Punjabi Hindus

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Punjabi Hindus
2017 Census)[14]
Chandigarh94,150 (2011 est.)[10]
Jammu59,930 (2011 est.)[15][10]
Uttarakhand27,240 (2011 est.)[16][10]
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Punjabi Hindus are adherents of

Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. Punjabi Hindus are the second-largest religious group of the Punjabi community, after the Punjabi Muslims. While Punjabi Hindus mostly inhabit the Indian state of Punjab, as well as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Chandigarh today, many have ancestry across the greater Punjab region, which was partitioned between India and Pakistan
in 1947.

History

Ancient

Rig Veda
 is the oldest Hindu text that originated in the Punjab region.

Hindu synthesis developed out of the interaction between Brahminism, Sramanism, and local religions.[19][20][note 1]

The bulk of the Rigveda was composed in the Punjab region between circa 1500 and 1200 BCE,[21] while later Vedic scriptures were composed more eastwards, between the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. An ancient Indian law book called the Manusmriti, developed by Brahmin Hindu priests, shaped Punjabi religious life from 200 BCE onward.[22]

British colonial era

Colour photograph of a sadhu and companion sitting under a large tree in Lahore, India in 1914, taken by Stéphane Passet

Prominent Indian nationalists from Punjab, such as Lala Lajpat Rai, belonged to the Arya Samaj. The Arya Samaj, a Hindu reformist sect was active in propagating their message in Punjab.[23] In the early part of the 20th century, the Samaj and organisations inspired by it, such as Jat Pat Todak Mandal, were active in campaigning against caste discrimination.

women's education.[25]

During the colonial era, the practice of religious syncretism among Punjabi Hindus and Punjabi Muslims was noted and documented by officials in census reports:

"In other parts of the Province, too, traces of Hindu festivals are noticeable among the Muhammadans. In the western Punjab,

Shias... they belong mostly to the Sunar caste and their connection with the sect is kept a secret, like Freemasonry. They pass as ordinary Hindus, but their devotion to the Imam is very strong."[26]
: 130 

— Excerpts from the Census of India (Punjab Province), 1911 CE

1947 Partition

Approximately 3 million Punjabi Hindus migrated from West Punjab and North-West Frontier Province (present-day Pakistan) to East Punjab and Delhi (present-day India) during the Partition.[27][28][29]

This split the former British province of Punjab between the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The mostly Muslim western part of the province became Pakistan's Punjab province; the mostly Sikh and Hindu eastern part became India's East Punjab state (later divided into the new states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh). Many Hindus and Sikhs lived in the west, and many Muslims lived in the east, and the fears of all such minorities were so great that the Partition saw many people displaced and much intercommunal violence. Some have described the violence in Punjab as a retributive genocide.[30]

The newly formed governments had not anticipated, and were completely unequipped for, a two-way migration of such staggering magnitude, and massive violence and slaughter occurred on both sides of the new India-Pakistan border. Estimates of the number of deaths vary, with low estimates at 200,000 and high estimates at 2,000,000. The worst case of violence among all regions is concluded to have taken place in Punjab.[31][32][33][34]

Punjabi Suba and trifurcation of Punjab

Main article: Punjabi Suba movement

After Partition, Sikh leaders and political parties demanded a

Gurumukhi
script would be the language of the state in North India.

At the instigation of the

Haryanvi, and Western Pahari-speaking Hindus formed the majority, became part of the newly created states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh where Hindi was declared the state language. This was in contrast with the primarily Punjabi-speaking locals in some regions of the newly created states.[35] A direct result of the trifurcation of East Punjab into three states made Punjab a Sikh-majority state in India. Today, Punjabi Hindus make up approximately 38.5% population of present Punjab State of India.[36][37]

Demographics

India

Devi Talab Mandir in Jalandar, Punjab, India.

