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Punjabis

2016-01-18T16:05:49Z

Dev raj gujjar:

{{Use dmy dates|date=january 2016}}
{{infobox ethnic group|
|group= Punjabis
|native_name=ਪੰਜਾਬੀ पंजाबी {{Lang|pnb|{{Nastaliq|پنجابی}}}}
|image =
{{image array
|perrow=6
| image1 =
Atif-star.jpg
| caption1 = [[Atif Aslam]]
| image2 = Sikh Gurus with Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana.jpg
| caption2 = [[Guru Nanak]]
| image3= BullehShah.jpg
|caption3= [[Bulleh Shah]]
| image4 = RanjitSinghKing.jpg
| caption4 = [[Ranjit Singh]]
| image5 = Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (c. 1897).jpg
| caption5 = [[Mirza Ghulam Ahmad]]
| image6 = Lala Har Dayal Young.jpg
| caption6 = [[Har Dayal]]
| image7 = Lala_lajpat_Rai.jpg| caption7 = [[Lala Lajpat Rai]]
| image8 = Bhagat Singh 1929 140x190.jpg
| caption8= [[Bhagat Singh]]
| image9 = Iqbal.jpg
| caption9= [[Muhammad Iqbal]]
| image10 = Amrita_Pritam_(1919_%E2%80%93_2005)_,_in_1948.jpg
|caption10= [[Amrita Pritam]]
| image11 = Muhammad Zafarullah Khan.jpg
| caption11 = [[Muhammad Zafarullah Khan]]
| image12 = Liaquat_Ali_Khan.jpg| caption12 = [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
| image13 = Abdur Rahman Chughai.jpg| caption13 = [[Abdur Rahman Chughtai]]
| image14 = Ahfaz_with_Faiz_Ahmad_Faiz.jpg | caption14 = [[Faiz Ahmad Faiz|Ahmad Faiz]]
| image15 = Arjan Singh.gif | caption15 = [[Arjan Singh]]
| image16 = Giani_Gurdit_Singh.jpg|caption16= [[Giani Gurdit Singh]]
| image17 = Har Gobind Khorana nobel.jpg | caption17 = [[Har Gobind Khorana]]
| image18 = Raj Kapoor In Aah (1953).png| caption18 = [[Raj Kapoor]]
| image19 = Mohammed Rafi.jpg| caption19 = [[Mohammed Rafi]]
| image20= Abdus_Salam_1987.jpg|caption20= [[Abdus Salam]]
| image21 = Dr._Ishfaq_Ahmad.png| caption21 = [[Ishfaq Ahmad]]
| image22 = Amrish Puri.jpg| caption22 = [[Amrish Puri]]
| image23 = Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan 03 1987 Royal Albert Hall.jpg| caption23 = [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]]
| image24 = Rakesh_sharma.jpg | caption24 = [[Rakesh Sharma]]
| image25 = Shahid_Khan_2015.jpg| caption25 = [[Shahid Khan]]
| image26= Sunil Bharti Mittal World Economic Forum 2013.jpg|caption26= [[Sunil Mittal]]
| image27 = Kapil Dev at Equation sports auction.jpg | caption27 = [[Kapil Dev]]
| image28 = Kalpana Chawla, NASA photo portrait in orange suit.jpg | caption28 = [[Kalpana Chawla]]
| image29 = Akshay Kumar.jpg| caption29= [[Akshay Kumar]]
| image30 = Khali cropped.jpg| caption30 = [[The Great Khali]]
| image31 = Hrithik Rado.jpg| caption31 = [[Hrithik Roshan]]
| image32 = Hina Rabbani Khar, Foreign Minister, Pakistan (cropped).jpg| caption32 = [[Hina Rabbani Khar]]
| image33 = Kareena Kapoor in 2015.jpg| caption33 = [[Kareena Kapoor]]
| image34 = Ayesha Omar at Uth Records Press Conference.jpg| caption34 = [[Ayesha Omer]]
| image35 = Yami Gautam at IIJW 2012.jpg| caption35 = [[Yami Gautam]]
| image36 = Parineeti Chopra at the launch of Pantene's Proof not Promises campaign.jpg| caption36 = [[Parineeti Chopra]]
}}

|population = '''Punjabis''' approx. 140 million<ref group="lower-alpha">Pakistan, Punjab + Indian, Punjab + Diaspora</ref> '''[[Punjabi diaspora]]''' ~10 million<ref>http://apnaorg.com/articles/ishtiaq8/</ref>
|region1={{flag|Pakistan}}
|pop1= 92,531,483 (2011)<ref group="lower-alpha">[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] & [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]</ref><ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-13514-Population-shoots-up-by-47-percent-since-1998</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Ghandi|first=Rajmohan|title=Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten|year=2013|page=1 ("Introduction")|publisher=Aleph Book Company|location=New Delhi, India, Urbana, [[Illinois]]|isbn=978-93-83064-41-0}}</ref>
|ref1=<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html</ref>
|region2={{flag|India}}
|pop2= 44,256,724<ref group="lower-alpha">Indian population includes the total populations ([[2011 Census of India|Census 2011]]) of [[Chandigarh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html 35% of Delhi] and [http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/-punjabis-discriminated-against-in-haryana-/557648/ 38% of Haryana].</ref><ref>http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/pakistan_ethnic_80.jpg</ref><ref>http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf</ref>
|ref2=
|region3={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|pop3=140,000
|ref3=<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=74ZVFb37zuIC&pg=PA20 |title=Desh Pardesh |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers |year=1994 |pages=19–20 |author=Roger Ballard, Marcus Banks |isbn=978-1-85065-091-1}}</ref>
|region4={{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
|pop4=120,000
|region5={{flag|Canada}}
|pop5= 145,730
|ref5=<ref>[http://newseastwest.com/punjabi-second-largest-immigrant-language-spoken-in-canada/ Punjabi second largest immigrant language spoken in Canada – Newseastwest: The Indian diaspora, Bollywood]. Newseastwest (25 October 2012).</ref>
|region6={{flag|United States}}
|pop6= 200,000
|ref6=<ref>http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/population/ancestry_language_spoken_at_home.html</ref>
|region7={{flag|Malaysia}}
|pop7=185,000
|region8={{flag|Australia}}
|pop8=71,228<ref>http://mcnair.com.au/wp-content/uploads/McNair-Ingenuity-Research-In-Language-Media-Consumption-Infographic.pdf</ref>
|region9={{flag|New Zealand}}
|pop9=19,752 (2013)<ref>http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Census/2013%20Census/data-tables/totals-by-topic/totals-by-topic-tables.xls</ref>
|langs= [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] [[Hindi]] and [[Urdu]] as [[Second language]]
| religions = '''Predominantly:''' [[Islam]] in Pakistan [[Hinduism]] & [[Sikhism]] in India
'''Minorities:''' {{hlist | [[Christianity]] | [[Buddhism]] | [[Jainism]] }}
|related = {{hlist | [[Gujaratis]] | [[Marwaris]] | [[Rajasthanis]]}}
}}

{{Punjabis}}
'''Punjabis''' ([[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: {{Lang|pnb|{{Nastaliq|پنجابی}}}} ([[Shahmukhi]]), '''ਪੰਜਾਬੀ''' ([[Gurmukhi]]); [[Hindi language|Hindi]]: '''पंजाबी''' ([[Devanagari]])), also spelt '''Panjabis''', are an ethnic group of [[Indo-Aryan peoples]], originating from the [[Punjab region]], found in [[Pakistan]] and northern [[India]]. Punjab literally means the '''land of five waters''' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: panj ("five") āb ("waters").<ref name="Ghandi 2013">{{cite book|last=Ghandi|first=Rajmohan|title=Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten|year=2013|publisher=Aleph Book Company|location=New Delhi, India, Urbana, [[Illinois]]|isbn=978-93-83064-41-0}}</ref> The name of the region was introduced by the [[Turko-Persian]] conquerors<ref>{{cite book|last=Canfield|first=Robert L.|title=Turko-Persia in Historical Perspective|year=1991|page=1 ("Origins")|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=[[Cambridge]], United Kingdom|isbn=0-521-52291-9}}</ref> of [[History of India|India]] and more formally popularized during the [[Mughal Empire]].<ref name="Ghandi 2013"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Shimmel|first=Annemarie|title=The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture|year=2004|publisher=Reaktion Books Ltd.|location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=1-86189-1857}}</ref> Punjab is often referred to as the [[breadbasket]] in both Pakistan and India.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/30/india-election-punjab-idINDEE80S02520120130 | work=Reuters | title=Punjab, bread basket of India, hungers for change | date=January 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://water.columbia.edu/2012/03/07/columbia-water-center-released-new-whitepaper-restoring-groundwater-in-punjab-indias-breadbasket/ |title=Columbia Water Center Released New Whitepaper: "Restoring Groundwater in Punjab, India's Breadbasket" – Columbia Water Center|publisher=Water.columbia.edu |date=2012-03-07 |accessdate=2013-07-12}}</ref> The pinnacle of power for any local Punjabi population came in the later part of the 18th century when the secular<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/IDE822/ |title=Ranjit Singh: A Secular Sikh Sovereign by K.S. Duggal. ''(Date:1989. ISBN 8170172446'') |publisher=Exoticindiaart.com |date=3 September 2015 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref> [[Sikh Empire]] was established by [[Ranjit Singh]], who wrestled control of the [[Kashmir]] valley, [[Ladakh]], along with modern-day [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] and [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and annexed it into greater Punjab region.<ref>http://heritage.gov.pk/html_pages/sikh.htm : Sikh Empire History</ref><ref>http://www.sikharchives.com/?p=7013 : Map of the Sikh Empire</ref>

The coalescence of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] into a broader common "Punjabi" identity initiated from the onset of the 18th century CE. Prior to that the sense and perception of a common "Punjabi" ethno-cultural identity and community did not exist, even though the majority of the various communities of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] had long shared linguistic, cultural and racial commonalities.<ref>{{cite book|last=Malhotra|first=edited by Anshu|title=Punjab reconsidered : history, culture, and practice|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=9780198078012|url=http://global.oup.com/academic/product/punjab-reconsidered-history-culture-and-practice-9780198078012;jsessionid=67C0F3362215BC7FE368DF643C70CA16?cc=de&lang=en&|author2=Mir, Farina }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Ayers|first=Alyssa|title=Language, the Nation, and Symbolic Capital: The Case of Punjab|journal=Journal of Asian Studies|year=2008|volume=67|issue=3|page=pp. 917–46|url=http://alyssaayres.com/pdf/Ayres-JAS-Language-Nation.pdf|doi=10.1017/s0021911808001204}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited and introduced by Pritam Singh and Shinder S.|title=Globalisation and the region : explorations in Punjabi identity|year=1996|publisher=Association for Punjab Studies (UK)|location=Coventry, United Kingdom|isbn=1874699054}}</ref>

Traditionally, Punjabi identity is primarily linguistic, geographical and cultural. Its identity is independent of historical origin or religion, and refers to those who reside in the [[Punjab region]], or associate with its population, and those who consider the [[Punjabi language]] their mother tongue.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited by Pritam Singh, Shinder Singh|title=Punjabi identity in a global context|year=1999|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=019-564-8641|url=http://www.amazon.com/Punjabi-Identity-Global-Context-Pritam/dp/0195648641}}</ref> [[social integration|Integration]] and [[cultural assimilation|assimilation]] are important parts of Punjabi culture, since Punjabi identity is not based solely on tribal connections. More or less all Punjabis share the same cultural background.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Singh|first=Prtiam|title='Globalisation and Punjabi Identity: Resistance, Relocation and Reinvention (Yet Again!)'|journal=Journal of Punjab Studies|year=2012|volume= 19|issue= 2|page=pp. 153–72|url=http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal/v19_2/Singh.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.krysstal.com/langfams_indoeuro.html |title=Languages : Indo-European Family |publisher=Krysstal.com |accessdate=2013-07-12}}</ref>

Historically, the Punjabi people were a [[heterogeneous]] group and were subdivided into a number of clans called ''[[Baradari (brotherhood)|biradari]]'' (literally meaning "brotherhood") or ''[[Punjabi tribes|tribes]]'', with each person bound to a clan. However, Punjabi identity also included those who did not belong to any of the historical tribes. With the passage of time tribal structures are coming to an end and are being replaced with a more cohesive<ref>{{cite journal|last=Albert V.|first=Carron|author2=Lawrence R. Brawley |title=Cohesion: Conceptual and Measurement Issues|journal=http://sgr.sagepub.com/ : Small Group Research|date=December 2012|volume=43|issue= 6|url=http://sgr.sagepub.com/content/43/6/726.full.pdf+html}}</ref> and holistic society. That is why [[community building]] and [[group cohesiveness]]<ref>http://www.oecd.org/dev/pgd/internationalconferenceonsocialcohesionanddevelopment.htm : The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Webpage for Group Cohesiveness</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Mukherjee|first=Protap|author2=Lopamudra Ray Saraswati |title=Levels and Patterns of Social Cohesion and Its Relationship with Development in India: A Woman’s Perspective Approach|journal=Ph.D. Scholars, Centre for the Study of Regional Development School of Social Sciences Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi – 110 067, India|date=Jan 20, 2011|url=http://www.oecd.org/dev/pgd/46839502.pdf}}</ref> form the new pillars of Punjabi society.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited and introduced by Pritam Singh and Shinder S.|title=Globalisation and the region : explorations in Punjabi identity|year=1996|publisher=Association for Punjab Studies (UK)|location=Coventry, United Kingdom|isbn=1-874699-054|url=http://www.amazon.com/Globalisation-Region-Explorations-Punjabi-Identity/dp/1874699054}}</ref>

==Geographic distribution==
[[File:Punjab map (topographic) with cities.png|thumb|left|The [[Punjab region]], with its rivers. The land of the Punjabi People]]

[[File:Punjab region 3.jpg|thumb|Right|Cultural and historical [[Punjab region]] of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]]]

===Independence and its aftermath===
The 1947 independence of India and Pakistan, and the subsequent partition of Punjab, is considered by historians to be the beginning of the end of the British Empire.<ref>{{Cite book|first=Trevor Owen|last=Lloyd|title=The British Empire 1558–1995|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1996|isbn=0-19-873134-5|url=https://books.google.com/?id=gIBgQgAACAAJ|ref=refLloyd1996|accessdate=22 July 2009}}</ref> Needless to say, it is one of the most significant events in modern history. Furthermore, it is considered to be one of the most significant moments in the history of mankind as well, as [[UNHCR]] estimates 14 million Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims were [[Refugee|displaced]] during the partition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rupture in South Asia| url = http://www.unhcr.org/3ebf9bab0.pdf |publisher=UNHCR| accessdate = 2015-12-23 }}</ref> To date, this is considered the largest [[mass migration]] in human history.<ref>{{cite web|title= The Hidden Story of Partition and its Legacies|author=Dr Crispin Bates |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml|work=BBC|date= 2015-12-23|accessdate=2014-08-16}}</ref>

Until 1947, the province of Punjab was ruled by a coalition constituting of the [[Indian National Congress]], the Sikh-led [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] and the [[Unionist Muslim League]]. However, the growth of Muslim nationalism led to the [[All India Muslim League]] becoming the dominant party in the 1946 elections. As Muslim separatism increased, the opposition from Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs increased substantially. Communal violence on the eve of Indian independence led to the dismissal of the coalition government, although the succeeding League ministry was unable to form a majority. Along with the province of Bengal, Punjab was partitioned on religious lines – the Muslim-majority West becoming part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan, and the Hindu and Sikh East remaining in India. Partition was accompanied by massive violence on both sides, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ahmed|first=Ishtiaq|title=The Punjab bloodied, partitioned and cleansed : unravelling the 1947 tragedy through secret British reports and first-person accounts|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Karachi|isbn=0199064709|url=http://www.amazon.com/The-Punjab-Bloodied-Partitioned-Cleansed/dp/0199064709}}</ref> West Punjab was virtually cleansed of its Hindu and Sikh populations, who were forced to leave for India, while East Punjab and Delhi were virtually cleansed of the Muslim population.

By the 1960s, Indian Punjab underwent reorganisation as Sikh demands for an autonomous state increased. The Hindu-majority areas were formed into the states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Haryana]] respectively, making Sikhs the majority in the state of Punjab itself. In the 1980s, Sikh separatism combined with popular anger against the [[Indian Army]]'s counter-insurgency operations (especially [[Operation Bluestar]]) led to violence and disorder in Indian Punjab, which only subsided in the 1990s. Political power in Indian Punjab is contested between the secular Congress Party and the Sikh religious party Akali Dal and its allies, the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]. Indian Punjab remains one of the most prosperous of India's states and is considered the "breadbasket of India."

Subsequent to partition, West Punjabis made up a majority of the Pakistani population, and the Punjab province constituted 40% of Pakistan's total land mass. Today, Punjabis continue to be the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, accounting for half of the country's population. They reside predominantly in the province of Punjab, neighbouring [[Azad Kashmir]] in the region of Jammu and Kashmir and in [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]. Punjabis are also found in large communities in the largest city of Pakistan, [[Karachi]], located in the [[Sindh]] province.

Punjabis in India can be found in the states of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], as well as in [[Delhi]] and the [[Union Territory]] of [[Chandigarh]]. Large communities of Punjabis are also found in the [[Jammu]] region of [[Jammu and Kashmir]] and in [[Rajasthan]], [[Uttarakhand]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]. In Delhi,

[[File:Ethnic_Groups_by_Region.jpg|thumb|left|Ethnic groups in Pakistan by region.]]

===Pakistani Punjabis===
Punjabis make up about half of the population of Pakistan. The Punjabis found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris. 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. Some zamindars are further divided into groups such as the [[Mughal tribe|Mughal]]s, [[Punjabi Rajput|Rajput]]s, [[Muslim Jats|Jat]]s, [[Punjabi Shaikh|Shaikhs]] or (Muslim [[Khatri]]), [[Gujjar]]s, [[Awan (Pakistan)|Awans]], [[Arain]]s, [[Malik]], [[Gakhars]], [[Dogar]]s and [[Mian Rehmani]]. People from neighbouring regions, such as [[Kashmiri Muslims|Kashmiris]], [[Punjabi Pathan|Pashtun]] and [[Punjabi Baloch|Baluch]], also form important elements in the Punjabi population. Major Moeen groups include the [[Lohar]], [[Khateek]], [[Rawal]], [[Chhimba Darzi]], [[Muslim Teli|Teli]], [[Qassab]], [[Mallaah]], [[Dhobi]], Muslim [[Sunar]]s, [[Mirasi]], who are associated with a particular crafts or occupation.<ref>''Muslim Peoples: A World Ethnographic Survey'' Richard V. Weekes, editor-in-chief Greenwood Press 1978</ref>

Punjabi people have traditionally and historically been farmers and soldiers,{{citation needed|date=June 2012}} 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.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}} Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Islamic [[Sunni]]-[[Shi'a Islam|Shia]] population with [[Ahmadiyya]] and Christian minority. A variety of related sub-groups exist in Pakistan and are often considered by many Pakistani Punjabis to be simply regional Punjabis including the [[Seraiki people|Seraikis]] (who overlap and are often considered transitional with the [[Sindhi people|Sindhis]]).

The recent definition of Punjabi people, in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Pakistani Punjab]], is not based on [[Race (classification of humans)|racial classification]], [[Common descent|common ancestry]] or [[endogamy]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Brian Schwimmer |url=http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~anthrop/tutor/marriage/endogamy.html |title=Endogamy |publisher=Home.cc.umanitoba.ca |date=}}</ref> but based on geographical and cultural basis and thus makes it a unique definition. In Pakistani Punjab, there is not a great emphasis on a single dialect of the language and Pakistani Punjabis speak many distinct [[Punjabi dialects|dialects]],<ref>[http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/dialectterm.htm dialect – definition and examples of dialects in linguistics]. Grammar.about.com (15 July 2013).</ref><ref>[http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=95&menu=004 UCLA Language Materials Project: Language Profile]. Lmp.ucla.edu.</ref> which include [[Hindko]], [[Saraiki language|Seraiki]], [[Potwari language|Potohari or Pahari]] and still identify themselves as Punjabis. People from a few provinces of [[Pakistan]] have made Punjab their home in recent times and now their consecutive generations identify themselves as Punjabis. The largest community to assimilate in Punjabi culture and now identify themselves as Punjabis are [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiris]] which include noted personalities like [[Nawaz Sharif]], [[Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad|Sheikh Rasheed]], [[Hamid Mir]] and the most noted poet [[Muhammad Iqbal]], to name a few. The second largest community after Kashmiris are people of India, who identify themselves as Punjabis. The other communities to assimilate in Punjabis include [[Baloch people|Baloch]] who can be found throughout Punjab, and [[Balti people|Baltis]]. The welcoming nature of Punjab have led to successful integration of almost all ethnic groups in Punjab over time. The [[Urdu]], Punjabi and other language speakers who arrived in Punjab in 1947<ref>[http://bintphotobooks.blogspot.de/2011/04/great-migration-india-pakistan-1947.html Bint photoBooks on INTernet: The Great Migration India Pakistan 1947 Life Magazine Margaret Bourke-White Sunil Janah Photojournalism Photography]. Bintphotobooks.blogspot.de (11 April 2011).</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn9ZwI9zqu4 Migration on India-Pakistan Partition of Punjab]. YouTube (25 January 2011).</ref> have now assimilated and their second and third generations identify themselves as Punjabis even though it is not the same in [[Sindh]] Pakistan where they form distinct ethnic groups.

