Punjabis are primarily found in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, which forms the present Indian state of Punjab and Pakistan province of Punjab; this is because the Punjab region was divided between the two nations at independence from Britain. In Pakistan, Punjabis comprise the largest ethnic group at roughly 60% of the total population of the country and reside predominantly in the province of Punjab and Azad Kashmir. In India, Punjabis represent about 3% of the population. The majority of Punjabi-speaking people in India can be found across the greater Punjab region which comprises the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Besides these, large communities are also found in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian states of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Punjabi is the dominant language spoken in Pakistan, and 11th most spoken language in India and 3rd most spoken language in South Asia. According to the Ethnologue 2005 estimate,[6] there are 88 million native speakers of the Punjabi language, which makes it approximately the 11th most widely spoken language in the world. According to the 2008 Census of Pakistan,[7] there are approximately 76,335,300 native speakers of Punjabi in Pakistan, and according to the Census of India, there are over 29,102,477 Punjabi speakers in India.[8] Punjabi is also spoken as a minority language in several other countries where Punjabis have emigrated in large numbers, such as the United Kingdom (where it is the second most commonly used language[9]) and Canada, where in recent times Punjabi has grown fast and has now become the fourth most spoken language after English, Frech nand Chinese.[10] There are also sizable communities in United States, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Persian Gulf countries, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
Punjabis are ethno-linguistically and culturally related to the other Indo-Aryan peoples of South Asia. There are an estimated 120 million Punjabis around the world.
Contents
|
History
Main article: History of Punjab
Prehistory
The exact point at which the Punjabis formed a distinct ethnic group remains speculative. The region having been the site of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization centred at Harappa became a centre of early civilization from around 3300 BC. Numerous settlers including the Indo Aryans, Persians, Scythians, Greeks, various Central Asians, Arabs, Afghans, and the British have all invaded and ruled the region, giving the Punjab a unique culture as the gateway to South Asia but this has not had a genetic impact on the region as the host population has always been far larger than the migrating or invading populations.Historically attested events, such as invasions by Huns, Greeks, Kushans, Moghuls, Muslims, and modern Europeans, have had negligible genetic impact. Despite centuries of Greek rule in Northwest India, for example, no trace of either the M170 or the M35 genetic markers associated with Greeks and Macedonians have been found.[11]Ancient History
The Punjab is the 'Sapta Sindhu' region mentioned in the Rig Veda, the seven rivers are:
- Saraswati (thought to be the present day Ghaggar),
- Satadru/Shutadri (Sutlej),
- Vipasa (Beas),
- Asikani, Chandrabhaga (Chenab),
- Iravati (Ravi),
- Vitasta/Vet (Jhelum) and
- Sindhu (Indus).
The region came to be known as Punjab only in the Mughal period.It was one of the cradles of Indian civilization and Hinduism.
Among the classic books that wholly or partly composed in this region are the following.
- Rigveda
- Grammar of Sakatayana
- Ashtadhyayi of Pāṇini
- Nirukta of Yaska
- Charaka Samhita
- Mahabharata along with the Bhagavad Gita
- Brihatkatha of Gunadya
- The Bakhshali Manuscript
The descendants of the Rishis, form the Brahmins of Hindu society. 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.
- 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.
- Multan(Mulasthan),Punjab(Pakistan): Pilgrimage site of the legendary Sun temple.
- Rawalpindi, Punjab(Pakistan): city founded by Bappa Rawal, from the Sisodiya clan of Mewar Rajputs and ancestor of Rana Pratap Singh.
- 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.
- Lahore,Punjab(Pakistan): city founded by Lava(Loh), son of Sri Rama according to the Bichitra Natak.
- Jhang, Punjab(Pakistan): city where lovely Chenab and Jhelum rivers meet founded in era of Sri Rama then remodeled by Sial chief. Famous Punjabi love stories of Heer Ranjha and Mirza Sahiba belong to the soil of this particular city. That is why city is also referred to as "Land of Love" and "City of Bhangra"
- 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. 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.
- Jalandhar, Punjab(India): A historic city mentioned in the Puranas.
- Kurukshetra,Haryana: The site of the Mahabharata war.
- Karnal, Haryana: city founded by Karna.
- 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.
