Punjabis

The Punjabis are a large Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group. They are closely linked to the Punjab region of South Asia. This region covers parts of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan.

Punjabi identity is defined by language, geography, and culture. It is not based on a single religion or historical origin. Instead, it focuses on those who speak Punjabi as their mother tongue. It also includes those who live in the Punjab region. This identity allows for a very diverse population of people.

The name "Punjab" describes the unique geography of the area. In Persian, the word means "the land of five waters."

This refers to the Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers. These five rivers are tributaries of the Indus River. The Sutlej is the largest of these rivers. Ancient texts like the Mahabharata call this area Panchanada. Even ancient Greeks used the name Pentapotamia to describe this river system. The term Punjab became common during the reign of Akbar in the late 16th century.

Historically, Punjabi society was organized into many smaller groups. These groups were known as clans or tribes. A common term for these was biradari, which means "brotherhood." Each person was bound to their specific clan. However, this structure changed over time. Starting in the 18th century, these groups began to merge. They moved from tribal structures toward a more cohesive society. Today, community building and group cohesiveness are the main pillars of Punjabi life.

Religion has a long and complex history in the Punjab. The oldest religious practices were the Vedic religions. The Rigveda, a major sacred text, was composed in this region between 1500 and 1200 BCE.

Later, Buddhism and Jainism grew in the area. Islam was introduced via southern Punjab in the 8th century. By the 16th century, Islam had become the majority religion. In the 1700s, the Sikh faith also rose to prominence. These different faiths created the religious diversity seen today.

The 1947 Partition of India caused a massive shift in the population. Before this, the Punjab province had a slight Muslim majority of about 53.2 percent. The creation of a new international border split the region. This led to rapid mass migrations and population exchanges. As a result, the religious demographics changed quickly. In Pakistani Punjab, most people are now Muslim. In Indian Punjab, the population is mostly Sikh or Hindu.

Today, the Punjabi population is very large and spread out. In Pakistan, ethnic Punjabis make up about 44.7 percent of the national population. This means there are approximately 112.8 million Punjabis in Pakistan. In India, Punjabi-speaking people make up about 2.74 percent of the population. Within the Indian state of Punjab, Sikhs make up 57.7 percent of the people. Hindus make up 38.5 percent of that state's population. These numbers show how the population is divided between different faiths.

Many Punjabis have moved to other countries around the world. This is known as the Punjabi diaspora. In the early 20th century, many settled in the United States.

Large communities now exist in the United Kingdom, especially in London and Birmingham.

Many Punjabis also live in Canada, Australia, and the Middle East. This movement has connected Punjabi culture to many different global systems. From Fiji to Italy, the Punjabi influence can be found globally.