - 600 CE: Buddhism remained prevalent
• 550 - 515 BCE: Achaemenid Invasion to west of Indus River
• 326 BCE: Alexander's Invasion
• 322 - 298 BCE: Chandragupta I, Maurya period
• 273 - 232 BCE: Reign of Ashoka
• 125 - 160 BCE: Rise of the Sakas
• 2 BCE: Beginning of Rule of the Sakas. The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" The Vedic Period (or Vedic Age) is the period in the History of India during which the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, were being Mahavira (महावीर lit Great Hero) (599 – 527 BCE is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamana ( Sanskrit: वर्धमान Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' While his two ancestors were given the title of Maharaja, Chandra Gupta I is described in his inscriptions as Maharajadhiraj. The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι,
• 45 - 180 : Rule of the Kushanas
• 320 - 550 : Gupta Empire
• 500 : Hunnic Invasion
• 510 - 650 : Vardhana's Era
• 647 - 1192 : Rajput period
• 713 - 1300 : Muslim invaders (Turks and Arabs) famous invaders like Mohammed of Ghor and Mahmud of Ghazni
• 8th Century : Arabs capture Sind and Multan
• 1450 - 1700 : Mughal rule
• 1469 - 1539 : Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1st Sikh Guru)
• 1518 - 1565 : Mir Chakar Khan Rind
• 1539 - 1675 : Period of 8 Sikh Gurus from Guru Angad Dev Ji to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji
• 1675 - 1708 : Guru Gobind Singh Ji (10th Sikh Guru)
• 1699 : Birth of the Khalsa
• 1708 - 1713 : Conquests of Banda Bahadur
• 1714 - 1759 : Sikh warriors (Sardars) struggle and perform warfare against Afghans & Mughal Governors
• 1739 : Invasion of Nadir Shah and warfare with Sikh Armies
• 1756 - 1759 : Sikh and Maratha cooperation in the Punjab
• 1761 : Defeat of Maratha army at Panipat
• 1762 : 2nd Holocaust (Ghalughara) from Ahmed Shah's 2nd invasion
• 1761 - 1849 : Punjabi Sikh Empire
• 1761 - 1801 : Rule of the Sikh Misls (Principalities)
• 1801 - 1839 : Rule by Maharaja Ranjit Singh
• 1849 : Annexation of Punjab
• 1849 - 1947: British rule
• 1947 : Partition of India thus Punjab into 2 parts the Eastern part became the Indian Punjab and the Western part the Pakistan Punjab
• 1966 : Punjab in India divided into 3 parts on linguistic basis (Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and the present Punjab)
• 1984 : Operation Blue Star and its aftermath

