PUNJAB

ਪੰਜਾਬ

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Punjab is a state in northwest region of India and is
one of the most prosperous states. Punjab extends
from the latitudes 29.30° North to 32.32° North
and longitudes 73.55° East to 76.50° East.

Punjab is bounded on the west by Pakistan, on the

north by Jammu and Kashmir, on the northeast by
Himachal Pradesh and on the south by Haryana
and Rajasthan

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The name Punjab is made of two words Punj (Five) + Aab (Water) i.e.
land of five rivers. These five rivers of Punjab are Sutlej, Beas, Ravi,
Chenab, and Jhelum. Only Sutlej, Ravi and Beas rivers flow in today's
Punjab. The other two rivers are now in the state of Punjab, situated
in Pakistan. The Punjab State is divided into three regions: Majha,
Doaba and Malwa.

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 State Capital
• Chandigarh is a union territory and serves as
the capital of the states of Punjab and
Haryana. It is one of the early planned cities
in the post-independence India.
Picturesquely located at the foothills of
Shivaliks, it is known as one of the best
experiments in urban planning and modern
architecture in the twentieth century in India.
The dream city of India's first Prime Minister,
Sh. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Chandigarh was
planned by the famous French architect Le
Corbusier.
• The foundation stone of the city was laid in
1952. In March, 1948, the Government of
Punjab, in consultation with the Government
of India, approved the area of the foothills of
the Shivaliks as the site for the new capital.
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 HISTORY
• The Punjab region of India and Pakistan has a historical and cultural link to Indo-Aryan peoples as well as partially to various
indigenous communities.
• In prehistoric times, one of the earliest known cultures of South Asia, the Indus Valley civilisation was located in the region.

• The epic battles described in the Mahabharata are described as being fought in what is now the State of Haryana and historic
Punjab. The Gandharas, Kambojas, Trigartas, Andhra, Pauravas, Bahlikas (Bactrian settlers of the Punjab), Yaudheyas and others
sided with the Kauravas in the great battle fought at Kurukshetra.
• In 326 BCE, Alexander the Great invaded Pauravas and defeated King Porus. His armies entered the region via the Hindu Kush in
northwest Pakistan and his rule extended up to the city of Sagala (present-day Sialkot in northeast Pakistan).
• Menander I Soter "The Saviour" (known as Milinda in Indian sources) is the most renowned leader of the era, he conquered the
Punjab and made Sagala the capital of his Empire. Menander carved out a Greek kingdom in the Punjab and ruled the region till
his death in 130 BCE.
• At the time of the formation of the Dal Khalsa in 1748 at Amritsar, the Punjab had been divided into 36 areas and 12 separate
Sikh principalities, called MISL. From this point onward, 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.
• After Ranjit Singh's death, assassinations and internal divisions severely weakened the empire. Six years later the British East India
Company was given an excuse to declare war, and in 1849, after two Anglo-Sikh wars, the Punjab was annexed by the British.
• At the time of partition in 1947, the province was split into East and West Punjab. East Punjab (48%) became part of India, while
West Punjab (52%) became part of Pakistan. The Punjab bore the brunt of the civil unrest following the end of the British Raj,
with casualties estimated to be in the millions. 5
 Geographical Area

The total area of the state is 50,362 square kilometers (19,445 square
miles), with the cultivable area being under assured irrigation. Its
average elevation is 300 meters (980 ft) above sea level, with a range
from 180 meters (590 ft) in the southwest to more than 500 meters
(1,600 ft) around the northeast border.

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 Climate
• The state has a balanced amalgamation of heat in summer, rain in
monsoon and cold in winter. The three seasons are so distinctly distributed
that you can enjoy each of them individually. Punjab experiences both
summer and winter to its extreme. It even receives abundant rainfall,
which makes the state a very fertile land. The region lying near the foot
hills of Himalayas receive heavy rainfall whereas the region lying at a
distant from the hills, the rainfall is scanty and the temperature is high.

• The summer months span from mid April to the end of June. The rainy
season in Punjab is from early July to end of September. October marks the
beginning of the winter season. From December onwards, the winter
becomes chilly. Most of the major festivals of Punjab, like Lohri, Holla
Mohalla, Diwali, and Dussehra, fall during this period. The best time to visit
Punjab is from October to the end of March.
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 Language
• Punjabi, the official language of the state, is the tenth most widely
spoken language in the world. It is also the fourth most spoken
language in Asia. It is the only living language among the Indo-
European languages which is a fully tonal language. Punjabi is written
in the Gurmukhi Script. Besides Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and the
universally acclaimed English are the languages that are spoken in
Punjab.

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 Religions
• The vast majority of Pakistani Punjabis are Sunni Muslim by faith, but also include
large minority faiths mostly Shia Muslim, Ahmadi Muslim and Christians.

• Sikhism, founded by Guru Nanak is the main religion practised in the post-1966
Indian Punjab state. About 57.7% of the population of Punjab state is Sikh, 38.5%
is Hindu, and the rest are Muslims, Christians, and Jains. Punjab state contains
the holy Sikh cities of Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, Tarn Taran Sahib, Fatehgarh
Sahib and Chamkaur Sahib.

