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Punjab, India

Explorer · ages 7 and underAdapted from Wikipedia
The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) in Amritsar, Punjab, India, a sacred place for Sikhs covered in shining gold and surrounded by water.

Where Punjab Is

Punjab is a state in northwestern India. It is part of the bigger Punjab region in the Indian subcontinent. Punjab sits next to Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir. More than 27 million people live there.

People and Languages

The main language of Punjab is Punjabi. It is written in the Gurmukhi script. Most people are Punjabis. Many people in Punjab are Sikhs, and Punjab has more Sikhs than any other Indian state. The name Punjab means "land of five rivers." Two of those rivers, the Sutlej and the Ravi, still flow through the state.

Land, Weather, and Fun Facts

Much of Punjab is flat and rich, with good soil for farming. Hills rise in the northeast, while the southwest is dry and blends into the Thar Desert. Summers are very hot, and winters are cool. Rain comes mostly from July to September.

Punjab is called "India's breadbasket" because it grows a lot of wheat and rice. Farmers here also celebrate with bhangra, a lively dance that began as a harvest dance. Bhangra is loved all over the world. Punjab is also known for its music, its cuisine, and its tourism.

Many visitors come to the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It is one of the most popular places in India. It has even more visitors than the Taj Mahal.

Quiz time!

3 questions about Punjab, India

Question 1 of 3

What does the name Punjab mean?

Pictures

A Common Teal, also known as 'Murghabi', flies over the Harike Wetlands in Punjab, India.
Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, a gurdwara in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, India, considered one of the five Takhts (seats of temporal authority) in Sikhism and known as the birthplace of the Khalsa.
The Fateh Burj, a 328-foot tower in the village of Chappar Chiri in Punjab, India, built in 2011 to honor the Sikh Misls.
A statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th-century ruler who founded the Sikh Empire, standing in Amritsar, India.
A wide panoramic view of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial in Amritsar, India. The garden memorial honors the people who lost their lives in a tragic event in 1919.
Qila Mubarak, a historic fort photographed in 2015.
Virasat-e-Khalsa, a museum and heritage center in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, India, that tells the story of the Sikh community's history and culture.
A green milestone marker with white lettering, used along State Highways in India to show distance along the road.
A map showing the extent of the Indus Valley Civilization during its Mature Phase, around 2600 to 1900 BCE.
A handwritten copy of the Rigveda, one of the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, written in Sanskrit on paper in India in the early 1800s. It is bound in brown leather.
Alexander and Porus, a 1673 painting by Charles Le Brun showing the famous ruler Alexander the Great meeting King Porus, after their battle.
A painted fresco of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru, above the entrance of the Baoli Sahib stepwell in Goindwal, India. The Gurmukhi numeral on the left shows his role as the first of the Sikh gurus.
An old engraving of Guru Gobind Singh seated with the Panj Pyare, the first five members of the Khalsa, painted on a faded wall in Kot Fateh Khan, Punjab, Pakistan.
A c.1817 painting by a Delhi artist showing nine Jat Sikh courtiers and servants of the Raja of Patiala State, in the Company School style.
AUM, a stylised letter of Devanagari script, used as a religious symbol in Hinduism
This is the official symbol of Jainism, known as the Jain Prateek Chihna. This Jain symbol was agreed upon by all Jain sects in 1975.
Agricultural fields of Punjab during the monsoon
Rainy weather in Amritsar
Cattle Egret near Rohti Chhana, Patiala
Languages spoken by districtPunjabi  60–70%  70–80%  80–90%  90–100%
Largest Religious Affiliation By Tehsil in Punjab, 2011 Census
A symbol of Islam, the star and crescent, in a green. Created by Kbolino in Inkscape, who releases the image into the public domain for all intents and purposes.
The Sikh Khanda symbol (U+262C).
Basic Latin cross
The Farāvahār, one of the most prominent symbols of Zoroastrianism. 
Rinpo-mon
The Star of David, the symbol of the Jewish faith and people. Also called Shield of David after the Hebrew Magen David
Punjab Legislative Assembly building
Administrative divisions of Punjab
Aerial view of agricultural fields in Punjab
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport in Amritsar
View of Ludhiana railway station
Canal Road (NH5) passing through Ludhiana
Punjab Agricultural University
Students working in GNDEC
Khalsa College, Amritsar
Tableau showcasing Punjabi culture at Republic Day Parade
Bhangra
Circle Style Kabaddi
Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar is a major pilgrimage site in Punjab and is also widely visited for its unique architecture
Moti Bagh Palace in Patiala

Keep exploring

Punjabi language
Indian subcontinent
Thar Desert
India
Wheat
Taj Mahal

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Punjab, India, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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