Following the independence of Pakistan and the subsequent partition of British India, a process of population exchange took place in 1947 as Muslims left East Punjab and headed to the newly created Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs left West Punjab[14] for the newly created state of India. As a result of these population exchanges, both parts are now relatively homogeneous, where religion is concerned.
Genetics in the Region
Main article: Genetics and Archaeogenetics of South Asia
The studies published in this active field of ongoing research have yet to present a unanimous picture.On the one hand, certain reports emphasize the finding that tribal and caste populations in South Asia derive largely from a common genetic heritage of Pleistocene southern and western Asians, with only limited gene flow from external regions since the start of the Holocene.[11][15][16] India-specific mtDNA haplogroups, in particular, show coalescence times of 40-60 kya,[17] while J2 from West Asia is identified as the only non-native Y-DNA haplogroup present in significant proportions.[18] The Y-DNA Haplogroup R1a1a (M17), which was thought to be a marker of Indo-European speaking peoples,[19] has been found quite prevalent in South Asia, including tribal groups, suggesting a native origin with a time depth greater than any supposed Indo-Aryan migration.[20]
On the other hand, certain reports stratify the population, finding relatively closer affinity to Western Eurasians than to Asians among upper castes compared to lower and in men compared to women.[21] Evidence has also been found that the deep ancestry of the entire Indian population is a hybrid of two distinct founder groups: the "Ancestral North Indian" (ANI) genetically closer to Middle Easterners, Central Asians, and Europeans; and the "Ancestral South Indian" (ASI) is as distinct from ANI and East Asians as they are from each other; whose relative proportions vary with the former type more prevalent in high-caste and Indo-Aryan speaking groups.[22]
Language change resulting from the migration of numerically small superstrate groups would be difficult to trace genetically. Historically attested events, such as invasions by Huns, Greeks, Kushans, Moghuls, Muslims, and modern Europeans, have had negligible genetic impact. Despite centuries of Greek rule in Northwest India, for example, no trace of either the M170 or the M35 genetic markers associated with Greeks and Macedonians have been found.[11]
Further information: List of R1a frequency by population
Further information: Y-DNA haplogroups by ethnic groups
R1a has been found in high frequency at both the eastern and western ends of its core range, for example in some parts of India and Tajikistan on the one hand, and Poland on the other. Throughout all of these regions, R1a is dominated by the R1a1a (R-M17 or R-M198) sub-clade. In South Asia R1a1a has been observed often with high frequency [23][24] in a number of demographic groups. Hindus in Nepal/India as a whole show it at 69%.[25]Among the caste groups of India high percentage of this haplogroup is observed in West Bengal Brahmins(72%) [23] to the east, Konkanastha Brahmins(48%) [23] to the west, Khatris(67%)[26] in north and Iyenger(31%) Brahmins [23] of south. It has also been found in several South Indian Dravidian-speaking Adivasis including the Chenchu(26%),[11] the Valmikis of Andhra Pradesh and the Kallar of Tamil Nadu suggesting that M17 is widespread in tribal southern Indians.[11]
Besides these, studies show high percentages in regionally diverse groups such as Manipuris(50%)[26] to the extreme North East and in Punjab (47%)[11] to the extreme North West.
In Pakistan it is found at 71% among the Mohanna and 46% among the Baltis.[26] While 13% of Sinhalese in Sri Lanka were found to be R1a1a(M17) positive.[11] Indo-Aryans are believed to have arrived in the region between 2000 and 1250 BC and eventually disseminated their languages throughout South Asia. An early Vedic civilization is believed to have emerged in the region and helped shape many aspects of the early culture.