• The Indian states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are mostly Hindu-majority.

• The Punjab was home to several Sufi saints, and Sufism is well established in the
region. Also, Kirpal Singh revered the Sikh Gurus as saints.

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 Culture
• Music and Dance:- Bhangra is one of the many Punjabi musical art forms that is
increasingly listened to in the west and is becoming a mainstream favourite.
Punjabi music is used by western musicians in many ways, such as mixing it with
other compositions to produce award-winning music. In addition, Punjabi
classical music is increasingly becoming popular in the west.

• Devotional songs are played by dhaddi jatha groups, with instruments like sarangi
and dhadd drums
• Owing to the long history of the Punjabi culture and of the Punjabi people there
are many dances, normally performed at times of celebration, including harvests,
festivals and weddings. The particular background of the dances can be non-
religious and religious. The overall style can range from the high energy
"bhangra" men's dance to the more reserved "jhumar," the "gidha" women's
dance.
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 Dress

• The traditional dress for Punjabi men is the kurta and tehmat, which
is being replaced by the kurta and pajama, especially the popular
muktsari style in India. The traditional dress for women is the salwar
suit which replaced the traditional Punjabi ghagra. The patiala salwar
is also very popular.

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 Festivals Celebrated In Punjab
• Maghi
• Lohri
• Maha Shivratri
• Holi
• Vaishakhi
• Teeyan
• Raksha Bandhan
• Shab-e-miraj
• Diwali
• Gurupurab
• Hola Mohalla
• Bandi Chhor Divas 13
 CUISINE
• The local cuisine of Punjab is heavily influenced by the agriculture and farming
lifestyle prevalent from the times of the ancient Harappan Civilization. Locally
grown staple foods form the major part of the local cuisine. Distinctively
Punjabi cuisine is known for its rich, buttery flavours along with the extensive
vegetarian and meat dishes. Main dishes include sarhon dā sâg (a stew whose
main ingredient is mustard greens) and makki di roti (flatbreads made with
cornmeal).

• Basmati rice is the indigenous variety of Punjab and many varieties of rice
dishes have been developed with this variety. Many vegetable and meat based
dishes are developed for this type of rice.

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 Dhaba
• Dhaba or Punjabi dhaba is a roadside restaurant in the Indian subcontinent. They are on
highways, generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops. They are most commonly
found next to petrol stations, and most are open 24 hours a day. Since many Indian and
Pakistani truck drivers are of Punjabi descent, and Punjabi food and music are popular
throughout India & Pakistan, the word dhaba has come to represent any restaurant that serves
Punjabi food, especially the heavily spiced and fried Punjabi fare preferred by many truck
drivers.
• It is said that "The dhaba moves wherever a Punjabi goes." The first Punjabi dhaba was
probably established soon after the linking of the cities of India by highways (national, state
and village roads). Though no records can be cited as to the first Punjabi dhaba, it can
reasonably be assumed that such restaurants first flourished along the Grand Trunk Road
which ran from Peshawar in the Punjab (now in Pakistan) through Amritsar and Delhi to
Calcutta.
• One joke goes that even if one were to visit the Moon, one might find a Punjabi dhaba.
• Two types of food are served in the Punjabi dhabas – non-vegetarian cuisine (which is the most
popular) and vegetarian fare termed vaishno dhabas (where food is cooked in pure ghee or
clarified white butter).
• The word has come to represent Indian subcontinental cuisine so much that many Indian
restaurants in Asia (Bangkok) Europe and Americas have adopted it as a part of the name.
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 Monuments
• Rambagh Palace
• Sheesh Mahal
• Partition Museum
• Wagah Boder
• Qila Mubarak
• Phillaur Fort
• War Memorial Museum,
Amritsar
• Ropar Wetland

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• Sri Harmandir Sahib:- 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. The work started in 1577 AD, by
digging a pious lake, the Amrit Sarovar. The idea was conceived by Sri Guru Amar
dass Ji and was executed by Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji. The construction of Sri
Harmandir Sahib was initiated by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji in 1588 AD. The holy text
of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Granth Sahib was introduced in this holy temple in 1604 AD.
The architecture of the temple has a message for life. The temple is built in a level
lower than the surroundings, defying the ego and pride in humans. There are
four gates in four directions, signifying that this place is open for all. Visiting this
temple would surely become an unforgettable experience of life!

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• Jallianwala Bagh:- April 13, 1919 is marked as a black day during the history of
the British period in India. Thousands of innocent and non-violent protesters
were brutally murdered by a British troop, led by General Reginald Dyer, who
sniffed conspiracy against the British rule as the non-violent protest was
organized by Mahatma Gandhi against the implement of the Rowlatt Act. The
gory incident took place in the Jallianwala Bagh ground, where the British troop
opened fire without any notice. After independence, a memorial was made in
Jallianwala Bagh to commemorate the sacrifice of the innocent Indians. The
memorial was opened by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The
marks of bullets on the wall still haunt the visitors with the memory of the spine
chilling incident.

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Any Questions

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Thank you

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