CULTURE AND

HERITAGE OF PUNJAB
PRESENTED BY:
 GEOGRAPHY
Punjab is in northwestern India and has a total area of 50,362
square kilometres (19,445 sq mi). Punjab is bounded by Pakistan
on the west, Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Himachal
Pradesh on the northeast and Haryana and Rajasthan on the
south.
The region was originally called Sapta Sindhu,the Vedic land of
the seven rivers flowing into the ocean.
The origin of the word Punjab can probably be traced to the
Sanskrit "pancha-nada" which literally means "five rivers”
The later name of the region, Punjab, is a compound of
two Persian words,Panj (five) and āb (water), introduced to the
region by the Turko-Persian conquerors of India, and more
formally popularised during the Mughal Empire.Punjab thus
means "The Land of Five Waters", referring to the
rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas. All are tributaries of
the Indus River, the Sutlej being the largest.
 HISTORY OF PUNJAB
During the period when the epic Mahabharataa was written, around 800–400
BCE, Punjab was known as Trigarta and ruled by Katoch kings. The Punjab region
was ruled by many ancient empires including the
the Gandhara, Nandas, Mauryas, Shungas, Kushans, Guptas, Palas, Gurjara-
Pratiharas and Hindu Shahis. Due to its location, the Punjab region came under
constant attack and influence from both west and east. Punjab faced invasions
by the Achaemenids, Greeks, Scythians, Turks, and Afghans. This resulted in the
Punjab witnessing centuries of bitter bloodshed. Its culture
combines Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Sikh and British influences. The original Punjab
region is now divided into several units: West Punjab (now in Pakistan), portions of
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa such as the Gandharar region, the Indian states
of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and the Indian Union territory
of Chandigarh and Jammu Division. 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)
 Purushni (Ravi)
 Vitasta/Vet (Jhelum)
 Sindhu (Indus)
 The Sikh Empire (1801–1849) was forged by Maharajah Ranjit Singh on the foundations of the
Khalsa from a collection of autonomous Sikh misls, creating a unified political state. The empire extended
from the Khyber Pass in the west, to Kashmir in the north, to Sindh in the south, and Tibet in the east. After
Ranjit Singh's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and political
mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British Empire to launch the Anglo-Sikh Wars. A series of
betrayals of the Sikhs by some prominent leaders in the army led to its downfall. Maharaja Gulab
Singh and Raja Dhian Singh were the top generals of the army.
 The Sikh Empire was finally dissolved, after a series of wars with the British at the end of the Second Anglo-
Sikh War in 1849, into separate princely states and the British province of Punjab, which were granted
statehood. Eventually, a Lieutenant Governorship was formed in Lahore as a direct representative of
the British Crown. Ranjit Singh's death in the summer of 1839 brought political chaos, and the subsequent
battles of succession and the bloody infighting between the factions at court weakened the state. By
1845 the British had moved 32,000 troops to the Sutlej frontier to secure their northernmost possessions
against the succession struggles in the Punjab. In late 1845, British and Sikh troops engaged
near Firozpur, beginning the First Anglo-Sikh War. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919 occurred in
Amritsar. In 1930, the Indian National Congress proclaimed independence from Lahore. In March 1940, the
All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution, demanding the creation of a separate state from
Muslim majority areas in India. This triggered bitter protests by the Sikhs in Punjab, who could not
countenance living in a Muslim state. In 1947 the Punjab Province of British India was partitioned along
religious lines into West Punjab and East Punjab. Huge numbers of people were displaced, and there was
much intercommunal violence. Following independence, several small Punjabi princely states, including
Patiala, acceded to the Union of India and were united into the PEPSU. In 1956 this was integrated with the
state of East Punjab to create a new, enlarged Indian state called simply "Punjab".
 RELIGION AND DRESSING STYLE
According to the 2011 Census of India, Punjab has a
population of around 27.7 million. Sikhism is the most
practiced faith in Punjab, practiced by 16 million people
representing 57.69% of the population of Punjab population.
Around 10.67 million of the population i.e. 38.49%
practices Hinduism. Other faiths
include Islam, Buddhism, Christianity and Jainism. Pakistani
Punjab is about 97 percent Muslim and 2 percent Christian,
with small numbers of others.
The traditional dress of people is Kurta-pyjama with pagdi-
turban for men. Women prefer Patiala suits and phulkari
dupattas as part of their traditional attire. The traditional
dress of the Punjabis comprising of the salwar-kameez for
women and lehenga-kurta with a waistcoat has many
colors and styling. Turban styles can be explored and is
compulsory for all Sikhs. The Punjabi Jutti is the Punjabi
version of the shoe. Local styles include designs from
Patiala, the Pothohari shoe with sharp pointed toes, and the
Derawali shoe with silk embroidery and round tipped.
 LITERATURE
Punjab have been evolved and enriched by a galaxy of God-
intoxicated people who belonged to various faiths and creeds, such as
Hindu saints, Sikh Gurus and Sufi fakirs. Their mystical songs, in particular,
are the pride of the whole Punjab and form a common and invaluable
heritage of all Punjab's.
The lyrical effusions of those blessed people, gave birth to a distinct
stream of the poetry of this land, called Sufi Kavya-Dhara, which inherits
a rich and long literary tradition. The content and form, scope and
standard as well as the flow of masterly beauty of Farid Bani, which has
come down to us through the grace of Guru Granth Sahib, is a proof of
this 'Dhara' having been in vogue about seven centuries ago. It was
developed by Shah Hussain during the sixteenth century and raised to its
pinnacle by Bulleh Shah during the eighteenth century and was kept
flowing by Maulvi Ghulam Rasul, Syed Miran Shah and Khwaja Ghulam
Farid during the next few decades.
Some of the famous Punjabi poets and writers are Sheikh Farid-ud-din,
Shah Husain, Syed Bulleh Shah, Syed Ali Haider (1690-1785) of Multan,
was the first Sufi who poetized Heer Ranjha in the form of a Qissa, Nadir
Shah, Hashim, Nizami Ganjavi, Nanak Singh, Amrita pritam etc.
and famous books and poetry are shabad, guru granth sahib, sassi
punnu, Heer-ranjha, Guru Granth Sahib , Poetry etc.
 ART AND CULTURE
Punjabi art and culture is rich in various dance forms that include Gatka,
Kikli, Jaago, Dhamal, Sammi, Dankara Julli, Luddi, Jhumar, Giddha, and
Bhangra. These dances have resulted from the long history of Punjabi arts
and culture. These are performed in different celebrations most particularly
in Punjabi weddings. The background of these dances can be religious and
non-religious. The dance styles can be highly energetic or more reserved.
Apart from dances, museums are also part of the Punjabi arts and culture.
Punjab museums comprise an extensive collection of sculptures and
paintings that are made by Indian artists. Indian miniatures of Sikh, Pahari,
and Mughal Rajsathani schools are also part of the collection. The museums
also highlight fine collections of arms and medals, and objects of princely
states related in areas of Tribal & Folk arts, Anthropology, and Archaeology.
The objects depict different scopes and concepts in the patterns of Punjabi
arts and culture.
Phulkari, paranda, mud works, weaving, woodwork, paintings, folk toys,
basketry, durries are the part of the traditional punjabi art & craft.
 Punjabi Folk Music has a wide range of traditional musical instruments
used in folk music such as Algoze, Bugchu, Chimta, Dilruba ,Dhadd, Dhol,
Gagar, Gharha, Ektara ,Kato ,Khartal,Sapp ,Sarangi and Tumbi. Folk
songs are sung on famous occasions like festivals and rituals. Some of the
famous folk songs are Jugni, Gurbannis, vaars, bravery songs.
 SOME FACTS ABOUT PUNJAB
 On 13 April, Brigadier General R.E.H. Dyer went with ninety
Sikh, Gurkha, Baluchi, Rajput troops from 2-9th Gurkhas, the
54th Sikhs and the 59th Sind Rifles to a raised bank and
ordered them to shoot at the crowd. Dyer continued the
firing for about ten minutes, until the ammunition supply was
almost exhausted.
The lowering of the flags ceremony at the Attari-
Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security
forces of India(Border Security Force, BSF)
and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since
1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid
dancelike manoeuvres and raising legs as high as possible,
which have been described as "colourful". It is alternatively a
symbol of the two countries’ rivalry, as well as brotherhood
and cooperation between the two nations. Similar parades
are organised at Mahavir/Sadqi
border near Fazilka and Hussainiwala/Ganda Singh
Wala border near Firozpur.
 TOURISM AND MONUMENTS

