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Punjab ਪੰਜਾਬ in Gurmukhi , , meaning ''"Land of the five Rivers"'') (c.f. '' Ap- ''); also '''Panjab''' is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan . The "Five Rivers" are the Beas , Ravi , Sutlej , Chenab and Jhelum , all tributaries of the Indus. Punjab has a long history and rich cultural heritage. The people of the Punjab are called Punjabis and they speak a language called Punjabi . The main Religion s in Indian Punjab are Sikhism and Hinduism . The area that is now known as the Greater Punjab comprised vast territories of northern India and eastern Pakistan . It was bounded by the Indus in the west and the Yamuna river in the east. It was a centre of the prehistoric Indus Valley Civilization and after c. 1500 BCE the site of early Aryan settlements . In ancient times, the area was inhabited by Vahikas or Arattas. Tribes included the Gandhara s, Prasthalas, Khasa s, Vasatis, Trigartas, Pauravas, Malavas, Yaudheyas, Saindhavas, Sauviras; the Iranian and transfrontier peoples such as the Kambojas , Pahlava s; and the Persianised Ionia ns ( Yavanas ) as well as the Nomadic Scythian s, also called Shakas .Buddha Parkash, ''Evolution of Heroic Tradition in Ancient Panjab'', 1971, p 53. The region, populated by Indo-Aryans , has been ruled by many different empires and ethnic groups, including the Ancient Greeks , Persians , Arabs , Turks , Mughals , Afghans , Balochis , Sikhs and British . In 1947, it was partitioned between British India 's successor states, India and Pakistan . The Indian Punjab has been further sub-divided into the modern Indian states of . With partition, Indian Punjab now uses the Gurmukhi script. GEOGRAPHY Most of the Punjab is an Alluvial plain, bounded by mountains to the North. Despite its dry conditions, it is a rich agricultural area due to the extensive irrigation made possible by the great river system traversing it. Punjab region Summer temperatures can reach 47° C (117° F). Punjab region temperature range: -20° to 40° C (MIN/MAX). HISTORY See Also: History of the Punjab As a result of numerous invasions, many ethnic groups and religions make up the cultural heritage of the Punjab. In prehistoric times, one of the earliest known cultures of South Asia , the Harappa civilization, was located in the Punjab. The Vedic and Epic period was socially and culturally prolific in the Punjab. During this period, the Hindu scriptures, the Rig Veda and the Upanishad s, were composed in the Punjab. Tradition maintains that the sage Valmiki composed the Ramayana near the present location of Amritsar . In legend, Krishna delivered the divine message of the Bhagavad Gita at Kurukshetra . Eighteen principal Purana s were written in the region. The authors of Vishnu Purana and the Shiva Purana belonged to Central Punjab. The epic battles described in the Mahabharata were fought in the Punjab. The Gandhara s, Kambojas , Trigartas, Andhra, Pauravas, Bahlikas ( Bactrian settlers of Punjab), Yaudheyas and others sided with the Kauravas in the great battle fought at Kurukshetra .Buddha Parkash, ''Evolution of Heroic Tradition in Ancient Panjab'', p 36. According to Dr Fauja Singh and Dr L. M. Joshi: "There is no doubt that the Kambojas, Daradas, Kaikayas, Andhra, Pauravas, Yaudheyas, Malavas, Saindhavas and Kurus had jointly contributed to the heroic tradition and composite culture of ancient Punjab" See: History of Panjab, Vol I, p 4, Dr L. M. Joshi, Dr Fauja Singh.. In 326 BCE , Alexander The Great attempted to invade the Punjab from the north. His armies entered the region via the Hindu Kush . At times during the establishment and consolidation of Mughal rule, there was conflict, chaos, and political upheaval in the Punjab. The period was also notable for the emergence of Guru Nanak (1469-1538), the founder of a powerful popular movement which has left a lasting impression on the history and culture of Punjab. Born in the district of Sheikhupura , he rejected the division of mankind into rigid compartments of orthodox religions and castes and preached the oneness of humanity, and oneness of God, thus aiming at creating a new order which embraced the all pervasive