===Indian Punjabis===

The Punjabi-speaking people make 2.83% of India's population as of 2001. The total number of Indian Punjabis is unknown due to the fact that ethnicity is not recorded in the [[Census of India]]. The Sikhs are largely concentrated in the modern-day state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] forming 58% of the population with Hindus forming 38%.<ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Census-2011-age-of-Sikhs-drops-in-Punjab-migration-to-blame/articleshow/48689317.cms</ref> In [[Haryana]], Hindus form 87% of the population with Muslims at 7% and Sikhs at 5%. In Himachal Pradesh, Hindus constitute 95% of the population with Muslims at 2% at Sikhs and Buddhists at 1% each. Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 35% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly [[Hindi]]-speaking [[Punjabi Hindus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.indiatvnews.com/politics/national/delhi-assembly-elections-2015-important-facts-and-stakeholders-25298.html|title=Delhi Assembly Elections 2015: Important Facts And Major Stakeholders Mobile Site|author=indiatvnews|date=6 February 2015|work=India TV News|accessdate=7 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/mobi/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html|title=Why Punjabis are central to Delhi election|author=Jupinderjit Singh|date=|work=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html|accessdate=7 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="Sanjay2008"/> Muslims in Delhi are 13% of the population. In [[Chandigarh]], 80.78% people of the population are Hindus, 13.11% are Sikhs, 4.87% are Muslims and minorities are Christians, Buddhists and Jains.<ref>http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW04C-01%20MDDS.XLS</ref>

Like the Punjabi Muslim society, these various [[caste system in India|castes]] are associated with particular occupations or crafts.

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]] and [[Qadian]] , 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, India|Faridkot]], [[Kapurthala]] and [[Kalsia]].

The Indian censuses record the native languages, but not the descent of the citizens. Linguistic data cannot accurately predict ethnicity: for example, Punjabis make up a large portion of Delhi's population but many descendants of the [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] [[Hindu]] refugees who came to Delhi following the [[partition of India]] now speak Hindi natively. Thus, there is no concrete official data on the [[Ethnic groups in Delhi|ethnic makeup of Delhi]] and other Indian states.<ref name="Sanjay2008">{{cite book | author=Sanjay Yadav | title=The Invasion of Delhi | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CTBBL1q5C_EC&pg=PA10 | year=2008 | publisher=Worldwide Books | isbn=978-81-88054-00-8 }}</ref>{{rp|8–10}}

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 in their songs and dialogue as well as traditional dances such as [[Bhangra (dance)|bhangra]]. Bollywood has been dominated by Punjabi artists including [[Raj Kapoor]], [[Dev Anand]], [[Vinod Khanna]], [[Dharmendra]], [[Shammi Kapoor]], [[Rishi Kapoor]], [[Navalpreet Rangi]], [[Akshay Kumar]] and [[Kareena Kapoor]]. Punjabi Prime Ministers of India include [[Gulzarilal Nanda]], [[Inder Kumar Gujral]] and Dr. [[Manmohan Singh]]. There 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]] [[Virat Kohli]], and [[Yograj Singh]].

===Emigration & Diaspora===
{{Main|Punjabi diaspora}}
[[File:Punjabi Speaking World.png|thumb|right|380px|Punjabis around the world]]
The Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers to many parts of the world. In the early 20th century, many Punjabis began settling in the United States, including independence activists who formed the [[Ghadar Party]]. The United Kingdom has a significant number of Punjabis from both Pakistan and India as does Canada (specifically [[Vancouver]] and [[Toronto]]) and the United States, (specifically California's [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]]). In the 1970s, a large wave of emigration of Punjabis (predominately from Pakistan) began to the Middle East, in places such as the [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Kuwait]]. There are also large communities in East Africa including the countries of [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]] and [[Tanzania]]. Punjabis have also emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia including [[Malaysia]], [[Thailand]], Singapore and Hong Kong.

==History of Punjab==
{{Main|History of Punjab}}
[[File:Surrender of Porus to the Emperor Alexander.jpg|right||thumb|upright|One of the first known kings of ancient Punjab, [[King Porus]] who fought with Alexander]]
Indigenous population flourished in this region, near the gateways to other continents, leading to a developed civilization in 5th to 4th millennium BC,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/pakistan/taxila/index.php |title=Taxila, Pakistan: Traditional and Historical Architecture |publisher=Orientalarchitecture.com |date=}}</ref> the ancient [[Indus Valley Civilization]]. Also [[Buddhism]] remnants have been found like [[Mankiala]] which corroborate the Buddhist background of this region as well.

The remains of the ancient Indo-Aryan city of [[Taxila]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Jona Lendering |url=http://www.livius.org/ta-td/taxila/taxila.htm |title=Taxila |publisher=Livius.org |date=28 May 2008}}</ref> and many ornaments that have been found in this region,suggests that,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html |title=Indus Valley Civilization |publisher=Harappa.com |date=1 February 2010}}</ref> one of the centers of [[Indus Valley Civilization]] was established at many parts of Punjab most notably were [[Taxila]] and [[Harappa]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harappa.com/ |title=The Ancient Indus Valley and the British Raj in India and Pakistan |publisher=Harappa.com |date=}}</ref> [[Punjab region|Punjab]] became a center of early civilisation from around 3300 BC. According to Historians this region was ruled by many small kingdoms and tribes around 4th and 5th BC. The earliest known notable local king of this region was known as '''[[King Porus]]'''<ref name="livius.org">{{cite web|author=Jona Lendering |url=http://www.livius.org/pn-po/porus/porus.htm |title=Porus |publisher=Livius.org |date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.padfield.com/1993/alex.html |title=Alexander The Great in India at Jhelum with Porus, the Indian rajah |publisher=Padfield.com |date=}}</ref> and he fought a famous [[Battle of the Hydaspes]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theartofbattle.com/battle-of-hydaspes-river-326-bc.htm |title=Battle of Hydaspes River, 326 BC |publisher=The Art of Battle |date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=__start__ |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuxjoGJZmKQ |title=Battle of Hydaspes ( Jhelum Punjab)_Alexander vs Porus ( Local King in Punjab, Former North India) |publisher=YouTube |date=4 April 2012}}</ref> against Alexander. His kingdom, known as '''[[Pauravas]]''', was situated between Hydaspes (modern [[Jhelum]] and Acesines (modern day [[Chenab]]).<ref name="livius.org"/> These kings fought local battles to gain more ground.[[Taxiles]] or '''[[Taxiles|Omphis]]''' another local North Indian king, wanted to defeat his eastern adversary [[King Porus|Porus]] in a turf war and he invited [[Alexander the great]] to defeat Porus. This marked the first intrusion of the West in the Indian subcontinent and North India in general. But such was the valor of Porus and his kingdom forces in Punjab, that despite being defeated, he was appreciated by [[Alexander the Great]] for his skill and valor and he was granted further territories in the North.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html |title=Alexander the Great (Alexander of Macedon) Biography |publisher=Historyofmacedonia.org |date=}}</ref> The other Indian kings did not like the fact that Porus was now an ally of Western forces. In less than ten years another Indian king '''[[Chandragupta Maurya]]'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wildfiregames.com/0ad/page.php?p=8542 |title=Biographies: Chandragupta Maurya :: 0 A.D. |publisher=Wildfire Games |date=}}</ref> defeated the forces and conquered the Northern Indian regions up to the Kabul river (in modern-day [[Afghanistan]]). Alexander mostly ruled this land with the help of local allies like [[King Porus|Porus]].<ref name="Kivisild et al. 2003">{{Harvcoltxt|Kivisild et al.|2003}}</ref>

Centuries later, areas of the Punjab region were ruled by local kings followed by the [[Ghaznavids]], [[Ghurids]], [[Mughals]], and others. Islam arrived in Punjab when the [[Muslim]] [[Umayyad]] army led by [[Muhammad bin Qasim]] conquered Sindh in 711 AD, by defeating [[Raja Dahir]]. Some of the Muslims are said to have settled in the region and adopted the local culture. Centuries later, the Ghaznavids introduced aspects of foreign Persian and Turkic culture in Punjab.

[[File:IVC-major-sites-2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Map showing the sites and extent of the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]]. [[Harappa]] was the center of one of the core regions of the Indus Valley Civilization, located in central [[Punjab region|Punjab]]. The [[Harappan architecture]] and Harrapan Civilization was one of the most developed in the old [[Bronze Age]].]]

The earliest written Punjabi dates back to the writing of [[Sufi]] Muslim poets of the 11th Century. Its literature spread Punjab's unique voice of peace and spirituality to the entire civilization of the region.

Regions of North India and Punjab were annexed into the Afghan [[Durrani Empire]] later on in 1747, being a vulnerable target.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.nl/books?id=aZk9XzqCFGUC&pg=PA69&dq=durrani+empire+conquers+punjab&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=kmKVVIHcD8mqU6KwgZAD&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=durrani%20empire%20conquers%20punjab&f=false|title=The History of Afghanistan|accessdate=7 March 2015}}</ref> But Afghan rule in Punjab was very short lived as many local tribal people like [[Gakhars]] fought against Afghan rule and took the lands back. The grandson of Ahmed Shah Durrani ([[Zaman Shah Durrani]]), lost it to [[Ranjit Singh]], a Punjabi Sikh. He was born in 1780 to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur in [[Gujranwala]], Punjab. Ranjit took a leading role in organising a Sikh militia and got control of the Punjab region from Zaman Shah Durrani. Ranjit started a Punjabi military expedition to expand his territory.<ref>{{cite web|author=Category: The Sikh Empire [1799 – 1839] |url=http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/the-sikh-empire-1799-1839/army-of-maharaja-ranjit-singh |title=ARMY OF MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH – The Sikh Empire [1799 – 1839] |publisher=Thesikhencyclopedia.com |date=14 April 2012}}</ref> Under his command the Sikh army began invading neighboring territories outside of Punjab. The [[Jamrud Fort]] at the entry of [[Khyber Pass]] was built by Ranjit Singh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.softserv-intl.com/oldPakistan/photos/photo6.html |title=Jamrud Fort 1870 |publisher=Softserv-intl.com |date=}}</ref> The Sikh Empire slowly began to weaken after the death of [[Hari Singh Nalwa]] at the [[Battle of Jamrud]] in 1837. Two years later, in 1839, Ranjit Singh died and his son took over control of the empire. By 1850 the [[Company rule in India|British]] took over control of the Punjab region after defeating the Sikhs in the [[Anglo-Sikh wars]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefirstanglosikhwar.com/ |title=thefirstanglosikhwar.com |publisher=thefirstanglosikhwar.com |date=}}</ref><ref>http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/postgurus/Sikh%20Wars/sikhwars.htm</ref> establishing their rule over the region for around the next 100 years as a part of the [[British Raj]]. Many Sikhs and Punjabis later pledged their allegiance to the British, serving as servants or sepoys (native soldiers) within the Raj.

==Religions==
{{Main|Sikhism|Sufism}}
People of Punjab remained tolerant throughout the history and that is why many different religious ideologies were tolerated there despite some uproar by some religious extremists. The region of Punjab is the birthplace of one monotheistic [[religion]] that is known as [[Sikhism]].<ref>http://www.sikhs.org/summary.htm : Sikh Religious Philosophy</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ : BBC Report about the Sikh Religion</ref> Also many well known followers of [[Sufism]]<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/subdivisions/sufism_1.shtml : BBC report about Sufism</ref> were born in Punjab.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaur|first=edited by Surinder Singh, Ishwar Dayal|title=Sufism in Punjab : mystics, literature, and shrines|year=2009|publisher=Aakar Books|location=Delhi|isbn=8189833936|url=http://www.amazon.com/Sufism-Punjab-Mystics-Literatures-Shrines/dp/8189833936}}</ref>

{{bar box|width = 300px
|barwidth = 250px |cellpadding="0"
|title=Religion in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] (1941 [[Census of India]])<ref name="Religion"/>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|#009000|53.2}}
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|#FF6600|29.1}}
{{bar percent|[[Sikhism]]|#FFFF00|14.9}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|#9955BB|1.5}}
{{bar percent|Others|#808080|1.3}}}}

Due to religious tensions, emigration between Punjabi people started far before the partition and dependable records.<ref>Jones. (2006). Socio-religious reform movements in British India ([[The New Cambridge History of India]]). Cambridge University Press</ref><ref>Jones, R. (2007). The great uprising in India, 1857–58: Untold stories, Indian and British (worlds of the east India company). Boydell Press.</ref> Shortly prior to the Partition of [[British India]], Punjab had a slight majority [[Muslim]] population at about 53.2% in 1941, which was an increase from the previous years.<ref>http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_11_1/6_krishan.pdf</ref> With the division of Punjab and the subsequent independence of Pakistan and later India, mass migrations of [[Muslims]] from Indian Punjab to Pakistan, and those of [[Sikhs]] and [[Hindus]] from [[Pakistan]] to Indian Punjab occurred.
Today, the majority of Pakistani Punjabis follow [[Islam]] with a small Christian minority, while the majority of Indian Punjabis are either [[Sikh]]s or [[Hindu]]s with a [[Muslim]] minority. Punjab is also the birthplace of [[Sikhism]] and the Islamic reform movement [[Ahmadiyya]].<ref name="alislam.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.alislam.org/ |title=IslamAhmadiyya – Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – Al Islam Online – Official Website |publisher=Alislam.org |date=}}</ref>

Following the independence of Pakistan and the subsequent [[Partition of India|partition of British India]], a process of population exchange took place in 1947 as Muslims began to leave [[India]] and headed to the newly created Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs left [[Pakistan]]<ref>.[http://www.cet.edu/earthinfo/sasia/SAhis.html South Asia: British India Partitioned]</ref> for the newly created state of India.<ref>Avari, B. (2007). India: The ancient past. ISBN 978-0-415-35616-9</ref> As a result of these population exchanges, both parts are now relatively homogeneous, where religion is concerned.

;Population trends for major religious groups in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] of [[British Raj|British India]] (1881–1941)<ref name="Religion">{{cite web |url=http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_11_1/6_krishan.pdf |title=Demography of the Punjab (1849-1947) |author=Gopal Krishan |accessdate=15 October 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|- style="text-align: center;"
! Religious group
! Population % '''1881'''
! Population % '''1891'''
! Population % '''1901'''
! Population % '''1911'''<ref group="lower-alpha">Delhi district is made into a separate territory</ref>
! Population % '''1921'''
! Population % '''1931'''
! Population % '''1941'''
|-
! style="background:Green;"| Islam
| 47.6% || 47.8% || 49.6% || 51.1% || 51.1% || 52.4% ||53.2%
|-
! style="background:OrangeRed;"| Hinduism
| 43.8% || 43.6% || 41.3% || 35.8% || 35.1% || 30.2% || 29.1%
|-
! style="background:Orange;"| Sikhism
| 8.2% || 8.2% || 8.6% || 12.1% || 12.4% || 14.3% || 14.9%
|-
! style="background:DodgerBlue;"| Christianity
| 0.1% || 0.2% || 0.3% || 0.8% || 1.3% || 1.5% || 1.5%
|-
! style="background:GreenYellow;"| Other religions / No religion
| 0.3% || 0.2% || 0.2% || 0.2% || 0.1% || 1.6% || 1.3%
|}
{{clear}}

===Punjabi Muslims===
{{See also|Punjabi Muslims}}
[[File:Badshahi Mosque July 1 2005 pic32 by Ali Imran (1).jpg|thumb|upright|Badshahi Masjid - The largest mosque of the Mughal Empire built by emperor [[Aurangzeb]].]] The people of Punjab were mainly Hindus with a Buddhist minority, when the [[Umayyad]] Muslim army led by [[Muhammad bin Qasim]] conquered Punjab and Sindh in 711 AD.

During the reign of [[Mahmud of Ghazni]], non-Muslims paid the [[jaziya]] tax, according to Islamic law.<ref name=Esposito>[[John Esposito|John Louis Esposito]], ''Islam the Straight Path'', Oxford University Press, Jan 15, 1998, p. 34.</ref><ref>Lewis (1984), pp. 10, 20</ref><ref>Ali, Abdullah Yusuf (1991). The Holy Quran. Medina: King Fahd Holy Qur-an Printing Complex, pg. 507</ref> The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Turk [[Ghaznavid Empire]] based out of [[Ghazni]]. The [[Delhi Sultanate]] and later [[Mughal Empire]] ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly [[Muslim]] due to [[missionary]] [[Sufi]] saints whose [[dargah]]s dot the landscape of [[Punjab region]]. The [[Mughals]] controlled the region from 1524 until 1739 and would also lavish some parts of the province with building projects such as the [[Shalimar Gardens (Lahore)|Shalimar Gardens]] and the [[Badshahi Mosque]], both situated in Lahore. The [[Muslim]] establishment in the Punjab occurred over a period of several centuries lasting until towards the end of the [[British Raj]] and the division of the Punjab province between [[Pakistan]] and [[India]] in August, 1947. After the [[Pakistan Movement|independence]] of [[Pakistan]] in 1947, the minority [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s migrated to [[India]] while the [[Muslim]] refugees from [[India]] settled in the Pakistan.<ref>Peers, Gooptu. (2012). India and the British empire (oxford history of the British empire companion). Oxford University Press.</ref><ref>Bryant, G. (2013). The emergence of British power in India, 1600–1784 (worlds of the east India company). BOYE6.</ref> Today [[Muslims]] constitute only 1.53% of [[Punjab, India|Eastern Punjab]] in India as now the majority of Muslims live in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Western Punjab]] in Pakistan.

The vast majority of Pakistan's population are native speakers of the Punjabi language and it is the most spoken language in Pakistan. The majority of Pakistani Punjabis speak the standard Punjabi dialect of [[Majhi dialect|Majhi]], which is considered the Punjabi dialect of the educated class, as well as [[Lahnda]] (including [[Hindko]] and [[Saraiki dialect|Saraiki]] - which are sometimes referred to as an independent languages).

===Punjabi Hindus===
{{See also|Punjabi Hindus}}

In the pre-Islamic era and before the birth of Sikhism, the population of Punjab mainly followed [[Hinduism]]. Today [[Punjabi Hindu]]s are mostly found in [[Punjab, India|Indian Punjab]] and in neighbouring states like [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Delhi]], which together forms a part of the historical greater [[Punjab region]]. Many of the Hindu Punjabis from the Indian capital [[Delhi]] are immigrants and their descendants, from various parts of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Western Pakistani Punjab]]. Some Punjabi Hindus can also be found in the surrounding areas as well as the recent cosmopolitan migrants in other big cities like [[Mumbai]]. There has also been continuous migration of Punjabi Hindus to western countries like USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, European Union, UAE and UK.

The Hindu Punjabis speak different dialects including [[Lahnda]], as well as [[Majhi dialect|Majhi]] (Standard Punjabi) and others like [[Doabi]] and [[Malwi]]. Some still have managed to retain the Punjabi dialects spoken in Western Punjab, but many have also adopted [[Hindi]].

===Punjabi Sikhs===
{{See also|Sikhs}}

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the religion of [[Sikhism]] was born, and during the Mughal period its [[Misl]]s gradually emerged as a formidable military force until assimilated under the expanding [[Sikh Empire]]. After fighting [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], the Sikhs wrested control of the Punjab from his descendants and ruled in a [[Confederation|confederacy]], which later became the Sikh Empire of the Punjab under [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]. A denizen of the city of [[Gujranwala]], the capital of Ranjit Singh's empire was [[Lahore]].<ref>[http://www.heritage.gov.pk/html_Pages/sikh.htm Sikh Period – Government of Pakistan]. Heritage.gov.pk (14 August 1947).</ref> The Sikhs made architectural contributions to the city and the [[Lahore Fort]]. The Sikh empire was the first local power to rule the region since [[Muhammad of Ghor|Muhammed Ghori's]] defeat of [[Prithviraj III|Prithvi Raj Chauhan]] in 1192

===Punjabi Christians===
{{See also|Christianity in Punjab, Pakistan|Christianity in Punjab, India}}
[[File:SadhuSundarSingh.jpg|right|thumb|150px|[[Sadhu Sundar Singh]], an influential Punjabi Christian missionary from [[Ludhiana]] (1889–1929)]]
The death of Maharaja [[Ranjit Singh]] 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. Relationships with neighboring British territories then broke down, starting the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]]; this led to a British official being resident in [[Lahore]] and the annexation of territory south of the [[Sutlej]] to British India.

In 1877, on [[Thomas the Apostle|St. Thomas' Day]] at [[Westminster Abbey]], London, [[Reverend|Rev]] [[Thomas Valpy French]] was appointed the first [[Anglican Bishop]] of [[Lahore]], a large [[diocese]] which included all of the [[Punjab (British India)|Punjab]], then under British colonial rule, and remained so until 1887, during this period he also opened the Divinity College, Lahore in 1870.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A07E2D6173EE73BBC4B52DFB7668383669FDE Churches and Ministers: Home and Foreign Events] [[New York Times]], 13 January 1878.</ref><ref>[http://anglicanhistory.org/india/pk/stock_french/06.html An Heroic Bishop] Chapter VI. His Fourth Pioneer Work: The Lahore Bishopric.</ref><ref>[http://anglicanhistory.org/india/stock_beginnings/11.html Beginnings in India] By Eugene Stock, D.C.L., London: Central Board of Missions and SPCK, 1917.</ref>
Rev [[Thomas Patrick Hughes]] served as a [[Church Missionary Society]] missionary at [[Peshawar]] (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).<ref>[http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/13/1027.htm British Library]. Mundus.ac.uk (18 July 2002).</ref>

[[Missionaries]] accompanied the colonising forces from [[Portugal]], [[France]], [[United States]] and [[Great Britain]]. Christianity was mainly brought by the [[British Raj|British rulers]] of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of [[Karachi]], where the majestic [[Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi|St. Patrick's Cathedral]], Pakistan's largest church stands, and the churches in the city of [[Rawalpindi]], where the British established a major military cantonment.

