Portal:Punjab

The Punjab Portal

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Introduction

P:PA

Punjab (/pʌnˈdʒɑːb, -ˈdʒæb, ˈpʊn-/; Punjabi: [pə̞ɲˈdʒäːb] ^ⓘ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb), also known as the Land of the Five Rivers, is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is specifically located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern-Pakistan and northwestern-India. Punjab's major cities are Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Sialkot, Chandigarh, Shimla, Jalandhar, Patiala, Gurugram, and Bahawalpur.

Punjab 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 civilization, dating back to 3000 BCE, followed by migrations of the Indo-Aryan peoples. Agriculture has been the major economic feature of the Punjab and has therefore formed the foundation of Punjabi culture. The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following the Green Revolution during the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, and has been described as the "breadbasket of both India and Pakistan."

Punjab's history is a tapestry of conflict, marked by the rise of indigenous dynasties and empires. Following Alexander the Great's invasion in the 4th century BCE, Chandragupta Maurya allied with Punjabi republics to establish the Maurya Empire. Successive reigns of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, Kushan Empire, and Indo-Scythians followed, but were ultimately defeated by Eastern Punjab Janapadas such as the Yaudheya, Trigarta Kingdom, Audumbaras, Arjunayanas, and Kuninda Kingdom. In the 5th and 6th centuries CE, Punjab faced devastating Hunnic invasions, yet the Vardhana dynasty emerged triumphant, ruling over Northern India. The 8th century CE witnessed the Hindu Shahis rise, known for defeating the Saffarid dynasty and the Samanid Empire. Concurrently, the Tomara dynasty and Katoch Dynasty controlled eastern Punjab, resisting Ghaznavid invasions. Islam took hold in Western Punjab under Ghaznavid rule. The Delhi Sultanate then succeeded the Ghaznavids in which the Tughlaq dynasty and Sayyid dynasty Sultans are described as Punjabi origin. The 15th century saw the emergence of the Langah Sultanate in south Punjab, acclaimed for its victory over the Lodi dynasty. After the Mughal Empire's decline in the 18th century, Punjab experienced a period of anarchy. In 1799 CE, the Sikh Empire established its rule, undertaking conquests into Kashmir and Durrani Empire held territories, shaping the diverse and complex history of Punjab.

The boundaries of the region are ill-defined and focus on historical accounts and thus the geographical definition of the term "Punjab" has changed over time. In the 16th century Mughal Empire the Punjab region was divided into three, with the Lahore Subah in the west, the Delhi Subah in the east and the Multan Subah in the south. In British India, until the Partition of India in 1947, the Punjab Province encompassed the present-day Indian states and union territories of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, and Delhi, and the Pakistani regions of Punjab, and Islamabad Capital Territory.

The predominant ethnolinguistic group of the Punjab region are the Punjabi people, who speak the Indo-Aryan Punjabi language. Punjabi Muslims are the majority in West Punjab (Pakistan), while Punjabi Sikhs are the majority in East Punjab (India). Other religious groups include Hinduism, Christianity, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Ravidassia. (Full article...)

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Nishan Sahib

The Jathedar of the Akal Takht (Punjabi: ਜੱਥੇਦਾਰ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ) is the head of the Akal Takht and head of the Sikhs worldwide. The jathedar has the de facto power as the supreme spokesperson of the Khalsa to summon, trial and sentence any person who identifies as a Sikh from the Akal Takht.

The current jathedar, Jagtar Singh Hawara is a convicted assassin, who was declared by the Sarbat Khalsa on 10 November 2015 and Raghbir Singh was appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on 16 June 2023. Due to the imprisonment of Hawara, Dhian Singh Mand appointed by the Sarbat Khalsa has been serving as the acting jathedar. The jathedars of the five takhts generally make important decisions in consultation within the framework of the Sikh Rehat Maryada while considering the collective will of the Sikhs. (Full article...)