Influence
Due to its location, the Punjab region came under constant attack and influence from the east and the west.Invaded by the Mauryan Empire, Persians, Greeks, Kushans, Scythians, Turks, and Afghans. Its legacy is a unique culture that combines Hindu, Buddhist,Greek, Persian, Islamic, Sikhs and lastly British elements were also adopted during colonial rule.The city of Taxila was founded by the son of Taksh, who was the son of Bharat and who, in turn, was the brother of Ram. It was reputed to house the oldest university in the world, Takshashila University, one of the teachers was the great Vedic thinker and politician Chanakya. Taxila was a great centre of learning and intellectual discussion during the Maurya Empire. It is a UN World Heritage site, and revered for its archaeological and religious history.A legend based on oral traditions holds that Lahore, known in ancient times as Lavapuri (City of Lava in Sanskrit), was founded by Prince Lava, the son of Rama, while Kasur was founded by his twin brother Prince Kusha. To this day, Lahore Fort has a vacant temple dedicated to Lava (also pronounced Loh, hence Loh-awar or "The Fort of Loh").Unique to central and western regions of Punjab (which form Pakistan's Punjab province) was that this area was incorporated into various central Asian, Greek and Persian empires, the area witnessed invasions by Alexander the Great, Mahmud of Ghazni and Tamerlane, to name a few. These were periods of contact between this region of Pakistan, the Persian Empire, and for a time this extended all the way to Greece. In later centuries, when Persian was the language of the Mughal government by force, Mughal architecture, poetry, art and music was an integral part of the region's culture. The official language of Punjab remained Persian until the arrival of the British in the mid 19th century, where it was finally abolished and the administrative language was changed over to Urdu written in the Perso-Arabic script which was only adopted by the Muslims as Hindu's retained their Devanagari script and the Sikhs Gurmukhi both are members of the Brahmi script and native to India.[27][28]
Punjabi Hindus
Punjabi Hindus are a group of people that follow the Hindu religion and have their roots in the erstwhile joint Punjab of undivided India (West Punjab/East Punjab).Today they are distributed in most parts of the northern India and in some parts of western India like Mumbai. In India, most of the Punjabi Hindus are concentrated in Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. There has also been continuous migration of Punjabi Hindus to western world countries like USA, Canada and UK.
The oldest Hindu texts such as the Vedas, Upanishads and Mahabharata were composed in Punjab or nearby region and therefore indirectly influenced the entire South Asian region through time.In fact, Punjabi Hindus can trace their roots from the time of the Vedas.The Hindus of Punjab have been there for much more time than the Muslims, although later most turned to Sikhism to fight the Mughals.Hindu Punjabi's used to send their oldest son to become a Sikh this was mostly seen in the Khatri and Arora communities and is still practiced today. In fact, Punjabi Hindus can trace their roots from the time of the Vedas. Many modern day cities in Indian Punjab and Pakistan Punjab are still named from that period like Lahore etc.
Punjabi Hindus have their unique culture which resembles in some ways very closely to the culture of Sikhs and also differs in lot of other ways as they created their own identity over time. The Punjabi Hindus usually have a very liberal lifestyle and are famous for their lavish wedding parties. Like other Hindus, they are also divided into castes. The most common castes are Khatri (Kshatriya in Hindi), Brahman, Baniya, Rajput etc. Punjabi Hindus go to Hindu temples for worship. In addition to that, they also believe in Sikh Gurus and visit the Gurudwaras.
Arrival of Islam
During the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni, non-Muslims were ordered to pay the jaziya tax under Islamic law.[29][30][31] The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Ghaznavid Empire based out of Afghanistan.
Mughals
Afghans
The founder of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Durrani, an ethnic Pashtun (Pathan), was born on the outskirts of Multan, southern Punjab where many of his descendants live to this day. After cementing his authority over various Afghan tribes, he went about to establish the first united Afghan Kingdom (Greater Afghanistan) that during its greatest extent included modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and northeastern Iran. The Punjab was a cultural reservoir for the Afghans, and many where attracted to its lush fertile lands, a process that continues to this very day. It has been said that with the loss of the breadbasket regions of the Punjab and Sindh, Afghanistan has never been able to achieve a stable state ever since. Many ethnic Afghan or Pashtun tribes continue to live in Pakistan's Punjab province such as the Khugyanis known as Khakwanis, Alizais, Tareens, Durranis, Mullazais, Niazis, Khattaks, Lodhis, Kakars, Kakazais, and Barakzais to name a few.Sikhs
British
Some parts of Pakistani Punjab also served as the centre of resistance in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Independence and its aftermath
In 1947 the Punjab province of British India was divided along religious lines into West Punjab and East Punjab. The western Punjabis voted to join the new country of Pakistan while the easterners joined India. This led to massive rioting as both sides committed atrocities against fleeing refugees.The undivided Punjab, of which Punjab (Pakistan) forms a major region today, was home to a large minority population of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus unto 1947 apart from the Muslim majority.[34]
Geographic distribution
Indian Punjabis
Like Punjabi Muslim society, these various castes are associated with particular occupations or crafts. Communities such as the Jatt Sikh, Kamboj Sikh and Saini Sikh are essentially farmers, while the Arora, Bania, Bhatia and Khatri are associated to trade. Other groups are associated with particular crafts, include Lohar who were historically ironsmiths, while Tarkhans were carpenters and the Nai were barbers.[35]
Indian Punjab is also home to small groups of Muslims and Christian. Most of the East Punjab's Muslims (in today's states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh) left for West Punjab in 1947. However, a small community still exists today, mainly in Malerkotla which was spared during partition, the only Muslim princely state among the seven that formed the erstwhile Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU). The other six (mostly Sikh) states were: Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Faridkot, Kapurthala and Kalsia.