The total number of Punjabi Christians in Pakistan is approximately 2,800,000 and 300,000 in Indian Punjab. Of these, approximately half are [[Roman Catholic]] and half Protestant. Many of the modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule, however, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from [[Chura]]s. The [[Chura]]s were largely converted to Christianity in [[North India]] during the [[British raj]]. The vast majority were converted from the [[Mazhabi|Mazhabi Sikh]] communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Hindu Churas; under the influence of enthusiastic British army officers and Christian missionaries. Consequently, since the independence they are now divided between [[Pakistani Punjab]] and [[Indian Punjab]]. Large numbers of [[Mazhabi|Mazhabi Sikh]]s were also converted in the [[Moradabad district]] and the [[Bijnor district]]<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and [[Rohilkhand]]: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p183</ref> of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. [[Rohilkhand]] saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into the [[Methodist Church]].<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and Rohilkhand: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p196</ref> Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among the Mazhabi Sikhs and responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions..

== Culture ==
{{Main|Punjabi culture}}
[[File:International border at Wagah - evening flag lowering ceremony.jpg|thumb|250px|right| The evening flag lowering ceremony at the India-Pakistan International Border near Wagah in Punjab.]]
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. The Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjabi people, who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of the culture are vast. Some of the main areas include Punjabi poetry, philosophy, spirituality, artistry, dance, music, cuisine, military weaponry, architecture, languages, traditions, values and history. Historically, the Punjab/Punjabis, in addition to their rural-agrarian lands and culture, have also enjoyed a unique urban cultural development in two great cities, [[Lahore]]<ref>For various notable Punjabis belonging to this venerable city, please also see [[List of families of Lahore]]</ref> and [[Amritsar]].<ref>Ian Talbot, 'Divided Cities: Lahore and Amritsar in the aftermath of Partition', Karachi:OUP, 2006, pp.1–4 ISBN 0-19-547226-8</ref>

===Role of women===
In the traditional Punjabi culture women do wear traditional dresses but work side by side with men in all the fields. Also women in general manage the finances of the household. Moreover, Punjabi women fought in the past along with the men when the time arose. Majority of Punjabi women were considered as warriors upon a time, they excelled in the art of both leadership and war, they are still considered and treated as leaders among many Punjabi tribes. In certain divisions Punjabi philosophy states that Men are raised to be warriors and women are raised to be leaders. [[Mai Bhago]] is a good example in this regard. Punjabi women also have the strong literary tradition. [[Peero Preman]] was the first Punjabi poetess of the mid 18th century [http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/piro/].<ref>Malhotra, Anshu. "Telling her tale? Unravelling a life in conflict in Peero’s Ik Sau Saṭh Kāfiaṅ. (one hundred and sixty kafis)." Indian Economic & Social History Review 46.4 (2009): 541-578.</ref> She was followed by many other women of repute.

===Language===
{{Main|Punjabi language}}

Punjabi is the most spoken language in [[Pakistan]] and eleventh most spoken language in India. According to the [[Ethnologue]] 2005 estimate,<ref name="ReferenceA">Ethnologue. 15th edition (2005).</ref> there are 130 million native speakers of the Punjabi language, which makes it the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. According to the 2008 Census of Pakistan,<ref>According to [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/other_tables/pop_by_mother_tongue.pdf statpak.gov.pk] 44.15% of the Pakistani people are native Punjabi speakers. This gives an approximate number of 76,335,300 Punjabi speakers in Pakistan.</ref> there are approximately 76,335,300 native speakers of Punjabi in Pakistan, and according to the [[Demographics of India#Linguistic demographic2001|Census of India]], there are over 29,102,477 Punjabi speakers in India.<ref>[[Census of India]], 2001</ref> 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<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmhansrd/vo000307/halltext/00307h02.htm "Punjabi Community".] The United Kingdom Parliament.</ref>) and Canada, in which Punjabi has now become the fourth most spoken language after English, French and Chinese, due to the rapid growth of immigrants from Pakistan and India.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Punjabi_is_Canadas_4th_most_top_language/articleshow/2782138.cms "Punjabi is 4th most spoken language in Canada"] ''The Times of India''</ref> There are also sizeable communities in the United States, [[Kenya]], [[Tanzania]], [[Uganda]], [[Persian Gulf]] countries, Hong Kong, [[Malaysia]], Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Punjabis are linguistically and culturally related to the other Indo-Aryan peoples of South Asia. There are an estimated 102 million Punjabi speakers around the world.<ref name="Nationalencyklopedin">Mikael Parkvall, "Världens 100 största språk 2007" (The World's 100 Largest Languages in 2007), in ''[[Nationalencyklopedin]]''. Asterisks mark the [http://www.ne.se/spr%C3%A5k/v%C3%A4rldens-100-st%C3%B6rsta-spr%C3%A5k-2010 2010 estimates] for the top dozen languages.</ref> If regarded as an ethnic group, they are among the world's largest. In South Asia, they are the [[South Asian ethnic groups|second largest ethnic group]] after the Bengali People.

The main language of the Punjabi people is [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and its associated dialects, which differ depending on the region of Punjab the speaker is from; there are notable differences in the [[Lahnda languages]], spoken in the Pakistani Punjab. In the Pakistani Punjab, the vast majority still speak Punjabi, even though the language has no governmental support. In the Indian Punjab, most people speak Punjabi. English is sometimes used, and older people who lived in the undivided Punjab may be able to speak and write in [[Urdu]]. The Punjabi languages have always absorbed numerous loanwords from surrounding areas and provinces (and from English).

===Cuisine===
{{Main|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 the popularity of Punjabi cuisine throughout the world. Punjabi cuisine uses unique spices.<ref>http://www.vahrehvah.com/punjab : Website for the dishes of Punjab</ref>

===Music===
{{main|Music of Punjab|Folk music of Punjab}}
[[Bhangra (music)|Bhangra]] describes dance-oriented popular music with Punjabi rhythms, developed since the 1980s. The name refers to one of the traditional and folkloric Punjabi dances. Thus in bhangra music the emphasis is usually on the music (i.e. rhythm for dancing) and less on the singer and the lyrics. Bhangra music is appreciated all over the globe. [[Sufi music]] and [[Qawali]] are other important genres in Punjab.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pande|first=Alka|title=Folk music & musical instruments of Punjab : from mustard fields to disco lights|year=1999|publisher=Mapin Pub.|location=Ahmedabad [India]|isbn=18-902-0615-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Thinda|first=Karanaila Siṅgha|title=Pañjāba dā loka wirasā|year=1996|publisher=Pabalikeshana Biūro, Pañjābī Yūniwarasiṭī|location=Paṭiālā|isbn=8173802238|edition=New rev.}}</ref>

===Dance===
{{Main|Punjabi dance}}

Owing to the long history of the [[Punjabi culture]] and of the Punjabi people, there are a large number of dances normally performed at times of celebration, the time of festivals known as Melas and the most prominent dances are at Punjabi weddings, where the elation is usually particularly intense. Punjabi dances are performed either by men or by women. The dances range from solo to group dances and also sometimes dances are done along with musical instruments like [[Dhol]], [[Flute]], Supp, Dhumri, Chimta etc. Other common dances that both men and women perform are Karthi, Jindua, and Dandass.<ref>[[Folk dances of Punjab]]</ref>
"Bhangra" dance is the most famous aspect of Punjabi dance tradition. Its popularity has attained a level where a music is produced with the intent of aiding people to carry out this form of dancing.

===Wedding traditions===
{{Main|Punjabi wedding traditions}}

Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are conducted in Punjabi, and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. Many local songs are a part of the wedding and are known as '''boliyan'''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Boliyan book.|year=2010|publisher=Infinity Squared Books|isbn=978-0-9567818-0-2}}</ref> While the actual religious marriage ceremony among Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains may be conducted in Arabic, Punjabi, Sanskrit, by the Kazi, Pandit or Granthi, there are also many commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, make-up 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. Alcohol consumption by the menfolk is part of the tradition amongst Hindu and some Sikh communities that allow it.

===Folk tales===
{{Main|Punjabi folklore}}
The folk tales of Punjab include many stories<ref>[http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/steel/punjab/punjab.html Tales of the Punjab]. Digital.library.upenn.edu.</ref> which are passing through generations and includes folk stories like [[Heer Ranjha]], [[Mirza Sahiban]],<ref>[http://hrisouthasian.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35%3Apeelu-the-first-narrator-of-the-legend-of-mirza-sahiban&catid=6%3Alovelegend&Itemid=13 Peelu: The First Narrator of the Legend of Mirza-SahibaN]. Hrisouthasian.org.</ref> [[Sohni Mahiwal]] etc. to name a few.

===Festivals===
{{Main|Punjabi festivals|Festivals in Lahore}}
[[Vaisakhi]], [[Festivals in Lahore|Jashan-e-Baharan]], [[Basant]], Kanak katai da mela ( Wheat cutting celebrations ) and many more.
The jagrātā, also called jāgā or jāgran, means an all night vigil. This type of vigil is found throughout India and is usually held to worship a deity with song and ritual. The goal is to gain the favor of the Goddess, to obtain some material benefit, or repay her for one already received. The Goddess is invoked by the devotees to pay them a visit at the location of the jagrātā, whether it be in their own homes or communities, in the form of a flame.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Erndl|first1=Kathleen M.|title=Fire and wakefulness: the Devī jagrātā in contemporary Panjabi Hinduism|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion|date=June 1, 1991|pages=339–360|accessdate=2 October 2014}}</ref>

===Traditional dress===
{{Main|Punjabi clothing}}

The Punjabi traditional clothing is very diverse and for various occasions various clothing is chosen. It includes [[Shalwar Kameez]], [[Kurta]], [[Achkan]] and [[Dhoti]] in men while in women there is wide range of clothing but mainly it comprises [[Shalwar Kameez]], [[Patiala salwar]], [[Salwar (Punjabi)|Punjabi suit]], [[Churidar]]s with [[Dupatta]] with traditional Paranda Ghari worn on the hair. Khaddi topi (Embroidered cap) is also worn by some women with dupatta on special occasions. Shalwar Kameez and [[Sherwani]] are for formal occasions and office work while Dhoti is mostly worn by people who are involved in farming throughout Punjab. The shorter version of Dhoti that is unique to Punjab is known as Chatki with close resemblance to [[Kilt]] but use of [[Chatki]] for formal occasions is very very rare and not many people are familiar with Chatkis. [[Jutti|Punjabi Jutti]] and Tillay wali Jutti is a very famous footwear for both men and women in Punjab. In men [[Pagri (turban)]] is also worn as a traditional cap in many occasions. [[Dupatta]] with embroidery of different styles with Matthay da Tikka is also very famous in [[Punjabi culture]].

===Sports===
{{Main|Sports in Punjab}}

Various types of sports are played in Punjab. They are basically divided into outdoor and [[Indoor games and sports|indoor sports]]. Special emphasis is put to develop both the mental and physical capacity while playing sports. That is why recently sports like [[Speed reading]], [[Mental abacus]], historical and IQ tests are arranged as well. Indoor sports are specially famous during the long summer season in Punjab. Also indoor sports are played by children in homes and in schools. [[Gilli-danda]] is vary famous indigenous sports among children along with [[Parcheesi]]. [[Pittu Garam]] is also famous among children. [[Hopscotch|Stapu]] is famous among young girls of Punjab. Also many new games are included with the passage of time. The most notable are [[Carrom]], [[Ludo (board game)]], [[Scrabble]], [[Chess]], [[Draughts]], [[Go (game)|Go]] [[Monopoly (game)|Monopoly]]. The [[Tabletop game]]s games include [[billiards]] and [[snooker]]. [[Backgammon]] locally known as Dimaagi Baazi( Mental game) is famous in some regions as well.

The outdoor sports include [[Pehlwani|Kusti]] (a wrestling sport), [[Kabaddi]], Rasa Kashi (a rope pulling game), Patang (Kite Flying) and Naiza Baazi or Tent pegging (a cavalry sport).[[Gatka]], is also taken as a form of sports, Punjabi's are naturally dominant in sports because of their physical attributes and genetic advantage. Punjab being part of South Asia, the sport of [[cricket]] is very popular. New forms of sports are also being introduced and adopted in particular by the large overseas Punjabis, such as [[Ice hockey]], [[Soccer]], [[Boxing]], [[Mixed martial arts]] as part of the globalization of sports.

==Notable people==
{{Main|List of Punjabis|List of Punjabi poets|List of Punjabi authors|List of Punjabi singers|List of Punjabi language poets}}

==See also==
* [[Dialects of the Punjab]]
* [[Punjabi press]]
* [[Punjabi cuisine]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha|30em}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References and further reading==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* Mohini Gupta, Encyclopaedia of Punjabi Culture & History – Vol. 1 (Window on Punjab) [Hardcover], ISBN 978-81-202-0507-9
* Iqbal Singh Dhillion, Folk Dances of Punjab ISBN 978-81-7116-220-8
* Punjabi Culture: Punjabi Language, Bhangra, Punjabi People, Karva Chauth, Kila Raipur Sports Festival, Lohri, Punjabi Dhabha, ISBN 978-1-157-61392-3
* Kamla C. Aryan, Cultural Heritage of Punjab ISBN 978-81-900002-9-1
* Shafi Aqeel, Popular Folk Tales from the Punjab ISBN 978-0-19-547579-1
* Online Book of Punjabi Folk Tales, https://archive.org/stream/KamalKahanisaeedBhuttaABookOnPunjabiFolktales/KamalKahaniReviewByHassnainGhayoor#page/n0/mode/2up
* Colloquial Panjabi: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series) ISBN 978-0-415-10191-2
* Gilmartin, David. ''Empire and Islam: Punjab and the Making of Pakistan''. Univ of California Press (1988), ISBN 0-520-06249-3.
* Grewal, J.S. and Gordon Johnson. ''The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India)''. Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition (1998), ISBN 0-521-63764-3.
* Latif, Syed. ''History of the Panjab''. Kalyani (1997), ISBN 81-7096-245-5.
* Sekhon, Iqbal S. ''The Punjabis : The People, Their History, Culture and Enterprise''. Delhi, Cosmo, 2000, 3 Vols., ISBN 81-7755-051-9.
* Singh, Gurharpal. ''Ethnic Conflict in India : A Case-Study of Punjab''. Palgrave Macmillan (2000).
* Singh, Gurharpal (Editor) and Ian Talbot (Editor). ''Punjabi Identity: Continuity and Change''. South Asia Books (1996), ISBN 81-7304-117-2.
* Singh, Khushwant. ''A History of the Sikhs – Volume 1''.Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-562643-5
* Steel, Flora Annie. ''Tales of the Punjab : Told by the People (Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints)''. Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition (2002), ISBN 0-19-579789-2.
* Tandon, Prakash and Maurice Zinkin. ''Punjabi Century 1857–1947'', University of California Press (1968), ISBN 0-520-01253-4.
* {{loc}} [http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/32.htm Pakistan], [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html India]
* [http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/5/26 DNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia, BMC Genetics 2004, 5:26]
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=pan Ethnologue Eastern Panjabi]

Punjabis

2016-01-18T16:00:57Z

Dev raj gujjar:

{{Use dmy dates|date=january 2016}}
{{infobox ethnic group|
|group= Punjabis
|native_name=ਪੰਜਾਬੀ पंजाबी {{Lang|pnb|{{Nastaliq|پنجابی}}}}
|image =
{{image array
|perrow=6
| image1 =
Atif-star.jpg
| caption1 = [[Atif Aslam]]
| image2 = Sikh Gurus with Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana.jpg
| caption2 = [[Guru Nanak]]
| image3= BullehShah.jpg
|caption3= [[Bulleh Shah]]
| image4 = RanjitSinghKing.jpg
| caption4 = [[Ranjit Singh]]
| image5 = Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (c. 1897).jpg
| caption5 = [[Mirza Ghulam Ahmad]]
| image6 = Lala Har Dayal Young.jpg
| caption6 = [[Har Dayal]]
| image7 = Lala_lajpat_Rai.jpg| caption7 = [[Lala Lajpat Rai]]
| image8 = Bhagat Singh 1929 140x190.jpg
| caption8= [[Bhagat Singh]]
| image9 = Iqbal.jpg
| caption9= [[Muhammad Iqbal]]
| image10 = Amrita_Pritam_(1919_%E2%80%93_2005)_,_in_1948.jpg
|caption10= [[Amrita Pritam]]
| image11 = Muhammad Zafarullah Khan.jpg
| caption11 = [[Muhammad Zafarullah Khan]]
| image12 = Liaquat_Ali_Khan.jpg| caption12 = [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
| image13 = Abdur Rahman Chughai.jpg| caption13 = [[Abdur Rahman Chughtai]]
| image14 = Ahfaz_with_Faiz_Ahmad_Faiz.jpg | caption14 = [[Faiz Ahmad Faiz|Ahmad Faiz]]
| image15 = Arjan Singh.gif | caption15 = [[Arjan Singh]]
| image16 = Giani_Gurdit_Singh.jpg|caption16= [[Giani Gurdit Singh]]
| image17 = Har Gobind Khorana nobel.jpg | caption17 = [[Har Gobind Khorana]]
| image18 = Raj Kapoor In Aah (1953).png| caption18 = [[Raj Kapoor]]
| image19 = Mohammed Rafi.jpg| caption19 = [[Mohammed Rafi]]
| image20= Abdus_Salam_1987.jpg|caption20= [[Abdus Salam]]
| image21 = Dr._Ishfaq_Ahmad.png| caption21 = [[Ishfaq Ahmad]]
| image22 = Amrish Puri.jpg| caption22 = [[Amrish Puri]]
| image23 = Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan 03 1987 Royal Albert Hall.jpg| caption23 = [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]]
| image24 = Rakesh_sharma.jpg | caption24 = [[Rakesh Sharma]]
| image25 = Shahid_Khan_2015.jpg| caption25 = [[Shahid Khan]]
| image26= Sunil Bharti Mittal World Economic Forum 2013.jpg|caption26= [[Sunil Mittal]]
| image27 = Kapil Dev at Equation sports auction.jpg | caption27 = [[Kapil Dev]]
| image28 = Kalpana Chawla, NASA photo portrait in orange suit.jpg | caption28 = [[Kalpana Chawla]]
| image29 = Akshay Kumar.jpg| caption29= [[Akshay Kumar]]
| image30 = Khali cropped.jpg| caption30 = [[The Great Khali]]
| image31 = Hrithik Rado.jpg| caption31 = [[Hrithik Roshan]]
| image32 = Hina Rabbani Khar, Foreign Minister, Pakistan (cropped).jpg| caption32 = [[Hina Rabbani Khar]]
| image33 = Kareena Kapoor in 2015.jpg| caption33 = [[Kareena Kapoor]]
| image34 = Ayesha Omar at Uth Records Press Conference.jpg| caption34 = [[Ayesha Omer]]
| image35 = Yami Gautam at IIJW 2012.jpg| caption35 = [[Yami Gautam]]
| image36 = Parineeti Chopra at the launch of Pantene's Proof not Promises campaign.jpg| caption36 = [[Parineeti Chopra]]
}}

|population = '''Punjabis''' approx. 140 million<ref group="lower-alpha">Pakistan, Punjab + Indian, Punjab + Diaspora</ref> '''[[Punjabi diaspora]]''' ~10 million<ref>http://apnaorg.com/articles/ishtiaq8/</ref>
|region1={{flag|Pakistan}}
|pop1= 92,531,483 (2011)<ref group="lower-alpha">[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] & [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]</ref><ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-13514-Population-shoots-up-by-47-percent-since-1998</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Ghandi|first=Rajmohan|title=Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten|year=2013|page=1 ("Introduction")|publisher=Aleph Book Company|location=New Delhi, India, Urbana, [[Illinois]]|isbn=978-93-83064-41-0}}</ref>
|ref1=<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html</ref>
|region2={{flag|India}}
|pop2= 44,256,724<ref group="lower-alpha">Indian population includes the total populations ([[2011 Census of India|Census 2011]]) of [[Chandigarh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html 35% of Delhi] and [http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/-punjabis-discriminated-against-in-haryana-/557648/ 38% of Haryana].</ref><ref>http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/pakistan_ethnic_80.jpg</ref><ref>http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf</ref>
|ref2=
|region3={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|pop3=140,000
|ref3=<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=74ZVFb37zuIC&pg=PA20 |title=Desh Pardesh |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers |year=1994 |pages=19–20 |author=Roger Ballard, Marcus Banks |isbn=978-1-85065-091-1}}</ref>
|region4={{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
|pop4=120,000
|region5={{flag|Canada}}
|pop5= 145,730
|ref5=<ref>[http://newseastwest.com/punjabi-second-largest-immigrant-language-spoken-in-canada/ Punjabi second largest immigrant language spoken in Canada – Newseastwest: The Indian diaspora, Bollywood]. Newseastwest (25 October 2012).</ref>
|region6={{flag|United States}}
|pop6= 200,000
|ref6=<ref>http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/population/ancestry_language_spoken_at_home.html</ref>
|region7={{flag|Malaysia}}
|pop7=185,000
|region8={{flag|Australia}}
|pop8=71,228<ref>http://mcnair.com.au/wp-content/uploads/McNair-Ingenuity-Research-In-Language-Media-Consumption-Infographic.pdf</ref>
|region9={{flag|New Zealand}}
|pop9=19,752 (2013)<ref>http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Census/2013%20Census/data-tables/totals-by-topic/totals-by-topic-tables.xls</ref>
|langs= [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] [[Hindi]] and [[Urdu]] as [[Second language]]
| religions = '''Predominantly:''' [[Islam]] in Pakistan [[Hinduism]] & [[Sikhism]] in India
'''Minorities:''' {{hlist | [[Christianity]] | [[Buddhism]] | [[Jainism]] }}
|related = {{hlist | [[Gujratis]] | [[Marwaris]] | [[Rajasthanis]]}}
}}