Photo gallery

Badshahi Masjid - The Punjabi mosque of the moghal empire built by the last mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250 The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy Harsha or Harshavardhana (हर्षवर्धन or "Harsha vardhan" ( 590 &ndash 647) was an Indian emperor who ruled Northern India Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India The Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent mainly took place from the 11th to the 17th centuries though earlier Muslim conquests made limited inroads into the region beginning Ghazni City ( - Ğaznī; Ghazna and Ghaznīn are the old names for Ghazni Guru Nanak Dev (ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ (गुरु नानक گرونانک Gurū Nānak ( 15 april 1469, Nankana Sahib Guru Angad Dev Ji was the second of the eleven Sikh Gurus. Lehna was born in the village of Sarae Naga in Muktsar district in Punjab, on March 31, Guru Tegh Bahadur ( 1 April 1621 – 11 November 1675) became the 9th Guru of Sikhism on Guru Gobind Singh (ਗੁਰੂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ gʊɾu gobɪn̪d̪ sɪ́ŋg ( December 22, 1666 &ndash 7 October, 1708) was For the village in Azerbaijan see Xəlsə. Khalsa ( Punjabi: pa ਖਾਲਸਾ literally "Pure" refers to the collective Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (1670-1716 (Lachhman Dev was a Sikh warrior known for his struggle against the Mughal Empire in the Sardar ( Persian: سردار) (Sɐrdar is a title of Persian origin used for military or political leaders Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November Misl refers to a fighting clan The period from 1716 to 1799 in Punjab was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily Maharaja Ranjit Singh (ਮਹਾਰਾਜਾ ਰਣਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ also called "Sher-e-Punjab" ("The Lion of the Punjab" (1780-1839 was a For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British 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 Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. Operation Blue Star ( ਬਿਲਯੂ ਸਟਾਰ, बिल्यू स्टार) ( June 3 to June 6, 1984) was an Indian military operation Aurangzeb ( (full title Al-Sultan al-Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Abul Muzaffar Muhiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir I Padshah Ghazi) ( November 4,	The Faiz Mahal, Khairpur Pakistan	The Punjabi Fort at Bathinda.	The Punjabi Fort at Bathinda.
The main gate of the Punjabi Qila Mubarak at night. Architect Atit Kumar.	The Golden Temple at night in Amritsar. Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ meaning The Lake of the Holy Nectar, is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state	The Punjabi Alamgiri Gate built in 1673, is the main entrance to the Lahore Fort. The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila ( Urdu: شاهی قلعہ) is Citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab	The Punjabi Faisalabad Clock Tower, built during the British Raj
The Punjabi Phuara Chowk (lit. the Fountain Crossing) is the central land mark of Patiala.	Jallianwala Bagh memorial to commemorate the fallen brave Punjabi protestors at the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre, was named after the Jallianwala Bagh (Garden in the northern Indian city of Amritsar	Wideview of the Punjabi Jallianwala Bagh memorial.	Entrance to the present day Punjabi Jallianwala Bagh.
Bullet marks, visible on a preserved wall, at present day Punjabi Jallianwala Bagh.	The 33rd Punjabi Army (A Picture of an Commander: A Punjabi Subadar).	A Punjabi Phulkari from Patiala. Phulkari, an embroidery technique from the Punjab in India, literally means flower working, which was one time used for word embroidery but in course	Punjabi Tandoori chicken is a popular dish in Punjabi cuisine
Jalandhar Railway Station's reception block. Tandoori Chicken is a semi-fried chicken delicacy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. Punjabi cuisine (from the Punjab region of Northern India and Eastern Pakistan) WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jalandhar (ਜਲੰਧਰ Hindi:) previously known as Jullundur, is an ancient	Irrigated land of Punjab.	Punjabi Clock Tower at Govt College University, Lahore.	Punjabi Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam (1320 AD).
The Punjabi Shalimar Gardens. The Shalimar Gardens ( Urdu: شالیمار باغ) sometimes written Shalamar Gardens, is a Persian garden and it was built by the Mughal	Taxila is a World Heritage Site. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex	The Punjabi Shalimar Gardens in Lahore. The Shalimar Gardens ( Urdu: شالیمار باغ) sometimes written Shalamar Gardens, is a Persian garden and it was built by the Mughal	In Jalandhar Punjabi Community gets together at markets, amusement parks etc especially on weekends and annual Punjabi festivals.
The Punjabi Mohindra College, Patiala at night. Established in 1875, Mohindra College, located in Patiala, Punjab is the oldest institution of contemporary higher learning in Northern India	The Wazir Khan Mosque, built by Shah Jahan inLahore. The Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, is famous for its extensive faience tile work ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi.	The Hiran Minar located in Sheikhupura, was a tribute to Jahangir's favourite antelope. Hiran Minar is set in peaceful environs near Lahore in Sheikhupura, Pakistan.	Nur Jahan's (wife of mughal empire Shah Jahan) mausoleum in Lahore.
Jahangir's (Father of Shah Jahan) mausoleum in Shahdara, Lahore.	Samadhi of Sikh emperor, Ranjit Singh in Lahore.	Sialkot Clock Tower, built during the reign of the British rule, Sialkot. Sialkot ( Urdu / Punjabi:) the capital of Sialkot District, is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in	Noor Mahal (Palace), Bahawalpur, Punjab Pakistan
The Jhelum River, one of many rivers of Punjab. Bahawalpur (also Bhawalpur or Bhawulpore) (بہاولپور is the capital city of Bahawalpur District located in, Punjab Pakistan	Chauburji, the Gateway to the Mughal Gardens, Lahore

See also

• Punjab region
• Punjabi people
• Punjabi culture
• Punjabi language
• Punjabi cuisine
• Punjabi dance
• Music of Punjab
• Punjab (India)
• Punjab (Pakistan)
• History of the Punjab
• Sikhism
• Hinduism in Punjab
• Islam

Further reading

• [Quraishee 73] Punjabi Adab De Kahani, Abdul Hafeez Quaraihee, Azeez Book Depot, Lahore, 1973. The Punjabi people ( Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی also Panjabi people) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia. 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 Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Punjabi cuisine (from the Punjab region of Northern India and Eastern Pakistan) Punjabi Dances, due to the long history of the Punjabi culture and of the Punjabi people there is a large number of dances Official Website Punjab is a region in the world which has a diverse style of Music. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of The first known use of the word Punjab is in the book Tarikh-e-Sher Shah Suri (1580 which mentions the construction of a fort by "Sher Khan of Punjab" Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Vedic Punjab The original Punjab region is now divided into several units West Punjab (now in Pakistan) including the Gandhara region For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.
• [Chopra 77] The Punjab as a sovereign state, Gulshan Lal Chopra, Al-Biruni , Lahore, 1977.
• Patwant Singh. 1999. The Sikhs. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-50206-0.
• The evolution of Heroic Tradition in Ancient Panjab, 1971, Buddha Parkash.
• Social and Political Movements in ancient Panjab, Delhi, 1962, Buddha Parkash.
• History of Porus, Patiala, Buddha Parkash.
• History of the Panjab, Patiala, 1976, Fauja Singh, L. M. Joshi (Ed).

References

External links

• Fist Online Newspaper in Punjab: http://dailypunjab.com
• Indian Punjab Government Website: http://punjabgovt.nic.in
• Pakistani Punjab Government Website: http://www.punjab.gov.pk
• The Genetic Heritage of the Earliest Settlers Persists Both in Indian Tribal and Caste Populations

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