Punjabis in India have mainly Indo-Aryan and Indo-Scythian origin. The Punjab region within India maintains a strong influence on the perceived culture of India towards the rest of the world. Numerous Bollywood film productions use the Punjabi language within its songs and dialogues as well as traditional dances and instruments such as the bhangra and the tabla. Prime Ministers of India including Gulzarilal Nanda and Inder Kumar Gujral in the past, and Dr. Manmohan Singh at present, are Punjabis, as are numerous players in the Indian cricket team (both past and present including Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, Navjot Sidhu, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Yograj Singh).
Pakistani Punjabis
Punjabis make up almost 45% of the population of Pakistan. The Punjabis found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris, which descend from a common male ancestor. In addition, Punjabi society is divided into two divisions, the zamindar groups or qoums, traditionally associated with farming and the moeens, who are traditionally artisans. Zamindars are further divided into qoums that claim pre-Islamic ancestry such as the Rajput, Jat, Shaikhs or (Muslim Khatri), Kambohs, Gujjars, Dogars and Rahmani (Muslim Labana). Zamindar groups claiming Central Asian or Middle Eastern ancestry include the Gakhars, Khattar, Awan, Mughal and Arain, comprising the main tribes in the north of the province, while Khagga, Bodla, Jhandir, Daudpota, Gardezi, Syed and Quraishi are found in the south, all of whom claim Arab ancestry. Immigrants from neighbouring regions, such as the Kashmiri, Pashtun and Baluch ,also form important element in the Punjabi population. Pashtun tribes like the Niazis and the Khakwanis, are integrated into Punjabi village life. Especially the members of the Niazi tribe, who see themselves as Punjabis first. They have big communities in Mianwali, Bakkar, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh. Major Moeen groups include the Lohar, Khateek, Rawal, Chhimba Darzi, Teli, Julaha, Mallaah, Mirasi and Muslim Shaikhs, who are associated with a particular crafts or occupation.[36]Punjabis have traditionally and historically been farmers and soldiers, which has transferred into modern times with their dominance of agriculture and military fields in Pakistan. In addition, Punjabis in Pakistan have been quite prominent politically, having had many elected Members of Parliament. As the most ardent supporters of a Pakistani state, the Punjabis in Pakistan have shown a strong predilection towards the adoption of the Urdu language but nearly all speak Punjabi, and still identify themselves as ethnic Punjabis for the most part. Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Islamic Sunni-Shia population and a Christian minority have not completely wiped out diversity since the partition of British India. A variety of related sub-groups exist in Pakistan and are often considered by many Pakistani Punjabis to be simply regional Punjabis including the Seraikis (who overlap and are often considered transitional with the Sindhis) and Punjabi Pathans (which publications like Encyclopædia Britannica consider a transitional group between Punjabis and Pathans.