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General images

Image 1
Ranjit Singh listening to Guru Granth Sahib being recited near the Akal Takht and Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
(from Sikh Empire)
Image 2Illustration of Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire (from Punjab)
Image 3Rig Veda, the oldest known Hindu text, originated in the Punjab region. (from Punjab)
Image 4One of the first known kings of ancient Punjab, King Porus, fought against Alexander the Great. His surrender is depicted in this 1865 engraving by Alonzo Chappel. (from Punjab)
Image 5Ranjit Singh holding court in 1838 (from Sikh Empire)
Image 6
The dominant mother tongue in each District of Pakistan, according to the 2017 Pakistan Census
(from Punjab)
Image 7Gujjars in Delhi (c. 1859–1869) (from Punjab)
Image 8Map showing the Punjabi Sikh Empire (from Punjab)
Image 9Arora in Lahore (c. 1862–1872) (from Punjab)
Image 10The snow-covered Himalayas (from Punjab)
Image 11Jats in Delhi (1868) (from Punjab)
Image 12Map of the Punjab Province (British India) (from Punjab)
Image 13Detail from ‘Darbar (royal court) of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’, gouache, ca.1850 (from Sikh Empire)
Image 14Rajputs in Delhi (1868) (from Punjab)
Image 15The expanding Sikh Empire in 1809. The Cis-Sutlej states are visible south of the Sutlej River (from Sikh Empire)
Image 16Sikh warrior helmet with butted mail neckguard, 1820–1840, iron overlaid with gold with mail neckguard of iron and brass (from Sikh Empire)
Image 17Ranjit Singh, c. 1830. (from Sikh Empire)
Image 18Kumhars in Lahore (c. 1859–1869) (from Punjab)
Image 19Arains in Lahore (1868) (from Punjab)
Image 20A letter sent from the King of France, Louis-Philippe to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh is addressed as “Rendjit Sing Bahador – Padichah du Pendjab”. 27 October 1835 (from Sikh Empire)
Image 21Silver copper coin of Khizr Khan, founder of the Sayyid dynasty (from Punjab)
Image 22Taxila in Pakistan is a World Heritage Site. (from Punjab)
Image 23Two late 19th century drawings of Sikh troops in action against British forces during the Anglo-Sikh Wars (from Sikh Empire)
Image 24The Indian subcontinent in 1805. (from Sikh Empire)
Image 25The Samadhi of Ranjit Singh is located in Lahore, Pakistan, adjacent to the iconic Badshahi Mosque (from Sikh Empire)
Image 26Left to right: Gurkha, Brahmin and Shudra (Chuhra-Chamar) in Shimla (1868) (from Punjab)
Image 27Nanakshahi coins of the Sikh Empire (from Sikh Empire)
Image 28Contemporary painting of the Battle of Sobraon in 1846. (from Sikh Empire)
Image 29Brahmin in Lahore (c. 1799–1849) (from Punjab)
Image 30Tarkhans in Lahore (c. 1862–1872) (from Punjab)
Image 31The charge of the British 16th Lancers at Aliwal on 28 January 1846, during the First Anglo-Sikh War (from Sikh Empire)

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Sayyid Abdullah Shah Qadri (Punjabi pronunciation: [səiəd əbdʊllaːɦ ʃaːɦ qaːdɾiː]; 1680–1757), known popularly as Baba Bulleh Shah and Bulleya, was a 17th and 18th-century Punjabi revolutionary philosopher, reformer and a Sufi poet, universally regarded as the "Father of Punjabi Enlightenment". He spoke against powerful religious, political and social institutions. He lived and was buried in Kasur (present-day Punjab, Pakistan).

He is regarded as the "Poet of the People," and the "Sheikh of Both Worlds" in the Punjab region. (Full article...)

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Guru Gobind Singh Guru Nanak Ranjit Singh Porus Manmohan Singh Harjit Sajjan Abdus Salam Jagmeet Singh Banda Singh Bahadur Jind Kaur Sophia Duleep Singh Bhagat Singh Har Gobind Khorana Abdus Salam Guru Tegh Bahadur

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Maharaja Ranjit Singh's throne made by Hafez Muhammad Multani between 1820 to 1830.

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Punjabi wikipedians' noticeboard

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WikiProject Punjab

WikiProject Punjab was formed to foster better articles on the region of Punjab with a spirit of cooperation. The project is a home base that provides a place for Wikipedians (editors) to discuss issues, while share information and resources regarding improvements to Punjabi related articles, which can be discussed at the project's talk page. To join WikiProject Punjab (anyone may join), simply list your username on the members page. Editors are also encouraged to participate in the more regional and/or topic specific WikiProject 's as listed below.

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