{{Punjabis}}
The '''Punjabis''' ([[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: {{Lang|pnb|{{Nastaliq|پنجابی}}}} ([[Shahmukhi]]), '''ਪੰਜਾਬੀ''' ([[Gurmukhi]]); [[Hindi language|Hindi]]: '''पंजाबी''' ([[Devanagari]])), also spelt '''Panjabis''', are an ethnic group of [[Indo-Aryan peoples]], originating from the [[Punjab region]], found in [[Pakistan]] and northern [[India]]. Punjab literally means the '''land of five waters''' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: panj ("five") āb ("waters").<ref name="Ghandi 2013">{{cite book|last=Ghandi|first=Rajmohan|title=Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten|year=2013|publisher=Aleph Book Company|location=New Delhi, India, Urbana, [[Illinois]]|isbn=978-93-83064-41-0}}</ref> The name of the region was introduced by the [[Turko-Persian]] conquerors<ref>{{cite book|last=Canfield|first=Robert L.|title=Turko-Persia in Historical Perspective|year=1991|page=1 ("Origins")|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=[[Cambridge]], United Kingdom|isbn=0-521-52291-9}}</ref> of [[History of India|India]] and more formally popularized during the [[Mughal Empire]].<ref name="Ghandi 2013"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Shimmel|first=Annemarie|title=The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture|year=2004|publisher=Reaktion Books Ltd.|location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=1-86189-1857}}</ref> Punjab is often referred to as the [[breadbasket]] in both Pakistan and India.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/30/india-election-punjab-idINDEE80S02520120130 | work=Reuters | title=Punjab, bread basket of India, hungers for change | date=January 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://water.columbia.edu/2012/03/07/columbia-water-center-released-new-whitepaper-restoring-groundwater-in-punjab-indias-breadbasket/ |title=Columbia Water Center Released New Whitepaper: "Restoring Groundwater in Punjab, India's Breadbasket" – Columbia Water Center|publisher=Water.columbia.edu |date=2012-03-07 |accessdate=2013-07-12}}</ref> The pinnacle of power for any local Punjabi population came in the later part of the 18th century when the secular<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/IDE822/ |title=Ranjit Singh: A Secular Sikh Sovereign by K.S. Duggal. ''(Date:1989. ISBN 8170172446'') |publisher=Exoticindiaart.com |date=3 September 2015 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref> [[Sikh Empire]] was established by [[Ranjit Singh]], who wrestled control of the [[Kashmir]] valley, [[Ladakh]], along with modern-day [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] and [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and annexed it into greater Punjab region.<ref>http://heritage.gov.pk/html_pages/sikh.htm : Sikh Empire History</ref><ref>http://www.sikharchives.com/?p=7013 : Map of the Sikh Empire</ref>

The coalescence of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] into a broader common "Punjabi" identity initiated from the onset of the 18th century CE. Prior to that the sense and perception of a common "Punjabi" ethno-cultural identity and community did not exist, even though the majority of the various communities of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] had long shared linguistic, cultural and racial commonalities.<ref>{{cite book|last=Malhotra|first=edited by Anshu|title=Punjab reconsidered : history, culture, and practice|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=9780198078012|url=http://global.oup.com/academic/product/punjab-reconsidered-history-culture-and-practice-9780198078012;jsessionid=67C0F3362215BC7FE368DF643C70CA16?cc=de&lang=en&|author2=Mir, Farina }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Ayers|first=Alyssa|title=Language, the Nation, and Symbolic Capital: The Case of Punjab|journal=Journal of Asian Studies|year=2008|volume=67|issue=3|page=pp. 917–46|url=http://alyssaayres.com/pdf/Ayres-JAS-Language-Nation.pdf|doi=10.1017/s0021911808001204}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited and introduced by Pritam Singh and Shinder S.|title=Globalisation and the region : explorations in Punjabi identity|year=1996|publisher=Association for Punjab Studies (UK)|location=Coventry, United Kingdom|isbn=1874699054}}</ref>

Traditionally, Punjabi identity is primarily linguistic, geographical and cultural. Its identity is independent of historical origin or religion, and refers to those who reside in the [[Punjab region]], or associate with its population, and those who consider the [[Punjabi language]] their mother tongue.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited by Pritam Singh, Shinder Singh|title=Punjabi identity in a global context|year=1999|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=019-564-8641|url=http://www.amazon.com/Punjabi-Identity-Global-Context-Pritam/dp/0195648641}}</ref> [[social integration|Integration]] and [[cultural assimilation|assimilation]] are important parts of Punjabi culture, since Punjabi identity is not based solely on tribal connections. More or less all Punjabis share the same cultural background.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Singh|first=Prtiam|title='Globalisation and Punjabi Identity: Resistance, Relocation and Reinvention (Yet Again!)'|journal=Journal of Punjab Studies|year=2012|volume= 19|issue= 2|page=pp. 153–72|url=http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal/v19_2/Singh.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.krysstal.com/langfams_indoeuro.html |title=Languages : Indo-European Family |publisher=Krysstal.com |accessdate=2013-07-12}}</ref>

Historically, the Punjabi people were a [[heterogeneous]] group and were subdivided into a number of clans called ''[[Baradari (brotherhood)|biradari]]'' (literally meaning "brotherhood") or ''[[Punjabi tribes|tribes]]'', with each person bound to a clan. However, Punjabi identity also included those who did not belong to any of the historical tribes. With the passage of time tribal structures are coming to an end and are being replaced with a more cohesive<ref>{{cite journal|last=Albert V.|first=Carron|author2=Lawrence R. Brawley |title=Cohesion: Conceptual and Measurement Issues|journal=http://sgr.sagepub.com/ : Small Group Research|date=December 2012|volume=43|issue= 6|url=http://sgr.sagepub.com/content/43/6/726.full.pdf+html}}</ref> and holistic society. That is why [[community building]] and [[group cohesiveness]]<ref>http://www.oecd.org/dev/pgd/internationalconferenceonsocialcohesionanddevelopment.htm : The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Webpage for Group Cohesiveness</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Mukherjee|first=Protap|author2=Lopamudra Ray Saraswati |title=Levels and Patterns of Social Cohesion and Its Relationship with Development in India: A Woman’s Perspective Approach|journal=Ph.D. Scholars, Centre for the Study of Regional Development School of Social Sciences Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi – 110 067, India|date=Jan 20, 2011|url=http://www.oecd.org/dev/pgd/46839502.pdf}}</ref> form the new pillars of Punjabi society.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited and introduced by Pritam Singh and Shinder S.|title=Globalisation and the region : explorations in Punjabi identity|year=1996|publisher=Association for Punjab Studies (UK)|location=Coventry, United Kingdom|isbn=1-874699-054|url=http://www.amazon.com/Globalisation-Region-Explorations-Punjabi-Identity/dp/1874699054}}</ref>

==Geographic distribution==
[[File:Punjab map (topographic) with cities.png|thumb|left|The [[Punjab region]], with its rivers. The land of the Punjabi People]]

[[File:Punjab region 3.jpg|thumb|Right|Cultural and historical [[Punjab region]] of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]]]

===Independence and its aftermath===
The 1947 independence of India and Pakistan, and the subsequent partition of Punjab, is considered by historians to be the beginning of the end of the British Empire.<ref>{{Cite book|first=Trevor Owen|last=Lloyd|title=The British Empire 1558–1995|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1996|isbn=0-19-873134-5|url=https://books.google.com/?id=gIBgQgAACAAJ|ref=refLloyd1996|accessdate=22 July 2009}}</ref> Needless to say, it is one of the most significant events in modern history. Furthermore, it is considered to be one of the most significant moments in the history of mankind as well, as [[UNHCR]] estimates 14 million Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims were [[Refugee|displaced]] during the partition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rupture in South Asia| url = http://www.unhcr.org/3ebf9bab0.pdf |publisher=UNHCR| accessdate = 2015-12-23 }}</ref> To date, this is considered the largest [[mass migration]] in human history.<ref>{{cite web|title= The Hidden Story of Partition and its Legacies|author=Dr Crispin Bates |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml|work=BBC|date= 2015-12-23|accessdate=2014-08-16}}</ref>

Until 1947, the province of Punjab was ruled by a coalition constituting of the [[Indian National Congress]], the Sikh-led [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] and the [[Unionist Muslim League]]. However, the growth of Muslim nationalism led to the [[All India Muslim League]] becoming the dominant party in the 1946 elections. As Muslim separatism increased, the opposition from Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs increased substantially. Communal violence on the eve of Indian independence led to the dismissal of the coalition government, although the succeeding League ministry was unable to form a majority. Along with the province of Bengal, Punjab was partitioned on religious lines – the Muslim-majority West becoming part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan, and the Hindu and Sikh East remaining in India. Partition was accompanied by massive violence on both sides, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ahmed|first=Ishtiaq|title=The Punjab bloodied, partitioned and cleansed : unravelling the 1947 tragedy through secret British reports and first-person accounts|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Karachi|isbn=0199064709|url=http://www.amazon.com/The-Punjab-Bloodied-Partitioned-Cleansed/dp/0199064709}}</ref> West Punjab was virtually cleansed of its Hindu and Sikh populations, who were forced to leave for India, while East Punjab and Delhi were virtually cleansed of the Muslim population.

By the 1960s, Indian Punjab underwent reorganisation as Sikh demands for an autonomous state increased. The Hindu-majority areas were formed into the states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Haryana]] respectively, making Sikhs the majority in the state of Punjab itself. In the 1980s, Sikh separatism combined with popular anger against the [[Indian Army]]'s counter-insurgency operations (especially [[Operation Bluestar]]) led to violence and disorder in Indian Punjab, which only subsided in the 1990s. Political power in Indian Punjab is contested between the secular Congress Party and the Sikh religious party Akali Dal and its allies, the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]. Indian Punjab remains one of the most prosperous of India's states and is considered the "breadbasket of India."

Subsequent to partition, West Punjabis made up a majority of the Pakistani population, and the Punjab province constituted 40% of Pakistan's total land mass. Today, Punjabis continue to be the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, accounting for half of the country's population. They reside predominantly in the province of Punjab, neighbouring [[Azad Kashmir]] in the region of Jammu and Kashmir and in [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]. Punjabis are also found in large communities in the largest city of Pakistan, [[Karachi]], located in the [[Sindh]] province.

Punjabis in India can be found in the states of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], as well as in [[Delhi]] and the [[Union Territory]] of [[Chandigarh]]. Large communities of Punjabis are also found in the [[Jammu]] region of [[Jammu and Kashmir]] and in [[Rajasthan]], [[Uttarakhand]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]. In Delhi,

[[File:Ethnic_Groups_by_Region.jpg|thumb|left|Ethnic groups in Pakistan by region.]]

===Pakistani Punjabis===
Punjabis make up about half of the population of Pakistan. The Punjabis found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris. 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. Some zamindars are further divided into groups such as the [[Mughal tribe|Mughal]]s, [[Punjabi Rajput|Rajput]]s, [[Muslim Jats|Jat]]s, [[Punjabi Shaikh|Shaikhs]] or (Muslim [[Khatri]]), [[Gujjar]]s, [[Awan (Pakistan)|Awans]], [[Arain]]s, [[Malik]], [[Gakhars]], [[Dogar]]s and [[Mian Rehmani]]. People from neighbouring regions, such as [[Kashmiri Muslims|Kashmiris]], [[Punjabi Pathan|Pashtun]] and [[Punjabi Baloch|Baluch]], also form important elements in the Punjabi population. Major Moeen groups include the [[Lohar]], [[Khateek]], [[Rawal]], [[Chhimba Darzi]], [[Muslim Teli|Teli]], [[Qassab]], [[Mallaah]], [[Dhobi]], Muslim [[Sunar]]s, [[Mirasi]], who are associated with a particular crafts or occupation.<ref>''Muslim Peoples: A World Ethnographic Survey'' Richard V. Weekes, editor-in-chief Greenwood Press 1978</ref>

Punjabi people have traditionally and historically been farmers and soldiers,{{citation needed|date=June 2012}} 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.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}} Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Islamic [[Sunni]]-[[Shi'a Islam|Shia]] population with [[Ahmadiyya]] and Christian minority. A variety of related sub-groups exist in Pakistan and are often considered by many Pakistani Punjabis to be simply regional Punjabis including the [[Seraiki people|Seraikis]] (who overlap and are often considered transitional with the [[Sindhi people|Sindhis]]).

The recent definition of Punjabi people, in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Pakistani Punjab]], is not based on [[Race (classification of humans)|racial classification]], [[Common descent|common ancestry]] or [[endogamy]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Brian Schwimmer |url=http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~anthrop/tutor/marriage/endogamy.html |title=Endogamy |publisher=Home.cc.umanitoba.ca |date=}}</ref> but based on geographical and cultural basis and thus makes it a unique definition. In Pakistani Punjab, there is not a great emphasis on a single dialect of the language and Pakistani Punjabis speak many distinct [[Punjabi dialects|dialects]],<ref>[http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/dialectterm.htm dialect – definition and examples of dialects in linguistics]. Grammar.about.com (15 July 2013).</ref><ref>[http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=95&menu=004 UCLA Language Materials Project: Language Profile]. Lmp.ucla.edu.</ref> which include [[Hindko]], [[Saraiki language|Seraiki]], [[Potwari language|Potohari or Pahari]] and still identify themselves as Punjabis. People from a few provinces of [[Pakistan]] have made Punjab their home in recent times and now their consecutive generations identify themselves as Punjabis. The largest community to assimilate in Punjabi culture and now identify themselves as Punjabis are [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiris]] which include noted personalities like [[Nawaz Sharif]], [[Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad|Sheikh Rasheed]], [[Hamid Mir]] and the most noted poet [[Muhammad Iqbal]], to name a few. The second largest community after Kashmiris are people of India, who identify themselves as Punjabis. The other communities to assimilate in Punjabis include [[Baloch people|Baloch]] who can be found throughout Punjab, and [[Balti people|Baltis]]. The welcoming nature of Punjab have led to successful integration of almost all ethnic groups in Punjab over time. The [[Urdu]], Punjabi and other language speakers who arrived in Punjab in 1947<ref>[http://bintphotobooks.blogspot.de/2011/04/great-migration-india-pakistan-1947.html Bint photoBooks on INTernet: The Great Migration India Pakistan 1947 Life Magazine Margaret Bourke-White Sunil Janah Photojournalism Photography]. Bintphotobooks.blogspot.de (11 April 2011).</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn9ZwI9zqu4 Migration on India-Pakistan Partition of Punjab]. YouTube (25 January 2011).</ref> have now assimilated and their second and third generations identify themselves as Punjabis even though it is not the same in [[Sindh]] Pakistan where they form distinct ethnic groups.

===Indian Punjabis===

The Punjabi-speaking people make 2.83% of India's population as of 2001. The total number of Indian Punjabis is unknown due to the fact that ethnicity is not recorded in the [[Census of India]]. The Sikhs are largely concentrated in the modern-day state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] forming 58% of the population with Hindus forming 38%.<ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Census-2011-age-of-Sikhs-drops-in-Punjab-migration-to-blame/articleshow/48689317.cms</ref> In [[Haryana]], Hindus form 87% of the population with Muslims at 7% and Sikhs at 5%. In Himachal Pradesh, Hindus constitute 95% of the population with Muslims at 2% at Sikhs and Buddhists at 1% each. Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 35% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly [[Hindi]]-speaking [[Punjabi Hindus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.indiatvnews.com/politics/national/delhi-assembly-elections-2015-important-facts-and-stakeholders-25298.html|title=Delhi Assembly Elections 2015: Important Facts And Major Stakeholders Mobile Site|author=indiatvnews|date=6 February 2015|work=India TV News|accessdate=7 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/mobi/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html|title=Why Punjabis are central to Delhi election|author=Jupinderjit Singh|date=|work=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html|accessdate=7 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="Sanjay2008"/> Muslims in Delhi are 13% of the population. In [[Chandigarh]], 80.78% people of the population are Hindus, 13.11% are Sikhs, 4.87% are Muslims and minorities are Christians, Buddhists and Jains.<ref>http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW04C-01%20MDDS.XLS</ref>

Like the Punjabi Muslim society, these various [[caste system in India|castes]] are associated with particular occupations or crafts.

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]] and [[Qadian]] , 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, India|Faridkot]], [[Kapurthala]] and [[Kalsia]].

The Indian censuses record the native languages, but not the descent of the citizens. Linguistic data cannot accurately predict ethnicity: for example, Punjabis make up a large portion of Delhi's population but many descendants of the [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] [[Hindu]] refugees who came to Delhi following the [[partition of India]] now speak Hindi natively. Thus, there is no concrete official data on the [[Ethnic groups in Delhi|ethnic makeup of Delhi]] and other Indian states.<ref name="Sanjay2008">{{cite book | author=Sanjay Yadav | title=The Invasion of Delhi | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CTBBL1q5C_EC&pg=PA10 | year=2008 | publisher=Worldwide Books | isbn=978-81-88054-00-8 }}</ref>{{rp|8–10}}

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 in their songs and dialogue as well as traditional dances such as [[Bhangra (dance)|bhangra]]. Bollywood has been dominated by Punjabi artists including [[Raj Kapoor]], [[Dev Anand]], [[Vinod Khanna]], [[Dharmendra]], [[Shammi Kapoor]], [[Rishi Kapoor]], [[Navalpreet Rangi]], [[Akshay Kumar]] and [[Kareena Kapoor]]. Punjabi Prime Ministers of India include [[Gulzarilal Nanda]], [[Inder Kumar Gujral]] and Dr. [[Manmohan Singh]]. There 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]] [[Virat Kohli]], and [[Yograj Singh]].

===Emigration & Diaspora===
{{Main|Punjabi diaspora}}
[[File:Punjabi Speaking World.png|thumb|right|380px|Punjabis around the world]]
The Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers to many parts of the world. In the early 20th century, many Punjabis began settling in the United States, including independence activists who formed the [[Ghadar Party]]. The United Kingdom has a significant number of Punjabis from both Pakistan and India as does Canada (specifically [[Vancouver]] and [[Toronto]]) and the United States, (specifically California's [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]]). In the 1970s, a large wave of emigration of Punjabis (predominately from Pakistan) began to the Middle East, in places such as the [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Kuwait]]. There are also large communities in East Africa including the countries of [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]] and [[Tanzania]]. Punjabis have also emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia including [[Malaysia]], [[Thailand]], Singapore and Hong Kong.

==History of Punjab==
{{Main|History of Punjab}}
[[File:Surrender of Porus to the Emperor Alexander.jpg|right||thumb|upright|One of the first known kings of ancient Punjab, [[King Porus]] who fought with Alexander]]
Indigenous population flourished in this region, near the gateways to other continents, leading to a developed civilization in 5th to 4th millennium BC,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/pakistan/taxila/index.php |title=Taxila, Pakistan: Traditional and Historical Architecture |publisher=Orientalarchitecture.com |date=}}</ref> the ancient [[Indus Valley Civilization]]. Also [[Buddhism]] remnants have been found like [[Mankiala]] which corroborate the Buddhist background of this region as well.

The remains of the ancient Indo-Aryan city of [[Taxila]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Jona Lendering |url=http://www.livius.org/ta-td/taxila/taxila.htm |title=Taxila |publisher=Livius.org |date=28 May 2008}}</ref> and many ornaments that have been found in this region,suggests that,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html |title=Indus Valley Civilization |publisher=Harappa.com |date=1 February 2010}}</ref> one of the centers of [[Indus Valley Civilization]] was established at many parts of Punjab most notably were [[Taxila]] and [[Harappa]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harappa.com/ |title=The Ancient Indus Valley and the British Raj in India and Pakistan |publisher=Harappa.com |date=}}</ref> [[Punjab region|Punjab]] became a center of early civilisation from around 3300 BC. According to Historians this region was ruled by many small kingdoms and tribes around 4th and 5th BC. The earliest known notable local king of this region was known as '''[[King Porus]]'''<ref name="livius.org">{{cite web|author=Jona Lendering |url=http://www.livius.org/pn-po/porus/porus.htm |title=Porus |publisher=Livius.org |date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.padfield.com/1993/alex.html |title=Alexander The Great in India at Jhelum with Porus, the Indian rajah |publisher=Padfield.com |date=}}</ref> and he fought a famous [[Battle of the Hydaspes]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theartofbattle.com/battle-of-hydaspes-river-326-bc.htm |title=Battle of Hydaspes River, 326 BC |publisher=The Art of Battle |date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=__start__ |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuxjoGJZmKQ |title=Battle of Hydaspes ( Jhelum Punjab)_Alexander vs Porus ( Local King in Punjab, Former North India) |publisher=YouTube |date=4 April 2012}}</ref> against Alexander. His kingdom, known as '''[[Pauravas]]''', was situated between Hydaspes (modern [[Jhelum]] and Acesines (modern day [[Chenab]]).<ref name="livius.org"/> These kings fought local battles to gain more ground.[[Taxiles]] or '''[[Taxiles|Omphis]]''' another local North Indian king, wanted to defeat his eastern adversary [[King Porus|Porus]] in a turf war and he invited [[Alexander the great]] to defeat Porus. This marked the first intrusion of the West in the Indian subcontinent and North India in general. But such was the valor of Porus and his kingdom forces in Punjab, that despite being defeated, he was appreciated by [[Alexander the Great]] for his skill and valor and he was granted further territories in the North.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html |title=Alexander the Great (Alexander of Macedon) Biography |publisher=Historyofmacedonia.org |date=}}</ref> The other Indian kings did not like the fact that Porus was now an ally of Western forces. In less than ten years another Indian king '''[[Chandragupta Maurya]]'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wildfiregames.com/0ad/page.php?p=8542 |title=Biographies: Chandragupta Maurya :: 0 A.D. |publisher=Wildfire Games |date=}}</ref> defeated the forces and conquered the Northern Indian regions up to the Kabul river (in modern-day [[Afghanistan]]). Alexander mostly ruled this land with the help of local allies like [[King Porus|Porus]].<ref name="Kivisild et al. 2003">{{Harvcoltxt|Kivisild et al.|2003}}</ref>

Centuries later, areas of the Punjab region were ruled by local kings followed by the [[Ghaznavids]], [[Ghurids]], [[Mughals]], and others. Islam arrived in Punjab when the [[Muslim]] [[Umayyad]] army led by [[Muhammad bin Qasim]] conquered Sindh in 711 AD, by defeating [[Raja Dahir]]. Some of the Muslims are said to have settled in the region and adopted the local culture. Centuries later, the Ghaznavids introduced aspects of foreign Persian and Turkic culture in Punjab.