spirit in man. This new philosophy would serve as the foundation for the Sikh faith. In 1713 , Banda Singh Bahadur wanted to establish a Sikh state in the Punjab. For this he fought relentlessly with the Mughal s. In 1756 , the Marathas under Raghunath Rao defeated the Afghan Ahmed Shah Abdali on his first attempt at conquering India. The Marathas chased the retreating Afghans back to Attock . The Sikhs and Khatris (the dominant groups of Punjab) were co-operative to the Marathas for having successfully removed the Muslims from their land and signed formal Treaties of friendship. At the formation of the Dal Khalsa in 1748 at Amritsar , the Punjab was divided into 36 areas and 12 separate Sikh principalities. From this point onwards the beginnings of a Punjabi Sikh Empire emerged. Out of the 36 areas, 22 were united by Maharaja Ranjit Singh . The other 14 accepted British Sovereignty . Ten years after Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death, the empire broke up and the British seized the Punjab. .]] The British Raj had political, cultural, philosophical and literary consequences in the Punjab, including the establishment of a new system of education. During the independence movement, many Punjabis played a significant role, including Lajpat Rai , Ajit Singh Sindhu , Bhagat Singh , Udham Singh , Bhai Parmanand . At the time of partition in 1947 , the province was split in to East and West Punjab. East Punjab became part of India , while West Punjab became part of Pakistan . The Punjab bore the brunt of the civil unrest following the end of the British raj, with casualties estimated in the hundreds of thousands or even higher. DEMOGRAPHICS Ethnic ancestries of modern Punjabis include Indo-Aryan, and some Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian settlers of the region, including Indo-Greek . Punjabi people are generally believed to be the descendants of these people . With the advent of Islam , settlers from Persia , Afghanistan and Central Asia have also integrated into Punjabi society. Sikhism is the main religion of the Indian Punjab - it arose in the Punjab itself. About 52% of the population are Sikh, 45% are Hindu , and the rest are Jains, Christians, Muslims or Buddists. However, due to large scale migration from UP, Bihar, Bengal and Orissa demographics of punjab have become more skewed than reported earlier. Indian Punjab contains the holy Sikh city of Amritsar . The states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh , formerly constituents of the British province of Punjab, are mostly Hindu-majority. Most Indian Punjabis largely have Jat ancestry, which is comprised mainly of Sikhs. Indian Punjabis speak Punjabi Language written in Gurmukhi script. India has 39 million Punjabis. ECONOMY ''' embroidery from Patiala ]] The historical region of Punjab is considered to be one of the most fertile regions on Earth. Indian Punjab produces a relatively high proportion of India's food output. The region is important for Wheat growing. In addition, Rice , Cotton , Sugar Cane , Fruit and Vegetables are also major crops. Indian Punjab is considered to have the best infrastructure in India. http://punjabgovt.nic.in/ECONOMY/Transport.htm The Indian Punjab has been estimated to be the second richest state in India (the richest being 2004 . Called "The Granary of India" or "The Bread Basket of India", Indian Punjab produces 1% of the world's rice, 2% of its wheat, and 2% of its cotton. http://punjabgovt.nic.in/punjabataglance/LeadingbyExample.htm In 2001, it was recorded that farmers made up 39% of Indian Punjab's workforce. Punjabi government statistics , retrieved 14 April 2007 . TIMELINE
ETYMOLOGY The name Punjab means "land of five rivers", and literally translates from Persian into the words ''Panj'' (پنج), cognate with Sanskrit ''Pañca'', meaning "five", and ''Āb'' (آب), cognate with Sanskrit '' Āp '', meaning "water" respectively. The rivers, tributaries of the Indus River , are the Jhelum , Chenab , Ravi , Sutlej and Beas . The five rivers, now divided between India and Pakistan, merge to form the Panjnad, which joins the Indus. REFERENCES SEE ALSO
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