1. GOLDEN TEMPLE
Whenever anybody talks about Punjab, the
first thing that comes to the mind is
the Golden temple in Amritsar. It is not just a
temple or a tourist spot, but the biggest
cultural heritage of the Sikh community. It is
one of the biggest assets of the Indian
subcontinent.
 2. AKAL TAKHT

The Akal Takht , meaning throne of

the timeless one is one of
five takhts (seats of power) of
the Sikhs. It is located in
the Harmandir Sahib (Golden
Temple) complex in Amritsar, Punjab.
The Akal Takht was built by Guru
Hargobind as a place of justice and
consideration of temporal issues; the
highest seat of earthly authority of
the Khalsa (the collective body of the
Sikhs) and the place of the Jathedar,
the highest spokesman of the Sikhs.
The current Jathedar of Akal Takht is
Harpreet Singh.
 3. Jang-e-Azadi Memorial

Jang-e-Azadi Memorial is a
memorial and museum built in
Kartarpur (town near the city
of Jalandhar) of Punjab, India, in
memory of contribution and
sacrifices made by the Punjabi
community in Indian
independence movement.
 4. SHEESH MAHAL

Sheesh Mahal, or the ‘Palace of Mirrors’ in Patiala

is a visual grandeur in true sense. It was originally
home to the Kings of Patiala. The design of the
palace was conceived by Maharaja Narinder Singh.
A portion of the palace is made of colored glasses,
which gives a vibrant touch to the beauty of the
palace. The walls and ceilings were painted by
Rajasthani artists, portraying the stories of the old
ages. Beautiful garden, fountains, an artificial lake
and a bridge called the Lakshman Jhoola, heightens
the beauty of the premises to a heavenly extent.
Punjab, with its rich cultural heritage, has many
more historical places and tombs within its territory.
 5. QUILA MUBARAK

The magnificent Quila Mubarak stands in the

heart of Bhatinda, bearing the reminiscences of
the past ages, when the great rulers like
Kanishka, Sultan Mahmud, Razia Sultana or
Prithvi Raj Chauhan existed. The fort was
constructed in the Kushana period, by the
initiative of King Kanishka; it is also known as
the Bhatinda Fort. Rajia Sultana, the first lady
to hold the throne of Delhi, was imprisoned in
this historical fort. The fort actually has two
segments: one is called the Quila Androon and
the other, Quila Mubarak.
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