[[File:IVC-major-sites-2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Map showing the sites and extent of the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]]. [[Harappa]] was the center of one of the core regions of the Indus Valley Civilization, located in central [[Punjab region|Punjab]]. The [[Harappan architecture]] and Harrapan Civilization was one of the most developed in the old [[Bronze Age]].]]

The earliest written Punjabi dates back to the writing of [[Sufi]] Muslim poets of the 11th Century. Its literature spread Punjab's unique voice of peace and spirituality to the entire civilization of the region.

Regions of North India and Punjab were annexed into the Afghan [[Durrani Empire]] later on in 1747, being a vulnerable target.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.nl/books?id=aZk9XzqCFGUC&pg=PA69&dq=durrani+empire+conquers+punjab&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=kmKVVIHcD8mqU6KwgZAD&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=durrani%20empire%20conquers%20punjab&f=false|title=The History of Afghanistan|accessdate=7 March 2015}}</ref> But Afghan rule in Punjab was very short lived as many local tribal people like [[Gakhars]] fought against Afghan rule and took the lands back. The grandson of Ahmed Shah Durrani ([[Zaman Shah Durrani]]), lost it to [[Ranjit Singh]], a Punjabi Sikh. He was born in 1780 to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur in [[Gujranwala]], Punjab. Ranjit took a leading role in organising a Sikh militia and got control of the Punjab region from Zaman Shah Durrani. Ranjit started a Punjabi military expedition to expand his territory.<ref>{{cite web|author=Category: The Sikh Empire [1799 – 1839] |url=http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/the-sikh-empire-1799-1839/army-of-maharaja-ranjit-singh |title=ARMY OF MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH – The Sikh Empire [1799 – 1839] |publisher=Thesikhencyclopedia.com |date=14 April 2012}}</ref> Under his command the Sikh army began invading neighboring territories outside of Punjab. The [[Jamrud Fort]] at the entry of [[Khyber Pass]] was built by Ranjit Singh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.softserv-intl.com/oldPakistan/photos/photo6.html |title=Jamrud Fort 1870 |publisher=Softserv-intl.com |date=}}</ref> The Sikh Empire slowly began to weaken after the death of [[Hari Singh Nalwa]] at the [[Battle of Jamrud]] in 1837. Two years later, in 1839, Ranjit Singh died and his son took over control of the empire. By 1850 the [[Company rule in India|British]] took over control of the Punjab region after defeating the Sikhs in the [[Anglo-Sikh wars]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefirstanglosikhwar.com/ |title=thefirstanglosikhwar.com |publisher=thefirstanglosikhwar.com |date=}}</ref><ref>http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/postgurus/Sikh%20Wars/sikhwars.htm</ref> establishing their rule over the region for around the next 100 years as a part of the [[British Raj]]. Many Sikhs and Punjabis later pledged their allegiance to the British, serving as servants or sepoys (native soldiers) within the Raj.

==Religions==
{{Main|Sikhism|Sufism}}
People of Punjab remained tolerant throughout the history and that is why many different religious ideologies were tolerated there despite some uproar by some religious extremists. The region of Punjab is the birthplace of one monotheistic [[religion]] that is known as [[Sikhism]].<ref>http://www.sikhs.org/summary.htm : Sikh Religious Philosophy</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ : BBC Report about the Sikh Religion</ref> Also many well known followers of [[Sufism]]<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/subdivisions/sufism_1.shtml : BBC report about Sufism</ref> were born in Punjab.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaur|first=edited by Surinder Singh, Ishwar Dayal|title=Sufism in Punjab : mystics, literature, and shrines|year=2009|publisher=Aakar Books|location=Delhi|isbn=8189833936|url=http://www.amazon.com/Sufism-Punjab-Mystics-Literatures-Shrines/dp/8189833936}}</ref>

{{bar box|width = 300px
|barwidth = 250px |cellpadding="0"
|title=Religion in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] (1941 [[Census of India]])<ref name="Religion"/>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|#009000|53.2}}
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|#FF6600|29.1}}
{{bar percent|[[Sikhism]]|#FFFF00|14.9}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|#9955BB|1.5}}
{{bar percent|Others|#808080|1.3}}}}

Due to religious tensions, emigration between Punjabi people started far before the partition and dependable records.<ref>Jones. (2006). Socio-religious reform movements in British India ([[The New Cambridge History of India]]). Cambridge University Press</ref><ref>Jones, R. (2007). The great uprising in India, 1857–58: Untold stories, Indian and British (worlds of the east India company). Boydell Press.</ref> Shortly prior to the Partition of [[British India]], Punjab had a slight majority [[Muslim]] population at about 53.2% in 1941, which was an increase from the previous years.<ref>http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_11_1/6_krishan.pdf</ref> With the division of Punjab and the subsequent independence of Pakistan and later India, mass migrations of [[Muslims]] from Indian Punjab to Pakistan, and those of [[Sikhs]] and [[Hindus]] from [[Pakistan]] to Indian Punjab occurred.
Today, the majority of Pakistani Punjabis follow [[Islam]] with a small Christian minority, while the majority of Indian Punjabis are either [[Sikh]]s or [[Hindu]]s with a [[Muslim]] minority. Punjab is also the birthplace of [[Sikhism]] and the Islamic reform movement [[Ahmadiyya]].<ref name="alislam.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.alislam.org/ |title=IslamAhmadiyya – Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – Al Islam Online – Official Website |publisher=Alislam.org |date=}}</ref>

Following the independence of Pakistan and the subsequent [[Partition of India|partition of British India]], a process of population exchange took place in 1947 as Muslims began to leave [[India]] and headed to the newly created Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs left [[Pakistan]]<ref>.[http://www.cet.edu/earthinfo/sasia/SAhis.html South Asia: British India Partitioned]</ref> for the newly created state of India.<ref>Avari, B. (2007). India: The ancient past. ISBN 978-0-415-35616-9</ref> As a result of these population exchanges, both parts are now relatively homogeneous, where religion is concerned.

;Population trends for major religious groups in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] of [[British Raj|British India]] (1881–1941)<ref name="Religion">{{cite web |url=http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_11_1/6_krishan.pdf |title=Demography of the Punjab (1849-1947) |author=Gopal Krishan |accessdate=15 October 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|- style="text-align: center;"
! Religious group
! Population % '''1881'''
! Population % '''1891'''
! Population % '''1901'''
! Population % '''1911'''<ref group="lower-alpha">Delhi district is made into a separate territory</ref>
! Population % '''1921'''
! Population % '''1931'''
! Population % '''1941'''
|-
! style="background:Green;"| Islam
| 47.6% || 47.8% || 49.6% || 51.1% || 51.1% || 52.4% ||53.2%
|-
! style="background:OrangeRed;"| Hinduism
| 43.8% || 43.6% || 41.3% || 35.8% || 35.1% || 30.2% || 29.1%
|-
! style="background:Orange;"| Sikhism
| 8.2% || 8.2% || 8.6% || 12.1% || 12.4% || 14.3% || 14.9%
|-
! style="background:DodgerBlue;"| Christianity
| 0.1% || 0.2% || 0.3% || 0.8% || 1.3% || 1.5% || 1.5%
|-
! style="background:GreenYellow;"| Other religions / No religion
| 0.3% || 0.2% || 0.2% || 0.2% || 0.1% || 1.6% || 1.3%
|}
{{clear}}

===Punjabi Muslims===
{{See also|Punjabi Muslims}}
[[File:Badshahi Mosque July 1 2005 pic32 by Ali Imran (1).jpg|thumb|upright|Badshahi Masjid - The largest mosque of the Mughal Empire built by emperor [[Aurangzeb]].]] The people of Punjab were mainly Hindus with a Buddhist minority, when the [[Umayyad]] Muslim army led by [[Muhammad bin Qasim]] conquered Punjab and Sindh in 711 AD.

During the reign of [[Mahmud of Ghazni]], non-Muslims paid the [[jaziya]] tax, according to Islamic law.<ref name=Esposito>[[John Esposito|John Louis Esposito]], ''Islam the Straight Path'', Oxford University Press, Jan 15, 1998, p. 34.</ref><ref>Lewis (1984), pp. 10, 20</ref><ref>Ali, Abdullah Yusuf (1991). The Holy Quran. Medina: King Fahd Holy Qur-an Printing Complex, pg. 507</ref> The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Turk [[Ghaznavid Empire]] based out of [[Ghazni]]. The [[Delhi Sultanate]] and later [[Mughal Empire]] ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly [[Muslim]] due to [[missionary]] [[Sufi]] saints whose [[dargah]]s dot the landscape of [[Punjab region]]. The [[Mughals]] controlled the region from 1524 until 1739 and would also lavish some parts of the province with building projects such as the [[Shalimar Gardens (Lahore)|Shalimar Gardens]] and the [[Badshahi Mosque]], both situated in Lahore. The [[Muslim]] establishment in the Punjab occurred over a period of several centuries lasting until towards the end of the [[British Raj]] and the division of the Punjab province between [[Pakistan]] and [[India]] in August, 1947. After the [[Pakistan Movement|independence]] of [[Pakistan]] in 1947, the minority [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s migrated to [[India]] while the [[Muslim]] refugees from [[India]] settled in the Pakistan.<ref>Peers, Gooptu. (2012). India and the British empire (oxford history of the British empire companion). Oxford University Press.</ref><ref>Bryant, G. (2013). The emergence of British power in India, 1600–1784 (worlds of the east India company). BOYE6.</ref> Today [[Muslims]] constitute only 1.53% of [[Punjab, India|Eastern Punjab]] in India as now the majority of Muslims live in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Western Punjab]] in Pakistan.

The vast majority of Pakistan's population are native speakers of the Punjabi language and it is the most spoken language in Pakistan. The majority of Pakistani Punjabis speak the standard Punjabi dialect of [[Majhi dialect|Majhi]], which is considered the Punjabi dialect of the educated class, as well as [[Lahnda]] (including [[Hindko]] and [[Saraiki dialect|Saraiki]] - which are sometimes referred to as an independent languages).

===Punjabi Hindus===
{{See also|Punjabi Hindus}}

In the pre-Islamic era and before the birth of Sikhism, the population of Punjab mainly followed [[Hinduism]]. Today [[Punjabi Hindu]]s are mostly found in [[Punjab, India|Indian Punjab]] and in neighbouring states like [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Delhi]], which together forms a part of the historical greater [[Punjab region]]. Many of the Hindu Punjabis from the Indian capital [[Delhi]] are immigrants and their descendants, from various parts of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Western Pakistani Punjab]]. Some Punjabi Hindus can also be found in the surrounding areas as well as the recent cosmopolitan migrants in other big cities like [[Mumbai]]. There has also been continuous migration of Punjabi Hindus to western countries like USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, European Union, UAE and UK.

The Hindu Punjabis speak different dialects including [[Lahnda]], as well as [[Majhi dialect|Majhi]] (Standard Punjabi) and others like [[Doabi]] and [[Malwi]]. Some still have managed to retain the Punjabi dialects spoken in Western Punjab, but many have also adopted [[Hindi]].

===Punjabi Sikhs===
{{See also|Sikhs}}

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the religion of [[Sikhism]] was born, and during the Mughal period its [[Misl]]s gradually emerged as a formidable military force until assimilated under the expanding [[Sikh Empire]]. After fighting [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], the Sikhs wrested control of the Punjab from his descendants and ruled in a [[Confederation|confederacy]], which later became the Sikh Empire of the Punjab under [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]. A denizen of the city of [[Gujranwala]], the capital of Ranjit Singh's empire was [[Lahore]].<ref>[http://www.heritage.gov.pk/html_Pages/sikh.htm Sikh Period – Government of Pakistan]. Heritage.gov.pk (14 August 1947).</ref> The Sikhs made architectural contributions to the city and the [[Lahore Fort]]. The Sikh empire was the first local power to rule the region since [[Muhammad of Ghor|Muhammed Ghori's]] defeat of [[Prithviraj III|Prithvi Raj Chauhan]] in 1192

===Punjabi Christians===
{{See also|Christianity in Punjab, Pakistan|Christianity in Punjab, India}}
[[File:SadhuSundarSingh.jpg|right|thumb|150px|[[Sadhu Sundar Singh]], an influential Punjabi Christian missionary from [[Ludhiana]] (1889–1929)]]
The death of Maharaja [[Ranjit Singh]] 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. Relationships with neighboring British territories then broke down, starting the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]]; this led to a British official being resident in [[Lahore]] and the annexation of territory south of the [[Sutlej]] to British India.

In 1877, on [[Thomas the Apostle|St. Thomas' Day]] at [[Westminster Abbey]], London, [[Reverend|Rev]] [[Thomas Valpy French]] was appointed the first [[Anglican Bishop]] of [[Lahore]], a large [[diocese]] which included all of the [[Punjab (British India)|Punjab]], then under British colonial rule, and remained so until 1887, during this period he also opened the Divinity College, Lahore in 1870.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A07E2D6173EE73BBC4B52DFB7668383669FDE Churches and Ministers: Home and Foreign Events] [[New York Times]], 13 January 1878.</ref><ref>[http://anglicanhistory.org/india/pk/stock_french/06.html An Heroic Bishop] Chapter VI. His Fourth Pioneer Work: The Lahore Bishopric.</ref><ref>[http://anglicanhistory.org/india/stock_beginnings/11.html Beginnings in India] By Eugene Stock, D.C.L., London: Central Board of Missions and SPCK, 1917.</ref>
Rev [[Thomas Patrick Hughes]] served as a [[Church Missionary Society]] missionary at [[Peshawar]] (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).<ref>[http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/13/1027.htm British Library]. Mundus.ac.uk (18 July 2002).</ref>

[[Missionaries]] accompanied the colonising forces from [[Portugal]], [[France]], [[United States]] and [[Great Britain]]. Christianity was mainly brought by the [[British Raj|British rulers]] of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of [[Karachi]], where the majestic [[Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi|St. Patrick's Cathedral]], Pakistan's largest church stands, and the churches in the city of [[Rawalpindi]], where the British established a major military cantonment.

The total number of Punjabi Christians in Pakistan is approximately 2,800,000 and 300,000 in Indian Punjab. Of these, approximately half are [[Roman Catholic]] and half Protestant. Many of the modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule, however, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from [[Chura]]s. The [[Chura]]s were largely converted to Christianity in [[North India]] during the [[British raj]]. The vast majority were converted from the [[Mazhabi|Mazhabi Sikh]] communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Hindu Churas; under the influence of enthusiastic British army officers and Christian missionaries. Consequently, since the independence they are now divided between [[Pakistani Punjab]] and [[Indian Punjab]]. Large numbers of [[Mazhabi|Mazhabi Sikh]]s were also converted in the [[Moradabad district]] and the [[Bijnor district]]<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and [[Rohilkhand]]: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p183</ref> of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. [[Rohilkhand]] saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into the [[Methodist Church]].<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and Rohilkhand: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p196</ref> Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among the Mazhabi Sikhs and responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions..

== Culture ==
{{Main|Punjabi culture}}
[[File:International border at Wagah - evening flag lowering ceremony.jpg|thumb|250px|right| The evening flag lowering ceremony at the India-Pakistan International Border near Wagah in Punjab.]]
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. The Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjabi people, who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of the culture are vast. Some of the main areas include Punjabi poetry, philosophy, spirituality, artistry, dance, music, cuisine, military weaponry, architecture, languages, traditions, values and history. Historically, the Punjab/Punjabis, in addition to their rural-agrarian lands and culture, have also enjoyed a unique urban cultural development in two great cities, [[Lahore]]<ref>For various notable Punjabis belonging to this venerable city, please also see [[List of families of Lahore]]</ref> and [[Amritsar]].<ref>Ian Talbot, 'Divided Cities: Lahore and Amritsar in the aftermath of Partition', Karachi:OUP, 2006, pp.1–4 ISBN 0-19-547226-8</ref>

===Role of women===
In the traditional Punjabi culture women do wear traditional dresses but work side by side with men in all the fields. Also women in general manage the finances of the household. Moreover, Punjabi women fought in the past along with the men when the time arose. Majority of Punjabi women were considered as warriors upon a time, they excelled in the art of both leadership and war, they are still considered and treated as leaders among many Punjabi tribes. In certain divisions Punjabi philosophy states that Men are raised to be warriors and women are raised to be leaders. [[Mai Bhago]] is a good example in this regard. Punjabi women also have the strong literary tradition. [[Peero Preman]] was the first Punjabi poetess of the mid 18th century [http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/piro/].<ref>Malhotra, Anshu. "Telling her tale? Unravelling a life in conflict in Peero’s Ik Sau Saṭh Kāfiaṅ. (one hundred and sixty kafis)." Indian Economic & Social History Review 46.4 (2009): 541-578.</ref> She was followed by many other women of repute.

===Language===
{{Main|Punjabi language}}

Punjabi is the most spoken language in [[Pakistan]] and eleventh most spoken language in India. According to the [[Ethnologue]] 2005 estimate,<ref name="ReferenceA">Ethnologue. 15th edition (2005).</ref> there are 130 million native speakers of the Punjabi language, which makes it the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. According to the 2008 Census of Pakistan,<ref>According to [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/other_tables/pop_by_mother_tongue.pdf statpak.gov.pk] 44.15% of the Pakistani people are native Punjabi speakers. This gives an approximate number of 76,335,300 Punjabi speakers in Pakistan.</ref> there are approximately 76,335,300 native speakers of Punjabi in Pakistan, and according to the [[Demographics of India#Linguistic demographic2001|Census of India]], there are over 29,102,477 Punjabi speakers in India.<ref>[[Census of India]], 2001</ref> 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<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmhansrd/vo000307/halltext/00307h02.htm "Punjabi Community".] The United Kingdom Parliament.</ref>) and Canada, in which Punjabi has now become the fourth most spoken language after English, French and Chinese, due to the rapid growth of immigrants from Pakistan and India.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Punjabi_is_Canadas_4th_most_top_language/articleshow/2782138.cms "Punjabi is 4th most spoken language in Canada"] ''The Times of India''</ref> There are also sizeable communities in the United States, [[Kenya]], [[Tanzania]], [[Uganda]], [[Persian Gulf]] countries, Hong Kong, [[Malaysia]], Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Punjabis are linguistically and culturally related to the other Indo-Aryan peoples of South Asia. There are an estimated 102 million Punjabi speakers around the world.<ref name="Nationalencyklopedin">Mikael Parkvall, "Världens 100 största språk 2007" (The World's 100 Largest Languages in 2007), in ''[[Nationalencyklopedin]]''. Asterisks mark the [http://www.ne.se/spr%C3%A5k/v%C3%A4rldens-100-st%C3%B6rsta-spr%C3%A5k-2010 2010 estimates] for the top dozen languages.</ref> If regarded as an ethnic group, they are among the world's largest. In South Asia, they are the [[South Asian ethnic groups|second largest ethnic group]] after the Bengali People.

The main language of the Punjabi people is [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and its associated dialects, which differ depending on the region of Punjab the speaker is from; there are notable differences in the [[Lahnda languages]], spoken in the Pakistani Punjab. In the Pakistani Punjab, the vast majority still speak Punjabi, even though the language has no governmental support. In the Indian Punjab, most people speak Punjabi. English is sometimes used, and older people who lived in the undivided Punjab may be able to speak and write in [[Urdu]]. The Punjabi languages have always absorbed numerous loanwords from surrounding areas and provinces (and from English).

===Cuisine===
{{Main|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 the popularity of Punjabi cuisine throughout the world. Punjabi cuisine uses unique spices.<ref>http://www.vahrehvah.com/punjab : Website for the dishes of Punjab</ref>

===Music===
{{main|Music of Punjab|Folk music of Punjab}}
[[Bhangra (music)|Bhangra]] describes dance-oriented popular music with Punjabi rhythms, developed since the 1980s. The name refers to one of the traditional and folkloric Punjabi dances. Thus in bhangra music the emphasis is usually on the music (i.e. rhythm for dancing) and less on the singer and the lyrics. Bhangra music is appreciated all over the globe. [[Sufi music]] and [[Qawali]] are other important genres in Punjab.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pande|first=Alka|title=Folk music & musical instruments of Punjab : from mustard fields to disco lights|year=1999|publisher=Mapin Pub.|location=Ahmedabad [India]|isbn=18-902-0615-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Thinda|first=Karanaila Siṅgha|title=Pañjāba dā loka wirasā|year=1996|publisher=Pabalikeshana Biūro, Pañjābī Yūniwarasiṭī|location=Paṭiālā|isbn=8173802238|edition=New rev.}}</ref>

===Dance===
{{Main|Punjabi dance}}

Owing to the long history of the [[Punjabi culture]] and of the Punjabi people, there are a large number of dances normally performed at times of celebration, the time of festivals known as Melas and the most prominent dances are at Punjabi weddings, where the elation is usually particularly intense. Punjabi dances are performed either by men or by women. The dances range from solo to group dances and also sometimes dances are done along with musical instruments like [[Dhol]], [[Flute]], Supp, Dhumri, Chimta etc. Other common dances that both men and women perform are Karthi, Jindua, and Dandass.<ref>[[Folk dances of Punjab]]</ref>
"Bhangra" dance is the most famous aspect of Punjabi dance tradition. Its popularity has attained a level where a music is produced with the intent of aiding people to carry out this form of dancing.

===Wedding traditions===
{{Main|Punjabi wedding traditions}}

Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are conducted in Punjabi, and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. Many local songs are a part of the wedding and are known as '''boliyan'''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Boliyan book.|year=2010|publisher=Infinity Squared Books|isbn=978-0-9567818-0-2}}</ref> While the actual religious marriage ceremony among Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains may be conducted in Arabic, Punjabi, Sanskrit, by the Kazi, Pandit or Granthi, there are also many commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, make-up 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. Alcohol consumption by the menfolk is part of the tradition amongst Hindu and some Sikh communities that allow it.