See also: Languages of Pakistan
The Punjabi Diaspora
Main article: Punjabi diaspora
Punjabis per country
| Rank | Country | First language |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Pakistan | 76,335,300 |
| 2 |  India | 29,109,672 |
| 3 |  United Kingdom | 2,300,000 |
| 4 |  Canada | 800,000 |
| 5 |  United Arab Emirates | 720,000 |
| 6 |  United States | 640,000 |
| 7 |  Saudi Arabia | 620,000 |
| 8 |  Hong Kong | 260,000 |
| 9 |  Malaysia | 185,000 |
| 10 |  South Africa | 140,000 |
| 11 |  Myanmar | 120,000 |
| 12 |  France | 90,000 |
| 13 |  Italy | 80,000 |
| 14 |  Thailand | 75,000 |
| 15 |  Japan | 75,000 |
| 16 |  Mauritius | 70,000 |
| 17 |  Singapore | 70,000 |
| 18 |  Oman | 68,000 |
| 19 |  Libya | 65,000 |
| 20 |  Bahrain | 60,000 |
| 21 |  Kenya | 55,000 |
| 22 |  Australia | 50,000 |
| 23 |  Tanzania | 45,000 |
| 24 |  Kuwait | 40,000 |
| 25 |  Germany | 35,000 |
Diversity
In terms of ancestry, the majority of Punjabis share many similar genes with other northern Indian populations, but also show a significant relationship with west Eurasian groups. In a 2004 Stanford study conducted with a wide sampling from India, including 112 Punjabis, and selected other countries, displayed the following:
- Results show that Indian tribal and caste populations derive largely from the same genetic heritage of Pleistocene southern and western Asians and have received limited gene flow from external regions since the Holocene.
- Broadly, the average proportion of mtDNAs from West Eurasia among Indian caste populations is 17% (Table 2). In the northern States of India their share is greater, reaching over 30% in Kashmir and Gujarat, nearly 43% in Indian Punjab.[38][39]
Culture and society
Main article: Punjabi culture
Religion
Science, history and religion has played an important role in shaping Punjabi ethnic identity and it is not uncommon for Punjabis to generally treat their religious identity as synonymous with their ethnic identity or at least a combined identity that differentiates them from others. Punjabis belong largely to three major religions: Islam (70%), Sikhism (18%) and Hinduism (10%)[citation needed] and also small numbers of Christianity, Jainism and Buddhist.Muslim Punjabis are the largest group in the Punjab region and are largely concentrated in Pakistan, though a small Muslim Punjabi population exists in India. Sikhism and Hinduism are the major religions followed by Punjabis in India, with Jainism being the largest minority religion that is followed largely by Punjabi Banias and Bhabra people.
Language
 | This section may require copy-editing. |
Main article: Punjabi language
The main language of the Punjabi people is Punjabi and its associated dialects which differ depending on the region of Punjab the individual speaker belongs to with notable differences in dialect found in Pakistani Punjabi (Lahnda dialect),However in Pakistani Punjab,many people speak Urdu but nearly all speak Punjabi,In Indian Punjab,all/or most people can speak Hindi,English is sometimes used,but not commonly. They may also speak Urdu, Hindi and English. There is significant Persian influence found in certain Punjabi dialects, although it is more pronounced in the Pakistani Punjab region, due to that regions proximity to the Iranic plateau. In recent years, the respective Punjabi languages have absorbed a considerable number of loan words from surrounding areas/provinces as well as from English and continue to evolve.Cuisine
Main article: Punjabi cuisine
Punjabi Cuisine has an immense range of dishes and has become world-leader in the field so much so that many entrepreneurs that have invested in the sector have built large personal fortunes due to popularity of Punjabi Cuisine throughout the world.Music
Main article: Music of Punjab
Punjabi Dances
Main article: Punjabi Dances
Punjabi Dances, due to the long history of the Punjabi culture and of the Punjabi people there is a large number of dances. These dances are normally performed at times of celebration the most prominent being at Punjabi weddings, where the elation is usually particularly intense. The overall style can range from very high energy to more reserved, however the common elements make it particularly attractive to the viewers whether they be of Punjabi heritage or not, the allure is considered universal. Punjabi dances are designed for either men or women.Marriage
Main article: Punjabi wedding traditions
Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Punjabi and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. While the actual religious marriage ceremony, among Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains may be conducted in Arabic, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Pali/Prakrit or English by the Kazi, Pandit, Granthi or Priest, there are commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, and dress. The Punjabi wedding has many rituals and ceremonies that have evolved since traditional times. Punjabi receptions of all sorts are known to be very energetic; filled with loud Bhangra music, people dancing, and a wide variety of Punjabi food.
Thanks for sharing this very informative post! This is so interesting to know. I really love reading your stuff being posted here.
ReplyDeleteWeb Designing Chandigarh