Brief Thread on Punjab

The Indian state of Punjab is located in the northwestern part of the country. It is bordered on the north by Jammu and Kashmir union territory, on the northeast by Himachal Pradesh state, on the south and southeast by Haryana state, on the southwest by Rajasthan state, and on the west by Pakistan.

Punjab

The word ‘Punjab’ was first documented in the works of Ibn Batuta, who visited the region in the fourteenth century. In the second part of the sixteenth century, the word was popularized by the book Tarikh-e-Sher Shah Suri (1580), which narrates the construction of a fort by ‘Sher Khan of Punjab.’

‘Punjab’ is also mentioned in volume one of Abul Fazal’s “Ain-e-Akbari,” where it depicts the land that can be divided into the provinces of Lahore and Multan. Similarly, in the second book of Ain-e-Akbari, a chapter’s title contains the term ‘Panjnad.’ Punjabi is a member of the Indo-European language family, which also includes Persian and Latin. A lot of religious movements had their origins in this city. Sikhism, Buddhism, and various Sufi schools of Islam are among the most well-known.

Origin Of The State

When India was partitioned in 1947, the old Raj province of Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan, resulting in the formation of the Indian state of Punjab.

The western section of the province, which was predominantly Muslim, became Pakistan’s Punjab Province, while the eastern part, which was mostly Sikh, became India’s Punjab State.

A new state, the Patiala and East Punjab States Union was created in 1950 by combining the princely states of Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, and Kalsia. While those states were combined into the Patiala (PEPSU), the former princely states of Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, and Kalsia remained separate.

River System of Punjab

Because of the five major rivers that flow through Punjab, it is known as the “Land of Five Rivers.” These rivers are the most prominent geographical characteristic of this region, and they are responsible for the land’s name (‘Punj’ means Five + ‘Aab’ means Water). Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Satluj are the names of the five rivers in Punjab. All of these rivers are tributaries of the Indus River, and the confluence forms the Panjnad River, which eventually flows into the Indus. 

Five Rivers of Punjab

1. Satluj- The Satluj (or Sutlej) is the Indus River’s easternmost tributary. Shatadru is its Sanskrit name. Manasarovar and Rakshastal are two massive lakes in Tibet that are near each other. Mansarovar Lake’s water pours into Rakshastal Lake. Sutlej is approximately 1500 kilometers long. This is Punjab’s longest river. Bhakra Dam is one of India’s largest dams, and Gobind Sagar Lake, its reservoir, is the country’s second-largest reservoir in terms of water storage capacity. The other major dams on this river are Nangal Dam, Karcham Wangtoo Dam, and Nathpa Jhakri Dam.

2. Ravi- Ravi’s Vedic name is Purushini, while his Sanskrit name is Iravati. The river runs along the international border between India and Pakistan, separating the Punjab districts of Gurdaspur and Amritsar from Pakistan. Ranjit Sagar Dam (or Thein Dam), Shahpur Kandi Dam, Chamera Dam, Karcham Dam, and Kaushalya Dam are the major dams on this river.

3. Beas-In the Vedas, the river Beas is known as Arjikiya, and its ancient Sanskrit name is Vipasa. The Beas River rises from Beas Kund (also known as Vyas Kund) in Himachal Pradesh’s Himalayan mountains. 

4. Jhelum- Vitasta is the Vedic and Sanskrit name for the Jhelum River, which the ancient Greeks called Hydaspes. Verinag Spring, in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, is where the Jhelum River begins. The river passes through India’s Jammu and Kashmir state before entering Pakistan’s Punjab province. The legendary Battle of Hydaspes was fought on the banks of this river between Alexander (called Sikander) and King Porus.

5. Chenab- In the Vedas, this river is known as Askani, and its Sanskrit name is Chandrabahga. The Chenab River originates in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti region, in the upper Himalayas. It then runs through the Jammu district of Jammu and Kashmir before entering Pakistan’s Punjab province. The Panjnad River eventually merges with the Indus River, which flows into the Arabian Sea.

Conclusion

Punjab, located in northwest India near the Himalayan foothills, is the country of Maharajas and the birthplace of the Sikh religion, with a rich cultural heritage. This little-known region is situated in a lush floodplain with a vast network of irrigation canals, most of which were constructed during the British mandate. Its agriculture benefits from a lot of rain, especially during the monsoon season and in the winter. Because of the five major rivers that flow through Punjab, it is known as the “Land of Five Rivers”. Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Satluj are the names of the five rivers in Punjab.