===Folk tales===
{{Main|Punjabi folklore}}
The folk tales of Punjab include many stories<ref>[http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/steel/punjab/punjab.html Tales of the Punjab]. Digital.library.upenn.edu.</ref> which are passing through generations and includes folk stories like [[Heer Ranjha]], [[Mirza Sahiban]],<ref>[http://hrisouthasian.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35%3Apeelu-the-first-narrator-of-the-legend-of-mirza-sahiban&catid=6%3Alovelegend&Itemid=13 Peelu: The First Narrator of the Legend of Mirza-SahibaN]. Hrisouthasian.org.</ref> [[Sohni Mahiwal]] etc. to name a few.

===Festivals===
{{Main|Punjabi festivals|Festivals in Lahore}}
[[Vaisakhi]], [[Festivals in Lahore|Jashan-e-Baharan]], [[Basant]], Kanak katai da mela ( Wheat cutting celebrations ) and many more.
The jagrātā, also called jāgā or jāgran, means an all night vigil. This type of vigil is found throughout India and is usually held to worship a deity with song and ritual. The goal is to gain the favor of the Goddess, to obtain some material benefit, or repay her for one already received. The Goddess is invoked by the devotees to pay them a visit at the location of the jagrātā, whether it be in their own homes or communities, in the form of a flame.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Erndl|first1=Kathleen M.|title=Fire and wakefulness: the Devī jagrātā in contemporary Panjabi Hinduism|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion|date=June 1, 1991|pages=339–360|accessdate=2 October 2014}}</ref>

===Traditional dress===
{{Main|Punjabi clothing}}

The Punjabi traditional clothing is very diverse and for various occasions various clothing is chosen. It includes [[Shalwar Kameez]], [[Kurta]], [[Achkan]] and [[Dhoti]] in men while in women there is wide range of clothing but mainly it comprises [[Shalwar Kameez]], [[Patiala salwar]], [[Salwar (Punjabi)|Punjabi suit]], [[Churidar]]s with [[Dupatta]] with traditional Paranda Ghari worn on the hair. Khaddi topi (Embroidered cap) is also worn by some women with dupatta on special occasions. Shalwar Kameez and [[Sherwani]] are for formal occasions and office work while Dhoti is mostly worn by people who are involved in farming throughout Punjab. The shorter version of Dhoti that is unique to Punjab is known as Chatki with close resemblance to [[Kilt]] but use of [[Chatki]] for formal occasions is very very rare and not many people are familiar with Chatkis. [[Jutti|Punjabi Jutti]] and Tillay wali Jutti is a very famous footwear for both men and women in Punjab. In men [[Pagri (turban)]] is also worn as a traditional cap in many occasions. [[Dupatta]] with embroidery of different styles with Matthay da Tikka is also very famous in [[Punjabi culture]].

===Sports===
{{Main|Sports in Punjab}}

Various types of sports are played in Punjab. They are basically divided into outdoor and [[Indoor games and sports|indoor sports]]. Special emphasis is put to develop both the mental and physical capacity while playing sports. That is why recently sports like [[Speed reading]], [[Mental abacus]], historical and IQ tests are arranged as well. Indoor sports are specially famous during the long summer season in Punjab. Also indoor sports are played by children in homes and in schools. [[Gilli-danda]] is vary famous indigenous sports among children along with [[Parcheesi]]. [[Pittu Garam]] is also famous among children. [[Hopscotch|Stapu]] is famous among young girls of Punjab. Also many new games are included with the passage of time. The most notable are [[Carrom]], [[Ludo (board game)]], [[Scrabble]], [[Chess]], [[Draughts]], [[Go (game)|Go]] [[Monopoly (game)|Monopoly]]. The [[Tabletop game]]s games include [[billiards]] and [[snooker]]. [[Backgammon]] locally known as Dimaagi Baazi( Mental game) is famous in some regions as well.

The outdoor sports include [[Pehlwani|Kusti]] (a wrestling sport), [[Kabaddi]], Rasa Kashi (a rope pulling game), Patang (Kite Flying) and Naiza Baazi or Tent pegging (a cavalry sport).[[Gatka]], is also taken as a form of sports, Punjabi's are naturally dominant in sports because of their physical attributes and genetic advantage. Punjab being part of South Asia, the sport of [[cricket]] is very popular. New forms of sports are also being introduced and adopted in particular by the large overseas Punjabis, such as [[Ice hockey]], [[Soccer]], [[Boxing]], [[Mixed martial arts]] as part of the globalization of sports.

==Notable people==
{{Main|List of Punjabis|List of Punjabi poets|List of Punjabi authors|List of Punjabi singers|List of Punjabi language poets}}

==See also==
* [[Dialects of the Punjab]]
* [[Punjabi press]]
* [[Punjabi cuisine]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha|30em}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References and further reading==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* Mohini Gupta, Encyclopaedia of Punjabi Culture & History – Vol. 1 (Window on Punjab) [Hardcover], ISBN 978-81-202-0507-9
* Iqbal Singh Dhillion, Folk Dances of Punjab ISBN 978-81-7116-220-8
* Punjabi Culture: Punjabi Language, Bhangra, Punjabi People, Karva Chauth, Kila Raipur Sports Festival, Lohri, Punjabi Dhabha, ISBN 978-1-157-61392-3
* Kamla C. Aryan, Cultural Heritage of Punjab ISBN 978-81-900002-9-1
* Shafi Aqeel, Popular Folk Tales from the Punjab ISBN 978-0-19-547579-1
* Online Book of Punjabi Folk Tales, https://archive.org/stream/KamalKahanisaeedBhuttaABookOnPunjabiFolktales/KamalKahaniReviewByHassnainGhayoor#page/n0/mode/2up
* Colloquial Panjabi: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series) ISBN 978-0-415-10191-2
* Gilmartin, David. ''Empire and Islam: Punjab and the Making of Pakistan''. Univ of California Press (1988), ISBN 0-520-06249-3.
* Grewal, J.S. and Gordon Johnson. ''The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India)''. Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition (1998), ISBN 0-521-63764-3.
* Latif, Syed. ''History of the Panjab''. Kalyani (1997), ISBN 81-7096-245-5.
* Sekhon, Iqbal S. ''The Punjabis : The People, Their History, Culture and Enterprise''. Delhi, Cosmo, 2000, 3 Vols., ISBN 81-7755-051-9.
* Singh, Gurharpal. ''Ethnic Conflict in India : A Case-Study of Punjab''. Palgrave Macmillan (2000).
* Singh, Gurharpal (Editor) and Ian Talbot (Editor). ''Punjabi Identity: Continuity and Change''. South Asia Books (1996), ISBN 81-7304-117-2.
* Singh, Khushwant. ''A History of the Sikhs – Volume 1''.Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-562643-5
* Steel, Flora Annie. ''Tales of the Punjab : Told by the People (Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints)''. Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition (2002), ISBN 0-19-579789-2.
* Tandon, Prakash and Maurice Zinkin. ''Punjabi Century 1857–1947'', University of California Press (1968), ISBN 0-520-01253-4.
* {{loc}} [http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/32.htm Pakistan], [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html India]
* [http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/5/26 DNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia, BMC Genetics 2004, 5:26]
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=pan Ethnologue Eastern Panjabi]

Punjabis

2016-01-18T15:57:58Z

Dev raj gujjar:

{{Use dmy dates|date=january 2016}}
{{infobox ethnic group|
|group= Punjabis
|native_name=ਪੰਜਾਬੀ पंजाबी {{Lang|pnb|{{Nastaliq|پنجابی}}}}
|image =
{{image array
|perrow=6
| image1 =
Atif-star.jpg
| caption1 = [[Atif Aslam]]
| image2 = Sikh Gurus with Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana.jpg
| caption2 = [[Guru Nanak]]
| image3= BullehShah.jpg
|caption3= [[Bulleh Shah]]
| image4 = RanjitSinghKing.jpg
| caption4 = [[Ranjit Singh]]
| image5 = Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (c. 1897).jpg
| caption5 = [[Mirza Ghulam Ahmad]]
| image6 = Lala Har Dayal Young.jpg
| caption6 = [[Har Dayal]]
| image7 = Lala_lajpat_Rai.jpg| caption7 = [[Lala Lajpat Rai]]
| image8 = Bhagat Singh 1929 140x190.jpg
| caption8= [[Bhagat Singh]]
| image9 = Iqbal.jpg
| caption9= [[Muhammad Iqbal]]
| image10 = Amrita_Pritam_(1919_%E2%80%93_2005)_,_in_1948.jpg
|caption10= [[Amrita Pritam]]
| image11 = Muhammad Zafarullah Khan.jpg
| caption11 = [[Muhammad Zafarullah Khan]]
| image12 = Liaquat_Ali_Khan.jpg| caption12 = [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
| image13 = Abdur Rahman Chughai.jpg| caption13 = [[Abdur Rahman Chughtai]]
| image14 = Ahfaz_with_Faiz_Ahmad_Faiz.jpg | caption14 = [[Faiz Ahmad Faiz|Ahmad Faiz]]
| image15 = Arjan Singh.gif | caption15 = [[Arjan Singh]]
| image16 = Giani_Gurdit_Singh.jpg|caption16= [[Giani Gurdit Singh]]
| image17 = Har Gobind Khorana nobel.jpg | caption17 = [[Har Gobind Khorana]]
| image18 = Raj Kapoor In Aah (1953).png| caption18 = [[Raj Kapoor]]
| image19 = Mohammed Rafi.jpg| caption19 = [[Mohammed Rafi]]
| image20= Abdus_Salam_1987.jpg|caption20= [[Abdus Salam]]
| image21 = Dr._Ishfaq_Ahmad.png| caption21 = [[Ishfaq Ahmad]]
| image22 = Amrish Puri.jpg| caption22 = [[Amrish Puri]]
| image23 = Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan 03 1987 Royal Albert Hall.jpg| caption23 = [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]]
| image24 = Rakesh_sharma.jpg | caption24 = [[Rakesh Sharma]]
| image25 = Shahid_Khan_2015.jpg| caption25 = [[Shahid Khan]]
| image26= Sunil Bharti Mittal World Economic Forum 2013.jpg|caption26= [[Sunil Mittal]]
| image27 = Kapil Dev at Equation sports auction.jpg | caption27 = [[Kapil Dev]]
| image28 = Kalpana Chawla, NASA photo portrait in orange suit.jpg | caption28 = [[Kalpana Chawla]]
| image29 = Akshay Kumar.jpg| caption29= [[Akshay Kumar]]
| image30 = Khali cropped.jpg| caption30 = [[The Great Khali]]
| image31 = Hrithik Rado.jpg| caption31 = [[Hrithik Roshan]]
| image32 = Hina Rabbani Khar, Foreign Minister, Pakistan (cropped).jpg| caption32 = [[Hina Rabbani Khar]]
| image33 = Kareena Kapoor in 2015.jpg| caption33 = [[Kareena Kapoor]]
| image34 = Ayesha Omar at Uth Records Press Conference.jpg| caption34 = [[Ayesha Omer]]
| image35 = Yami Gautam at IIJW 2012.jpg| caption35 = [[Yami Gautam]]
| image36 = Parineeti Chopra at the launch of Pantene's Proof not Promises campaign.jpg| caption36 = [[Parineeti Chopra]]
}}

|population = '''Punjabis''' approx. 140 million<ref group="lower-alpha">Pakistan, Punjab + Indian, Punjab + Diaspora</ref> '''[[Punjabi diaspora]]''' ~10 million<ref>http://apnaorg.com/articles/ishtiaq8/</ref>
|region1={{flag|Pakistan}}
|pop1= 92,531,483 (2011)<ref group="lower-alpha">[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] & [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]</ref><ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-13514-Population-shoots-up-by-47-percent-since-1998</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Ghandi|first=Rajmohan|title=Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten|year=2013|page=1 ("Introduction")|publisher=Aleph Book Company|location=New Delhi, India, Urbana, [[Illinois]]|isbn=978-93-83064-41-0}}</ref>
|ref1=<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html</ref>
|region2={{flag|India}}
|pop2= 44,256,724<ref group="lower-alpha">Indian population includes the total populations ([[2011 Census of India|Census 2011]]) of [[Chandigarh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html 35% of Delhi] and [http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/-punjabis-discriminated-against-in-haryana-/557648/ 38% of Haryana].</ref><ref>http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/pakistan_ethnic_80.jpg</ref><ref>http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf</ref>
|ref2=
|region3={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|pop3=140,000
|ref3=<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=74ZVFb37zuIC&pg=PA20 |title=Desh Pardesh |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers |year=1994 |pages=19–20 |author=Roger Ballard, Marcus Banks |isbn=978-1-85065-091-1}}</ref>
|region4={{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
|pop4=120,000
|region5={{flag|Canada}}
|pop5= 145,730
|ref5=<ref>[http://newseastwest.com/punjabi-second-largest-immigrant-language-spoken-in-canada/ Punjabi second largest immigrant language spoken in Canada – Newseastwest: The Indian diaspora, Bollywood]. Newseastwest (25 October 2012).</ref>
|region6={{flag|United States}}
|pop6= 200,000
|ref6=<ref>http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/population/ancestry_language_spoken_at_home.html</ref>
|region7={{flag|Malaysia}}
|pop7=185,000
|region8={{flag|Australia}}
|pop8=71,228<ref>http://mcnair.com.au/wp-content/uploads/McNair-Ingenuity-Research-In-Language-Media-Consumption-Infographic.pdf</ref>
|region9={{flag|New Zealand}}
|pop9=19,752 (2013)<ref>http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Census/2013%20Census/data-tables/totals-by-topic/totals-by-topic-tables.xls</ref>
|langs= [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] [[Hindi]] and [[Urdu]] as [[Second language]]s
| religions = '''Predominantly:''' [[Islam]] in Pakistan [[Hinduism]] & [[Sikhism]] in India
'''Minorities:''' {{hlist | [[Christianity]] | [[Buddhism]] | [[Jainism]] }}
|related = {{hlist | [[Kashmiris]] | [[Sindhis]] | [[Rajasthanis]]}}
}}

{{Punjabis}}
The '''Punjabis''' ([[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: {{Lang|pnb|{{Nastaliq|پنجابی}}}} ([[Shahmukhi]]), '''ਪੰਜਾਬੀ''' ([[Gurmukhi]]); [[Hindi language|Hindi]]: '''पंजाबी''' ([[Devanagari]])), also spelt '''Panjabis''', are an ethnic group of [[Indo-Aryan peoples]], originating from the [[Punjab region]], found in [[Pakistan]] and northern [[India]]. Punjab literally means the '''land of five waters''' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: panj ("five") āb ("waters").<ref name="Ghandi 2013">{{cite book|last=Ghandi|first=Rajmohan|title=Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten|year=2013|publisher=Aleph Book Company|location=New Delhi, India, Urbana, [[Illinois]]|isbn=978-93-83064-41-0}}</ref> The name of the region was introduced by the [[Turko-Persian]] conquerors<ref>{{cite book|last=Canfield|first=Robert L.|title=Turko-Persia in Historical Perspective|year=1991|page=1 ("Origins")|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=[[Cambridge]], United Kingdom|isbn=0-521-52291-9}}</ref> of [[History of India|India]] and more formally popularized during the [[Mughal Empire]].<ref name="Ghandi 2013"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Shimmel|first=Annemarie|title=The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture|year=2004|publisher=Reaktion Books Ltd.|location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=1-86189-1857}}</ref> Punjab is often referred to as the [[breadbasket]] in both Pakistan and India.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/30/india-election-punjab-idINDEE80S02520120130 | work=Reuters | title=Punjab, bread basket of India, hungers for change | date=January 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://water.columbia.edu/2012/03/07/columbia-water-center-released-new-whitepaper-restoring-groundwater-in-punjab-indias-breadbasket/ |title=Columbia Water Center Released New Whitepaper: "Restoring Groundwater in Punjab, India's Breadbasket" – Columbia Water Center|publisher=Water.columbia.edu |date=2012-03-07 |accessdate=2013-07-12}}</ref> The pinnacle of power for any local Punjabi population came in the later part of the 18th century when the secular<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/IDE822/ |title=Ranjit Singh: A Secular Sikh Sovereign by K.S. Duggal. ''(Date:1989. ISBN 8170172446'') |publisher=Exoticindiaart.com |date=3 September 2015 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref> [[Sikh Empire]] was established by [[Ranjit Singh]], who wrestled control of the [[Kashmir]] valley, [[Ladakh]], along with modern-day [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] and [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and annexed it into greater Punjab region.<ref>http://heritage.gov.pk/html_pages/sikh.htm : Sikh Empire History</ref><ref>http://www.sikharchives.com/?p=7013 : Map of the Sikh Empire</ref>

The coalescence of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] into a broader common "Punjabi" identity initiated from the onset of the 18th century CE. Prior to that the sense and perception of a common "Punjabi" ethno-cultural identity and community did not exist, even though the majority of the various communities of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] had long shared linguistic, cultural and racial commonalities.<ref>{{cite book|last=Malhotra|first=edited by Anshu|title=Punjab reconsidered : history, culture, and practice|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=9780198078012|url=http://global.oup.com/academic/product/punjab-reconsidered-history-culture-and-practice-9780198078012;jsessionid=67C0F3362215BC7FE368DF643C70CA16?cc=de&lang=en&|author2=Mir, Farina }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Ayers|first=Alyssa|title=Language, the Nation, and Symbolic Capital: The Case of Punjab|journal=Journal of Asian Studies|year=2008|volume=67|issue=3|page=pp. 917–46|url=http://alyssaayres.com/pdf/Ayres-JAS-Language-Nation.pdf|doi=10.1017/s0021911808001204}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited and introduced by Pritam Singh and Shinder S.|title=Globalisation and the region : explorations in Punjabi identity|year=1996|publisher=Association for Punjab Studies (UK)|location=Coventry, United Kingdom|isbn=1874699054}}</ref>

Traditionally, Punjabi identity is primarily linguistic, geographical and cultural. Its identity is independent of historical origin or religion, and refers to those who reside in the [[Punjab region]], or associate with its population, and those who consider the [[Punjabi language]] their mother tongue.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited by Pritam Singh, Shinder Singh|title=Punjabi identity in a global context|year=1999|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=019-564-8641|url=http://www.amazon.com/Punjabi-Identity-Global-Context-Pritam/dp/0195648641}}</ref> [[social integration|Integration]] and [[cultural assimilation|assimilation]] are important parts of Punjabi culture, since Punjabi identity is not based solely on tribal connections. More or less all Punjabis share the same cultural background.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Singh|first=Prtiam|title='Globalisation and Punjabi Identity: Resistance, Relocation and Reinvention (Yet Again!)'|journal=Journal of Punjab Studies|year=2012|volume= 19|issue= 2|page=pp. 153–72|url=http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal/v19_2/Singh.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.krysstal.com/langfams_indoeuro.html |title=Languages : Indo-European Family |publisher=Krysstal.com |accessdate=2013-07-12}}</ref>

Historically, the Punjabi people were a [[heterogeneous]] group and were subdivided into a number of clans called ''[[Baradari (brotherhood)|biradari]]'' (literally meaning "brotherhood") or ''[[Punjabi tribes|tribes]]'', with each person bound to a clan. However, Punjabi identity also included those who did not belong to any of the historical tribes. With the passage of time tribal structures are coming to an end and are being replaced with a more cohesive<ref>{{cite journal|last=Albert V.|first=Carron|author2=Lawrence R. Brawley |title=Cohesion: Conceptual and Measurement Issues|journal=http://sgr.sagepub.com/ : Small Group Research|date=December 2012|volume=43|issue= 6|url=http://sgr.sagepub.com/content/43/6/726.full.pdf+html}}</ref> and holistic society. That is why [[community building]] and [[group cohesiveness]]<ref>http://www.oecd.org/dev/pgd/internationalconferenceonsocialcohesionanddevelopment.htm : The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Webpage for Group Cohesiveness</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Mukherjee|first=Protap|author2=Lopamudra Ray Saraswati |title=Levels and Patterns of Social Cohesion and Its Relationship with Development in India: A Woman’s Perspective Approach|journal=Ph.D. Scholars, Centre for the Study of Regional Development School of Social Sciences Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi – 110 067, India|date=Jan 20, 2011|url=http://www.oecd.org/dev/pgd/46839502.pdf}}</ref> form the new pillars of Punjabi society.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thandi|first=edited and introduced by Pritam Singh and Shinder S.|title=Globalisation and the region : explorations in Punjabi identity|year=1996|publisher=Association for Punjab Studies (UK)|location=Coventry, United Kingdom|isbn=1-874699-054|url=http://www.amazon.com/Globalisation-Region-Explorations-Punjabi-Identity/dp/1874699054}}</ref>

==Geographic distribution==
[[File:Punjab map (topographic) with cities.png|thumb|left|The [[Punjab region]], with its rivers. The land of the Punjabi People]]

[[File:Punjab region 3.jpg|thumb|Right|Cultural and historical [[Punjab region]] of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]]]

===Independence and its aftermath===
The 1947 independence of India and Pakistan, and the subsequent partition of Punjab, is considered by historians to be the beginning of the end of the British Empire.<ref>{{Cite book|first=Trevor Owen|last=Lloyd|title=The British Empire 1558–1995|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1996|isbn=0-19-873134-5|url=https://books.google.com/?id=gIBgQgAACAAJ|ref=refLloyd1996|accessdate=22 July 2009}}</ref> Needless to say, it is one of the most significant events in modern history. Furthermore, it is considered to be one of the most significant moments in the history of mankind as well, as [[UNHCR]] estimates 14 million Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims were [[Refugee|displaced]] during the partition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rupture in South Asia| url = http://www.unhcr.org/3ebf9bab0.pdf |publisher=UNHCR| accessdate = 2015-12-23 }}</ref> To date, this is considered the largest [[mass migration]] in human history.<ref>{{cite web|title= The Hidden Story of Partition and its Legacies|author=Dr Crispin Bates |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml|work=BBC|date= 2015-12-23|accessdate=2014-08-16}}</ref>

Until 1947, the province of Punjab was ruled by a coalition constituting of the [[Indian National Congress]], the Sikh-led [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] and the [[Unionist Muslim League]]. However, the growth of Muslim nationalism led to the [[All India Muslim League]] becoming the dominant party in the 1946 elections. As Muslim separatism increased, the opposition from Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs increased substantially. Communal violence on the eve of Indian independence led to the dismissal of the coalition government, although the succeeding League ministry was unable to form a majority. Along with the province of Bengal, Punjab was partitioned on religious lines – the Muslim-majority West becoming part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan, and the Hindu and Sikh East remaining in India. Partition was accompanied by massive violence on both sides, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ahmed|first=Ishtiaq|title=The Punjab bloodied, partitioned and cleansed : unravelling the 1947 tragedy through secret British reports and first-person accounts|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Karachi|isbn=0199064709|url=http://www.amazon.com/The-Punjab-Bloodied-Partitioned-Cleansed/dp/0199064709}}</ref> West Punjab was virtually cleansed of its Hindu and Sikh populations, who were forced to leave for India, while East Punjab and Delhi were virtually cleansed of the Muslim population.

By the 1960s, Indian Punjab underwent reorganisation as Sikh demands for an autonomous state increased. The Hindu-majority areas were formed into the states of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Haryana]] respectively, making Sikhs the majority in the state of Punjab itself. In the 1980s, Sikh separatism combined with popular anger against the [[Indian Army]]'s counter-insurgency operations (especially [[Operation Bluestar]]) led to violence and disorder in Indian Punjab, which only subsided in the 1990s. Political power in Indian Punjab is contested between the secular Congress Party and the Sikh religious party Akali Dal and its allies, the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]. Indian Punjab remains one of the most prosperous of India's states and is considered the "breadbasket of India."

Subsequent to partition, West Punjabis made up a majority of the Pakistani population, and the Punjab province constituted 40% of Pakistan's total land mass. Today, Punjabis continue to be the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, accounting for half of the country's population. They reside predominantly in the province of Punjab, neighbouring [[Azad Kashmir]] in the region of Jammu and Kashmir and in [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]. Punjabis are also found in large communities in the largest city of Pakistan, [[Karachi]], located in the [[Sindh]] province.

Punjabis in India can be found in the states of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], as well as in [[Delhi]] and the [[Union Territory]] of [[Chandigarh]]. Large communities of Punjabis are also found in the [[Jammu]] region of [[Jammu and Kashmir]] and in [[Rajasthan]], [[Uttarakhand]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]. In Delhi,

[[File:Ethnic_Groups_by_Region.jpg|thumb|left|Ethnic groups in Pakistan by region.]]

===Pakistani Punjabis===
Punjabis make up about half of the population of Pakistan. The Punjabis found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris. 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. Some zamindars are further divided into groups such as the [[Mughal tribe|Mughal]]s, [[Punjabi Rajput|Rajput]]s, [[Muslim Jats|Jat]]s, [[Punjabi Shaikh|Shaikhs]] or (Muslim [[Khatri]]), [[Gujjar]]s, [[Awan (Pakistan)|Awans]], [[Arain]]s, [[Malik]], [[Gakhars]], [[Dogar]]s and [[Mian Rehmani]]. People from neighbouring regions, such as [[Kashmiri Muslims|Kashmiris]], [[Punjabi Pathan|Pashtun]] and [[Punjabi Baloch|Baluch]], also form important elements in the Punjabi population. Major Moeen groups include the [[Lohar]], [[Khateek]], [[Rawal]], [[Chhimba Darzi]], [[Muslim Teli|Teli]], [[Qassab]], [[Mallaah]], [[Dhobi]], Muslim [[Sunar]]s, [[Mirasi]], who are associated with a particular crafts or occupation.<ref>''Muslim Peoples: A World Ethnographic Survey'' Richard V. Weekes, editor-in-chief Greenwood Press 1978</ref>

Punjabi people have traditionally and historically been farmers and soldiers,{{citation needed|date=June 2012}} 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.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}} Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Islamic [[Sunni]]-[[Shi'a Islam|Shia]] population with [[Ahmadiyya]] and Christian minority. A variety of related sub-groups exist in Pakistan and are often considered by many Pakistani Punjabis to be simply regional Punjabis including the [[Seraiki people|Seraikis]] (who overlap and are often considered transitional with the [[Sindhi people|Sindhis]]).

The recent definition of Punjabi people, in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Pakistani Punjab]], is not based on [[Race (classification of humans)|racial classification]], [[Common descent|common ancestry]] or [[endogamy]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Brian Schwimmer |url=http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~anthrop/tutor/marriage/endogamy.html |title=Endogamy |publisher=Home.cc.umanitoba.ca |date=}}</ref> but based on geographical and cultural basis and thus makes it a unique definition. In Pakistani Punjab, there is not a great emphasis on a single dialect of the language and Pakistani Punjabis speak many distinct [[Punjabi dialects|dialects]],<ref>[http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/dialectterm.htm dialect – definition and examples of dialects in linguistics]. Grammar.about.com (15 July 2013).</ref><ref>[http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=95&menu=004 UCLA Language Materials Project: Language Profile]. Lmp.ucla.edu.</ref> which include [[Hindko]], [[Saraiki language|Seraiki]], [[Potwari language|Potohari or Pahari]] and still identify themselves as Punjabis. People from a few provinces of [[Pakistan]] have made Punjab their home in recent times and now their consecutive generations identify themselves as Punjabis. The largest community to assimilate in Punjabi culture and now identify themselves as Punjabis are [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiris]] which include noted personalities like [[Nawaz Sharif]], [[Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad|Sheikh Rasheed]], [[Hamid Mir]] and the most noted poet [[Muhammad Iqbal]], to name a few. The second largest community after Kashmiris are people of India, who identify themselves as Punjabis. The other communities to assimilate in Punjabis include [[Baloch people|Baloch]] who can be found throughout Punjab, and [[Balti people|Baltis]]. The welcoming nature of Punjab have led to successful integration of almost all ethnic groups in Punjab over time. The [[Urdu]], Punjabi and other language speakers who arrived in Punjab in 1947<ref>[http://bintphotobooks.blogspot.de/2011/04/great-migration-india-pakistan-1947.html Bint photoBooks on INTernet: The Great Migration India Pakistan 1947 Life Magazine Margaret Bourke-White Sunil Janah Photojournalism Photography]. Bintphotobooks.blogspot.de (11 April 2011).</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn9ZwI9zqu4 Migration on India-Pakistan Partition of Punjab]. YouTube (25 January 2011).</ref> have now assimilated and their second and third generations identify themselves as Punjabis even though it is not the same in [[Sindh]] Pakistan where they form distinct ethnic groups.

===Indian Punjabis===

The Punjabi-speaking people make 2.83% of India's population as of 2001. The total number of Indian Punjabis is unknown due to the fact that ethnicity is not recorded in the [[Census of India]]. The Sikhs are largely concentrated in the modern-day state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] forming 58% of the population with Hindus forming 38%.<ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Census-2011-age-of-Sikhs-drops-in-Punjab-migration-to-blame/articleshow/48689317.cms</ref> In [[Haryana]], Hindus form 87% of the population with Muslims at 7% and Sikhs at 5%. In Himachal Pradesh, Hindus constitute 95% of the population with Muslims at 2% at Sikhs and Buddhists at 1% each. Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 35% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly [[Hindi]]-speaking [[Punjabi Hindus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.indiatvnews.com/politics/national/delhi-assembly-elections-2015-important-facts-and-stakeholders-25298.html|title=Delhi Assembly Elections 2015: Important Facts And Major Stakeholders Mobile Site|author=indiatvnews|date=6 February 2015|work=India TV News|accessdate=7 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/mobi/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html|title=Why Punjabis are central to Delhi election|author=Jupinderjit Singh|date=|work=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/why-punjabis-are-central-to-delhi-election/36387.html|accessdate=7 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="Sanjay2008"/> Muslims in Delhi are 13% of the population. In [[Chandigarh]], 80.78% people of the population are Hindus, 13.11% are Sikhs, 4.87% are Muslims and minorities are Christians, Buddhists and Jains.<ref>http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW04C-01%20MDDS.XLS</ref>

Like the Punjabi Muslim society, these various [[caste system in India|castes]] are associated with particular occupations or crafts.

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]] and [[Qadian]] , 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, India|Faridkot]], [[Kapurthala]] and [[Kalsia]].

The Indian censuses record the native languages, but not the descent of the citizens. Linguistic data cannot accurately predict ethnicity: for example, Punjabis make up a large portion of Delhi's population but many descendants of the [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] [[Hindu]] refugees who came to Delhi following the [[partition of India]] now speak Hindi natively. Thus, there is no concrete official data on the [[Ethnic groups in Delhi|ethnic makeup of Delhi]] and other Indian states.<ref name="Sanjay2008">{{cite book | author=Sanjay Yadav | title=The Invasion of Delhi | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CTBBL1q5C_EC&pg=PA10 | year=2008 | publisher=Worldwide Books | isbn=978-81-88054-00-8 }}</ref>{{rp|8–10}}

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 in their songs and dialogue as well as traditional dances such as [[Bhangra (dance)|bhangra]]. Bollywood has been dominated by Punjabi artists including [[Raj Kapoor]], [[Dev Anand]], [[Vinod Khanna]], [[Dharmendra]], [[Shammi Kapoor]], [[Rishi Kapoor]], [[Navalpreet Rangi]], [[Akshay Kumar]] and [[Kareena Kapoor]]. Punjabi Prime Ministers of India include [[Gulzarilal Nanda]], [[Inder Kumar Gujral]] and Dr. [[Manmohan Singh]]. There 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]] [[Virat Kohli]], and [[Yograj Singh]].

===Emigration & Diaspora===
{{Main|Punjabi diaspora}}
[[File:Punjabi Speaking World.png|thumb|right|380px|Punjabis around the world]]
The Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers to many parts of the world. In the early 20th century, many Punjabis began settling in the United States, including independence activists who formed the [[Ghadar Party]]. The United Kingdom has a significant number of Punjabis from both Pakistan and India as does Canada (specifically [[Vancouver]] and [[Toronto]]) and the United States, (specifically California's [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]]). In the 1970s, a large wave of emigration of Punjabis (predominately from Pakistan) began to the Middle East, in places such as the [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Kuwait]]. There are also large communities in East Africa including the countries of [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]] and [[Tanzania]]. Punjabis have also emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia including [[Malaysia]], [[Thailand]], Singapore and Hong Kong.

==History of Punjab==
{{Main|History of Punjab}}
[[File:Surrender of Porus to the Emperor Alexander.jpg|right||thumb|upright|One of the first known kings of ancient Punjab, [[King Porus]] who fought with Alexander]]
Indigenous population flourished in this region, near the gateways to other continents, leading to a developed civilization in 5th to 4th millennium BC,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/pakistan/taxila/index.php |title=Taxila, Pakistan: Traditional and Historical Architecture |publisher=Orientalarchitecture.com |date=}}</ref> the ancient [[Indus Valley Civilization]]. Also [[Buddhism]] remnants have been found like [[Mankiala]] which corroborate the Buddhist background of this region as well.

The remains of the ancient Indo-Aryan city of [[Taxila]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Jona Lendering |url=http://www.livius.org/ta-td/taxila/taxila.htm |title=Taxila |publisher=Livius.org |date=28 May 2008}}</ref> and many ornaments that have been found in this region,suggests that,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html |title=Indus Valley Civilization |publisher=Harappa.com |date=1 February 2010}}</ref> one of the centers of [[Indus Valley Civilization]] was established at many parts of Punjab most notably were [[Taxila]] and [[Harappa]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harappa.com/ |title=The Ancient Indus Valley and the British Raj in India and Pakistan |publisher=Harappa.com |date=}}</ref> [[Punjab region|Punjab]] became a center of early civilisation from around 3300 BC. According to Historians this region was ruled by many small kingdoms and tribes around 4th and 5th BC. The earliest known notable local king of this region was known as '''[[King Porus]]'''<ref name="livius.org">{{cite web|author=Jona Lendering |url=http://www.livius.org/pn-po/porus/porus.htm |title=Porus |publisher=Livius.org |date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.padfield.com/1993/alex.html |title=Alexander The Great in India at Jhelum with Porus, the Indian rajah |publisher=Padfield.com |date=}}</ref> and he fought a famous [[Battle of the Hydaspes]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theartofbattle.com/battle-of-hydaspes-river-326-bc.htm |title=Battle of Hydaspes River, 326 BC |publisher=The Art of Battle |date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=__start__ |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuxjoGJZmKQ |title=Battle of Hydaspes ( Jhelum Punjab)_Alexander vs Porus ( Local King in Punjab, Former North India) |publisher=YouTube |date=4 April 2012}}</ref> against Alexander. His kingdom, known as '''[[Pauravas]]''', was situated between Hydaspes (modern [[Jhelum]] and Acesines (modern day [[Chenab]]).<ref name="livius.org"/> These kings fought local battles to gain more ground.[[Taxiles]] or '''[[Taxiles|Omphis]]''' another local North Indian king, wanted to defeat his eastern adversary [[King Porus|Porus]] in a turf war and he invited [[Alexander the great]] to defeat Porus. This marked the first intrusion of the West in the Indian subcontinent and North India in general. But such was the valor of Porus and his kingdom forces in Punjab, that despite being defeated, he was appreciated by [[Alexander the Great]] for his skill and valor and he was granted further territories in the North.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html |title=Alexander the Great (Alexander of Macedon) Biography |publisher=Historyofmacedonia.org |date=}}</ref> The other Indian kings did not like the fact that Porus was now an ally of Western forces. In less than ten years another Indian king '''[[Chandragupta Maurya]]'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wildfiregames.com/0ad/page.php?p=8542 |title=Biographies: Chandragupta Maurya :: 0 A.D. |publisher=Wildfire Games |date=}}</ref> defeated the forces and conquered the Northern Indian regions up to the Kabul river (in modern-day [[Afghanistan]]). Alexander mostly ruled this land with the help of local allies like [[King Porus|Porus]].<ref name="Kivisild et al. 2003">{{Harvcoltxt|Kivisild et al.|2003}}</ref>

Centuries later, areas of the Punjab region were ruled by local kings followed by the [[Ghaznavids]], [[Ghurids]], [[Mughals]], and others. Islam arrived in Punjab when the [[Muslim]] [[Umayyad]] army led by [[Muhammad bin Qasim]] conquered Sindh in 711 AD, by defeating [[Raja Dahir]]. Some of the Muslims are said to have settled in the region and adopted the local culture. Centuries later, the Ghaznavids introduced aspects of foreign Persian and Turkic culture in Punjab.

[[File:IVC-major-sites-2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Map showing the sites and extent of the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]]. [[Harappa]] was the center of one of the core regions of the Indus Valley Civilization, located in central [[Punjab region|Punjab]]. The [[Harappan architecture]] and Harrapan Civilization was one of the most developed in the old [[Bronze Age]].]]

The earliest written Punjabi dates back to the writing of [[Sufi]] Muslim poets of the 11th Century. Its literature spread Punjab's unique voice of peace and spirituality to the entire civilization of the region.

Regions of North India and Punjab were annexed into the Afghan [[Durrani Empire]] later on in 1747, being a vulnerable target.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.nl/books?id=aZk9XzqCFGUC&pg=PA69&dq=durrani+empire+conquers+punjab&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=kmKVVIHcD8mqU6KwgZAD&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=durrani%20empire%20conquers%20punjab&f=false|title=The History of Afghanistan|accessdate=7 March 2015}}</ref> But Afghan rule in Punjab was very short lived as many local tribal people like [[Gakhars]] fought against Afghan rule and took the lands back. The grandson of Ahmed Shah Durrani ([[Zaman Shah Durrani]]), lost it to [[Ranjit Singh]], a Punjabi Sikh. He was born in 1780 to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur in [[Gujranwala]], Punjab. Ranjit took a leading role in organising a Sikh militia and got control of the Punjab region from Zaman Shah Durrani. Ranjit started a Punjabi military expedition to expand his territory.<ref>{{cite web|author=Category: The Sikh Empire [1799 – 1839] |url=http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/the-sikh-empire-1799-1839/army-of-maharaja-ranjit-singh |title=ARMY OF MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH – The Sikh Empire [1799 – 1839] |publisher=Thesikhencyclopedia.com |date=14 April 2012}}</ref> Under his command the Sikh army began invading neighboring territories outside of Punjab. The [[Jamrud Fort]] at the entry of [[Khyber Pass]] was built by Ranjit Singh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.softserv-intl.com/oldPakistan/photos/photo6.html |title=Jamrud Fort 1870 |publisher=Softserv-intl.com |date=}}</ref> The Sikh Empire slowly began to weaken after the death of [[Hari Singh Nalwa]] at the [[Battle of Jamrud]] in 1837. Two years later, in 1839, Ranjit Singh died and his son took over control of the empire. By 1850 the [[Company rule in India|British]] took over control of the Punjab region after defeating the Sikhs in the [[Anglo-Sikh wars]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefirstanglosikhwar.com/ |title=thefirstanglosikhwar.com |publisher=thefirstanglosikhwar.com |date=}}</ref><ref>http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/postgurus/Sikh%20Wars/sikhwars.htm</ref> establishing their rule over the region for around the next 100 years as a part of the [[British Raj]]. Many Sikhs and Punjabis later pledged their allegiance to the British, serving as servants or sepoys (native soldiers) within the Raj.

==Religions==
{{Main|Sikhism|Sufism}}
People of Punjab remained tolerant throughout the history and that is why many different religious ideologies were tolerated there despite some uproar by some religious extremists. The region of Punjab is the birthplace of one monotheistic [[religion]] that is known as [[Sikhism]].<ref>http://www.sikhs.org/summary.htm : Sikh Religious Philosophy</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ : BBC Report about the Sikh Religion</ref> Also many well known followers of [[Sufism]]<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/subdivisions/sufism_1.shtml : BBC report about Sufism</ref> were born in Punjab.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaur|first=edited by Surinder Singh, Ishwar Dayal|title=Sufism in Punjab : mystics, literature, and shrines|year=2009|publisher=Aakar Books|location=Delhi|isbn=8189833936|url=http://www.amazon.com/Sufism-Punjab-Mystics-Literatures-Shrines/dp/8189833936}}</ref>

{{bar box|width = 300px
|barwidth = 250px |cellpadding="0"
|title=Religion in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] (1941 [[Census of India]])<ref name="Religion"/>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|#009000|53.2}}
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|#FF6600|29.1}}
{{bar percent|[[Sikhism]]|#FFFF00|14.9}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|#9955BB|1.5}}
{{bar percent|Others|#808080|1.3}}}}

Due to religious tensions, emigration between Punjabi people started far before the partition and dependable records.<ref>Jones. (2006). Socio-religious reform movements in British India ([[The New Cambridge History of India]]). Cambridge University Press</ref><ref>Jones, R. (2007). The great uprising in India, 1857–58: Untold stories, Indian and British (worlds of the east India company). Boydell Press.</ref> Shortly prior to the Partition of [[British India]], Punjab had a slight majority [[Muslim]] population at about 53.2% in 1941, which was an increase from the previous years.<ref>http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_11_1/6_krishan.pdf</ref> With the division of Punjab and the subsequent independence of Pakistan and later India, mass migrations of [[Muslims]] from Indian Punjab to Pakistan, and those of [[Sikhs]] and [[Hindus]] from [[Pakistan]] to Indian Punjab occurred.
Today, the majority of Pakistani Punjabis follow [[Islam]] with a small Christian minority, while the majority of Indian Punjabis are either [[Sikh]]s or [[Hindu]]s with a [[Muslim]] minority. Punjab is also the birthplace of [[Sikhism]] and the Islamic reform movement [[Ahmadiyya]].<ref name="alislam.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.alislam.org/ |title=IslamAhmadiyya – Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – Al Islam Online – Official Website |publisher=Alislam.org |date=}}</ref>

Following the independence of Pakistan and the subsequent [[Partition of India|partition of British India]], a process of population exchange took place in 1947 as Muslims began to leave [[India]] and headed to the newly created Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs left [[Pakistan]]<ref>.[http://www.cet.edu/earthinfo/sasia/SAhis.html South Asia: British India Partitioned]</ref> for the newly created state of India.<ref>Avari, B. (2007). India: The ancient past. ISBN 978-0-415-35616-9</ref> As a result of these population exchanges, both parts are now relatively homogeneous, where religion is concerned.

;Population trends for major religious groups in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] of [[British Raj|British India]] (1881–1941)<ref name="Religion">{{cite web |url=http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_11_1/6_krishan.pdf |title=Demography of the Punjab (1849-1947) |author=Gopal Krishan |accessdate=15 October 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|- style="text-align: center;"
! Religious group
! Population % '''1881'''
! Population % '''1891'''
! Population % '''1901'''
! Population % '''1911'''<ref group="lower-alpha">Delhi district is made into a separate territory</ref>
! Population % '''1921'''
! Population % '''1931'''
! Population % '''1941'''
|-
! style="background:Green;"| Islam
| 47.6% || 47.8% || 49.6% || 51.1% || 51.1% || 52.4% ||53.2%
|-
! style="background:OrangeRed;"| Hinduism
| 43.8% || 43.6% || 41.3% || 35.8% || 35.1% || 30.2% || 29.1%
|-
! style="background:Orange;"| Sikhism
| 8.2% || 8.2% || 8.6% || 12.1% || 12.4% || 14.3% || 14.9%
|-
! style="background:DodgerBlue;"| Christianity
| 0.1% || 0.2% || 0.3% || 0.8% || 1.3% || 1.5% || 1.5%
|-
! style="background:GreenYellow;"| Other religions / No religion
| 0.3% || 0.2% || 0.2% || 0.2% || 0.1% || 1.6% || 1.3%
|}
{{clear}}

===Punjabi Muslims===
{{See also|Punjabi Muslims}}
[[File:Badshahi Mosque July 1 2005 pic32 by Ali Imran (1).jpg|thumb|upright|Badshahi Masjid - The largest mosque of the Mughal Empire built by emperor [[Aurangzeb]].]] The people of Punjab were mainly Hindus with a Buddhist minority, when the [[Umayyad]] Muslim army led by [[Muhammad bin Qasim]] conquered Punjab and Sindh in 711 AD.

During the reign of [[Mahmud of Ghazni]], non-Muslims paid the [[jaziya]] tax, according to Islamic law.<ref name=Esposito>[[John Esposito|John Louis Esposito]], ''Islam the Straight Path'', Oxford University Press, Jan 15, 1998, p. 34.</ref><ref>Lewis (1984), pp. 10, 20</ref><ref>Ali, Abdullah Yusuf (1991). The Holy Quran. Medina: King Fahd Holy Qur-an Printing Complex, pg. 507</ref> The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Turk [[Ghaznavid Empire]] based out of [[Ghazni]]. The [[Delhi Sultanate]] and later [[Mughal Empire]] ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly [[Muslim]] due to [[missionary]] [[Sufi]] saints whose [[dargah]]s dot the landscape of [[Punjab region]]. The [[Mughals]] controlled the region from 1524 until 1739 and would also lavish some parts of the province with building projects such as the [[Shalimar Gardens (Lahore)|Shalimar Gardens]] and the [[Badshahi Mosque]], both situated in Lahore. The [[Muslim]] establishment in the Punjab occurred over a period of several centuries lasting until towards the end of the [[British Raj]] and the division of the Punjab province between [[Pakistan]] and [[India]] in August, 1947. After the [[Pakistan Movement|independence]] of [[Pakistan]] in 1947, the minority [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s migrated to [[India]] while the [[Muslim]] refugees from [[India]] settled in the Pakistan.<ref>Peers, Gooptu. (2012). India and the British empire (oxford history of the British empire companion). Oxford University Press.</ref><ref>Bryant, G. (2013). The emergence of British power in India, 1600–1784 (worlds of the east India company). BOYE6.</ref> Today [[Muslims]] constitute only 1.53% of [[Punjab, India|Eastern Punjab]] in India as now the majority of Muslims live in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Western Punjab]] in Pakistan.

The vast majority of Pakistan's population are native speakers of the Punjabi language and it is the most spoken language in Pakistan. The majority of Pakistani Punjabis speak the standard Punjabi dialect of [[Majhi dialect|Majhi]], which is considered the Punjabi dialect of the educated class, as well as [[Lahnda]] (including [[Hindko]] and [[Saraiki dialect|Saraiki]] - which are sometimes referred to as an independent languages).

===Punjabi Hindus===
{{See also|Punjabi Hindus}}

In the pre-Islamic era and before the birth of Sikhism, the population of Punjab mainly followed [[Hinduism]]. Today [[Punjabi Hindu]]s are mostly found in [[Punjab, India|Indian Punjab]] and in neighbouring states like [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Delhi]], which together forms a part of the historical greater [[Punjab region]]. Many of the Hindu Punjabis from the Indian capital [[Delhi]] are immigrants and their descendants, from various parts of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Western Pakistani Punjab]]. Some Punjabi Hindus can also be found in the surrounding areas as well as the recent cosmopolitan migrants in other big cities like [[Mumbai]]. There has also been continuous migration of Punjabi Hindus to western countries like USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, European Union, UAE and UK.

The Hindu Punjabis speak different dialects including [[Lahnda]], as well as [[Majhi dialect|Majhi]] (Standard Punjabi) and others like [[Doabi]] and [[Malwi]]. Some still have managed to retain the Punjabi dialects spoken in Western Punjab, but many have also adopted [[Hindi]].

===Punjabi Sikhs===
{{See also|Sikhs}}

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the religion of [[Sikhism]] was born, and during the Mughal period its [[Misl]]s gradually emerged as a formidable military force until assimilated under the expanding [[Sikh Empire]]. After fighting [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], the Sikhs wrested control of the Punjab from his descendants and ruled in a [[Confederation|confederacy]], which later became the Sikh Empire of the Punjab under [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]. A denizen of the city of [[Gujranwala]], the capital of Ranjit Singh's empire was [[Lahore]].<ref>[http://www.heritage.gov.pk/html_Pages/sikh.htm Sikh Period – Government of Pakistan]. Heritage.gov.pk (14 August 1947).</ref> The Sikhs made architectural contributions to the city and the [[Lahore Fort]]. The Sikh empire was the first local power to rule the region since [[Muhammad of Ghor|Muhammed Ghori's]] defeat of [[Prithviraj III|Prithvi Raj Chauhan]] in 1192

===Punjabi Christians===
{{See also|Christianity in Punjab, Pakistan|Christianity in Punjab, India}}
[[File:SadhuSundarSingh.jpg|right|thumb|150px|[[Sadhu Sundar Singh]], an influential Punjabi Christian missionary from [[Ludhiana]] (1889–1929)]]
The death of Maharaja [[Ranjit Singh]] 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. Relationships with neighboring British territories then broke down, starting the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]]; this led to a British official being resident in [[Lahore]] and the annexation of territory south of the [[Sutlej]] to British India.

In 1877, on [[Thomas the Apostle|St. Thomas' Day]] at [[Westminster Abbey]], London, [[Reverend|Rev]] [[Thomas Valpy French]] was appointed the first [[Anglican Bishop]] of [[Lahore]], a large [[diocese]] which included all of the [[Punjab (British India)|Punjab]], then under British colonial rule, and remained so until 1887, during this period he also opened the Divinity College, Lahore in 1870.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A07E2D6173EE73BBC4B52DFB7668383669FDE Churches and Ministers: Home and Foreign Events] [[New York Times]], 13 January 1878.</ref><ref>[http://anglicanhistory.org/india/pk/stock_french/06.html An Heroic Bishop] Chapter VI. His Fourth Pioneer Work: The Lahore Bishopric.</ref><ref>[http://anglicanhistory.org/india/stock_beginnings/11.html Beginnings in India] By Eugene Stock, D.C.L., London: Central Board of Missions and SPCK, 1917.</ref>
Rev [[Thomas Patrick Hughes]] served as a [[Church Missionary Society]] missionary at [[Peshawar]] (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).<ref>[http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/13/1027.htm British Library]. Mundus.ac.uk (18 July 2002).</ref>

[[Missionaries]] accompanied the colonising forces from [[Portugal]], [[France]], [[United States]] and [[Great Britain]]. Christianity was mainly brought by the [[British Raj|British rulers]] of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of [[Karachi]], where the majestic [[Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi|St. Patrick's Cathedral]], Pakistan's largest church stands, and the churches in the city of [[Rawalpindi]], where the British established a major military cantonment.

The total number of Punjabi Christians in Pakistan is approximately 2,800,000 and 300,000 in Indian Punjab. Of these, approximately half are [[Roman Catholic]] and half Protestant. Many of the modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule, however, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from [[Chura]]s. The [[Chura]]s were largely converted to Christianity in [[North India]] during the [[British raj]]. The vast majority were converted from the [[Mazhabi|Mazhabi Sikh]] communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Hindu Churas; under the influence of enthusiastic British army officers and Christian missionaries. Consequently, since the independence they are now divided between [[Pakistani Punjab]] and [[Indian Punjab]]. Large numbers of [[Mazhabi|Mazhabi Sikh]]s were also converted in the [[Moradabad district]] and the [[Bijnor district]]<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and [[Rohilkhand]]: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p183</ref> of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. [[Rohilkhand]] saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into the [[Methodist Church]].<ref>Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and Rohilkhand: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p196</ref> Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among the Mazhabi Sikhs and responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions..

== Culture ==
{{Main|Punjabi culture}}
[[File:International border at Wagah - evening flag lowering ceremony.jpg|thumb|250px|right| The evening flag lowering ceremony at the India-Pakistan International Border near Wagah in Punjab.]]
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. The Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjabi people, who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of the culture are vast. Some of the main areas include Punjabi poetry, philosophy, spirituality, artistry, dance, music, cuisine, military weaponry, architecture, languages, traditions, values and history. Historically, the Punjab/Punjabis, in addition to their rural-agrarian lands and culture, have also enjoyed a unique urban cultural development in two great cities, [[Lahore]]<ref>For various notable Punjabis belonging to this venerable city, please also see [[List of families of Lahore]]</ref> and [[Amritsar]].<ref>Ian Talbot, 'Divided Cities: Lahore and Amritsar in the aftermath of Partition', Karachi:OUP, 2006, pp.1–4 ISBN 0-19-547226-8</ref>

===Role of women===
In the traditional Punjabi culture women do wear traditional dresses but work side by side with men in all the fields. Also women in general manage the finances of the household. Moreover, Punjabi women fought in the past along with the men when the time arose. Majority of Punjabi women were considered as warriors upon a time, they excelled in the art of both leadership and war, they are still considered and treated as leaders among many Punjabi tribes. In certain divisions Punjabi philosophy states that Men are raised to be warriors and women are raised to be leaders. [[Mai Bhago]] is a good example in this regard. Punjabi women also have the strong literary tradition. [[Peero Preman]] was the first Punjabi poetess of the mid 18th century [http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/piro/].<ref>Malhotra, Anshu. "Telling her tale? Unravelling a life in conflict in Peero’s Ik Sau Saṭh Kāfiaṅ. (one hundred and sixty kafis)." Indian Economic & Social History Review 46.4 (2009): 541-578.</ref> She was followed by many other women of repute.

===Language===
{{Main|Punjabi language}}

Punjabi is the most spoken language in [[Pakistan]] and eleventh most spoken language in India. According to the [[Ethnologue]] 2005 estimate,<ref name="ReferenceA">Ethnologue. 15th edition (2005).</ref> there are 130 million native speakers of the Punjabi language, which makes it the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. According to the 2008 Census of Pakistan,<ref>According to [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/other_tables/pop_by_mother_tongue.pdf statpak.gov.pk] 44.15% of the Pakistani people are native Punjabi speakers. This gives an approximate number of 76,335,300 Punjabi speakers in Pakistan.</ref> there are approximately 76,335,300 native speakers of Punjabi in Pakistan, and according to the [[Demographics of India#Linguistic demographic2001|Census of India]], there are over 29,102,477 Punjabi speakers in India.<ref>[[Census of India]], 2001</ref> 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<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmhansrd/vo000307/halltext/00307h02.htm "Punjabi Community".] The United Kingdom Parliament.</ref>) and Canada, in which Punjabi has now become the fourth most spoken language after English, French and Chinese, due to the rapid growth of immigrants from Pakistan and India.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Punjabi_is_Canadas_4th_most_top_language/articleshow/2782138.cms "Punjabi is 4th most spoken language in Canada"] ''The Times of India''</ref> There are also sizeable communities in the United States, [[Kenya]], [[Tanzania]], [[Uganda]], [[Persian Gulf]] countries, Hong Kong, [[Malaysia]], Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Punjabis are linguistically and culturally related to the other Indo-Aryan peoples of South Asia. There are an estimated 102 million Punjabi speakers around the world.<ref name="Nationalencyklopedin">Mikael Parkvall, "Världens 100 största språk 2007" (The World's 100 Largest Languages in 2007), in ''[[Nationalencyklopedin]]''. Asterisks mark the [http://www.ne.se/spr%C3%A5k/v%C3%A4rldens-100-st%C3%B6rsta-spr%C3%A5k-2010 2010 estimates] for the top dozen languages.</ref> If regarded as an ethnic group, they are among the world's largest. In South Asia, they are the [[South Asian ethnic groups|second largest ethnic group]] after the Bengali People.

The main language of the Punjabi people is [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and its associated dialects, which differ depending on the region of Punjab the speaker is from; there are notable differences in the [[Lahnda languages]], spoken in the Pakistani Punjab. In the Pakistani Punjab, the vast majority still speak Punjabi, even though the language has no governmental support. In the Indian Punjab, most people speak Punjabi. English is sometimes used, and older people who lived in the undivided Punjab may be able to speak and write in [[Urdu]]. The Punjabi languages have always absorbed numerous loanwords from surrounding areas and provinces (and from English).

===Cuisine===
{{Main|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 the popularity of Punjabi cuisine throughout the world. Punjabi cuisine uses unique spices.<ref>http://www.vahrehvah.com/punjab : Website for the dishes of Punjab</ref>

===Music===
{{main|Music of Punjab|Folk music of Punjab}}
[[Bhangra (music)|Bhangra]] describes dance-oriented popular music with Punjabi rhythms, developed since the 1980s. The name refers to one of the traditional and folkloric Punjabi dances. Thus in bhangra music the emphasis is usually on the music (i.e. rhythm for dancing) and less on the singer and the lyrics. Bhangra music is appreciated all over the globe. [[Sufi music]] and [[Qawali]] are other important genres in Punjab.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pande|first=Alka|title=Folk music & musical instruments of Punjab : from mustard fields to disco lights|year=1999|publisher=Mapin Pub.|location=Ahmedabad [India]|isbn=18-902-0615-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Thinda|first=Karanaila Siṅgha|title=Pañjāba dā loka wirasā|year=1996|publisher=Pabalikeshana Biūro, Pañjābī Yūniwarasiṭī|location=Paṭiālā|isbn=8173802238|edition=New rev.}}</ref>

===Dance===
{{Main|Punjabi dance}}

Owing to the long history of the [[Punjabi culture]] and of the Punjabi people, there are a large number of dances normally performed at times of celebration, the time of festivals known as Melas and the most prominent dances are at Punjabi weddings, where the elation is usually particularly intense. Punjabi dances are performed either by men or by women. The dances range from solo to group dances and also sometimes dances are done along with musical instruments like [[Dhol]], [[Flute]], Supp, Dhumri, Chimta etc. Other common dances that both men and women perform are Karthi, Jindua, and Dandass.<ref>[[Folk dances of Punjab]]</ref>
"Bhangra" dance is the most famous aspect of Punjabi dance tradition. Its popularity has attained a level where a music is produced with the intent of aiding people to carry out this form of dancing.

===Wedding traditions===
{{Main|Punjabi wedding traditions}}

Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are conducted in Punjabi, and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. Many local songs are a part of the wedding and are known as '''boliyan'''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Boliyan book.|year=2010|publisher=Infinity Squared Books|isbn=978-0-9567818-0-2}}</ref> While the actual religious marriage ceremony among Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains may be conducted in Arabic, Punjabi, Sanskrit, by the Kazi, Pandit or Granthi, there are also many commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, make-up 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. Alcohol consumption by the menfolk is part of the tradition amongst Hindu and some Sikh communities that allow it.

===Folk tales===
{{Main|Punjabi folklore}}
The folk tales of Punjab include many stories<ref>[http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/steel/punjab/punjab.html Tales of the Punjab]. Digital.library.upenn.edu.</ref> which are passing through generations and includes folk stories like [[Heer Ranjha]], [[Mirza Sahiban]],<ref>[http://hrisouthasian.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35%3Apeelu-the-first-narrator-of-the-legend-of-mirza-sahiban&catid=6%3Alovelegend&Itemid=13 Peelu: The First Narrator of the Legend of Mirza-SahibaN]. Hrisouthasian.org.</ref> [[Sohni Mahiwal]] etc. to name a few.

===Festivals===
{{Main|Punjabi festivals|Festivals in Lahore}}
[[Vaisakhi]], [[Festivals in Lahore|Jashan-e-Baharan]], [[Basant]], Kanak katai da mela ( Wheat cutting celebrations ) and many more.
The jagrātā, also called jāgā or jāgran, means an all night vigil. This type of vigil is found throughout India and is usually held to worship a deity with song and ritual. The goal is to gain the favor of the Goddess, to obtain some material benefit, or repay her for one already received. The Goddess is invoked by the devotees to pay them a visit at the location of the jagrātā, whether it be in their own homes or communities, in the form of a flame.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Erndl|first1=Kathleen M.|title=Fire and wakefulness: the Devī jagrātā in contemporary Panjabi Hinduism|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion|date=June 1, 1991|pages=339–360|accessdate=2 October 2014}}</ref>

===Traditional dress===
{{Main|Punjabi clothing}}

The Punjabi traditional clothing is very diverse and for various occasions various clothing is chosen. It includes [[Shalwar Kameez]], [[Kurta]], [[Achkan]] and [[Dhoti]] in men while in women there is wide range of clothing but mainly it comprises [[Shalwar Kameez]], [[Patiala salwar]], [[Salwar (Punjabi)|Punjabi suit]], [[Churidar]]s with [[Dupatta]] with traditional Paranda Ghari worn on the hair. Khaddi topi (Embroidered cap) is also worn by some women with dupatta on special occasions. Shalwar Kameez and [[Sherwani]] are for formal occasions and office work while Dhoti is mostly worn by people who are involved in farming throughout Punjab. The shorter version of Dhoti that is unique to Punjab is known as Chatki with close resemblance to [[Kilt]] but use of [[Chatki]] for formal occasions is very very rare and not many people are familiar with Chatkis. [[Jutti|Punjabi Jutti]] and Tillay wali Jutti is a very famous footwear for both men and women in Punjab. In men [[Pagri (turban)]] is also worn as a traditional cap in many occasions. [[Dupatta]] with embroidery of different styles with Matthay da Tikka is also very famous in [[Punjabi culture]].

===Sports===
{{Main|Sports in Punjab}}

Various types of sports are played in Punjab. They are basically divided into outdoor and [[Indoor games and sports|indoor sports]]. Special emphasis is put to develop both the mental and physical capacity while playing sports. That is why recently sports like [[Speed reading]], [[Mental abacus]], historical and IQ tests are arranged as well. Indoor sports are specially famous during the long summer season in Punjab. Also indoor sports are played by children in homes and in schools. [[Gilli-danda]] is vary famous indigenous sports among children along with [[Parcheesi]]. [[Pittu Garam]] is also famous among children. [[Hopscotch|Stapu]] is famous among young girls of Punjab. Also many new games are included with the passage of time. The most notable are [[Carrom]], [[Ludo (board game)]], [[Scrabble]], [[Chess]], [[Draughts]], [[Go (game)|Go]] [[Monopoly (game)|Monopoly]]. The [[Tabletop game]]s games include [[billiards]] and [[snooker]]. [[Backgammon]] locally known as Dimaagi Baazi( Mental game) is famous in some regions as well.

The outdoor sports include [[Pehlwani|Kusti]] (a wrestling sport), [[Kabaddi]], Rasa Kashi (a rope pulling game), Patang (Kite Flying) and Naiza Baazi or Tent pegging (a cavalry sport).[[Gatka]], is also taken as a form of sports, Punjabi's are naturally dominant in sports because of their physical attributes and genetic advantage. Punjab being part of South Asia, the sport of [[cricket]] is very popular. New forms of sports are also being introduced and adopted in particular by the large overseas Punjabis, such as [[Ice hockey]], [[Soccer]], [[Boxing]], [[Mixed martial arts]] as part of the globalization of sports.

==Notable people==
{{Main|List of Punjabis|List of Punjabi poets|List of Punjabi authors|List of Punjabi singers|List of Punjabi language poets}}

==See also==
* [[Dialects of the Punjab]]
* [[Punjabi press]]
* [[Punjabi cuisine]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha|30em}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References and further reading==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* Mohini Gupta, Encyclopaedia of Punjabi Culture & History – Vol. 1 (Window on Punjab) [Hardcover], ISBN 978-81-202-0507-9
* Iqbal Singh Dhillion, Folk Dances of Punjab ISBN 978-81-7116-220-8
* Punjabi Culture: Punjabi Language, Bhangra, Punjabi People, Karva Chauth, Kila Raipur Sports Festival, Lohri, Punjabi Dhabha, ISBN 978-1-157-61392-3
* Kamla C. Aryan, Cultural Heritage of Punjab ISBN 978-81-900002-9-1
* Shafi Aqeel, Popular Folk Tales from the Punjab ISBN 978-0-19-547579-1
* Online Book of Punjabi Folk Tales, https://archive.org/stream/KamalKahanisaeedBhuttaABookOnPunjabiFolktales/KamalKahaniReviewByHassnainGhayoor#page/n0/mode/2up
* Colloquial Panjabi: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series) ISBN 978-0-415-10191-2
* Gilmartin, David. ''Empire and Islam: Punjab and the Making of Pakistan''. Univ of California Press (1988), ISBN 0-520-06249-3.
* Grewal, J.S. and Gordon Johnson. ''The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India)''. Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition (1998), ISBN 0-521-63764-3.
* Latif, Syed. ''History of the Panjab''. Kalyani (1997), ISBN 81-7096-245-5.
* Sekhon, Iqbal S. ''The Punjabis : The People, Their History, Culture and Enterprise''. Delhi, Cosmo, 2000, 3 Vols., ISBN 81-7755-051-9.
* Singh, Gurharpal. ''Ethnic Conflict in India : A Case-Study of Punjab''. Palgrave Macmillan (2000).
* Singh, Gurharpal (Editor) and Ian Talbot (Editor). ''Punjabi Identity: Continuity and Change''. South Asia Books (1996), ISBN 81-7304-117-2.
* Singh, Khushwant. ''A History of the Sikhs – Volume 1''.Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-562643-5
* Steel, Flora Annie. ''Tales of the Punjab : Told by the People (Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints)''. Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition (2002), ISBN 0-19-579789-2.
* Tandon, Prakash and Maurice Zinkin. ''Punjabi Century 1857–1947'', University of California Press (1968), ISBN 0-520-01253-4.
* {{loc}} [http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/32.htm Pakistan], [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html India]
* [http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/5/26 DNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia, BMC Genetics 2004, 5:26]
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=pan Ethnologue Eastern Panjabi]