In the Indian state of Punjab, Punjabi Hindus make up approximately 38.5% of the state's population; numbering 10.7 million and are a majority in the Doaba region. Punjabi Hindus form a majority in five districts of Punjab, namely, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar districts.[38]

During the 1947 partition, many Hindus from West Punjab and North-West Frontier Province settled in Delhi. Determined from 1991 and 2015 estimates, Punjabi Hindus form approximately 24 to 35 percent of Delhi's population;[b][a] based on 2011 official census counts out of a total population of 16.8 million, this amounts to between 4 and 5.9 million people.[4]

Punjabi Hindus form between approximately eight and 32 percent of Haryana's population and are very much influential in the state politics.[g] Based on 2011 official census counts out of a total population of 25.4 million, this amounts to between 2 and 8.1 million people.

Pakistan

Main article: Hinduism in Punjab, Pakistan

Following the large-scale exodus that took place during the 1947 partition, there remains a small Punjabi Hindu community in Pakistan today. According to the

2017 Census, there are about 200,000 Hindus in Punjab province, forming approximately 0.2% of the total population.[14] Much of the community resides in the primarily rural South Punjab districts of Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur where they form 3.12% and 1.12% of the population respectively,[39][40] while the rest are concentrated in urban centres such as Lahore.[41][42] In 2006, the last functioning Hindu temple in Lahore, once the cultural capital of Punjabi Hindus, was destroyed to make way for a multi-story commercial building, and thus the millennia-old history of Hindus in Lahore came to an end. [43]

Diaspora

Large

Gulf Countries, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom
.

Culture and religion

Durgiana Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India.
Fresco of Radha Krishna painted in the early 19th century on the walls of the Maiyanatha Thakurdwara in Katra Dulo, Amritsar, Punjab
A Hindu illustrated manuscript written in Gurmukhi script with paintings inside

As in many other parts of India, Hinduism in Punjab has adapted over time and has become a synthesis of culture and history.

Mata Mansa Devi, Panchkula[44]

As Hindus believe that dharma is universal and evolves with time, many Hindus also value other spiritual paths and religious traditions. They believe that any traditions that are equally able to nurture one's Atman should be accepted and taught. Hinduism itself encourages any being to reach their own self-realization in their own unique way either through Bhagavan or through other means of devotion and meditation.[45]

The Punjabi Hindus continue heterogeneous religious practices in spiritual kinship with Sikhism. This not only includes veneration of the Sikh gurus in private practice but also visits to Sikh gurdwaras in addition to Hindu temples.[46]

According to Anjali Gera Roy, The Hindu Punjabis of Western Punjab settled away from their ancestral homeland during 1947 partition, speak a hybrid language based on Punjabi and Hindi (or Hindi with Punjabi accent).[47][48]

Udasis

Singh Sabha, dominated by Tat Khalsa Sikhs, redefined the Sikh identity in the early 20th century, the Udasi mahants were expelled from the Sikh shrines. Since then, the Udasis have increasingly regarded themselves as Hindus rather than Sikhs.[50]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b “The most important section among settlers is the Punjabis who are estimated to constitute around 35 percent of the population."[5]
  2. ^ a b “Though Punjabis constitute a mere twenty-four per cent of so of the capital city's population, on average they hold fifty-three per cent of the available managerial positions."[6]: 54 
  3. ^ Punjabi Hindus represent between 24 and 35 per cent of Delhi's population, determined from 1991 and 2015 estimates.[6][5] Based on the 2011 official census counts out of a total population of 16,787,941, this amounts to between 4,029,106 and 5,875,779 persons.[4]
  4. ^ “Punjabis constitute about eight per cent of the state’s population, they are a can’t-be-ignored political constituency."[7]
  5. ^ “Political experts attribute the rise of the BJP in the region to sustained consolidation among certain communities, especially the Punjabis who account for 8% of the state’s estimated population of around 28 million."[8]
  6. ^ “The mahasabha in a representation to Shaktisinh Gohil claimed that Punjabi community is 32 per cent of the state’s population, but was not getting the due representation in the organisation as well as in elections."[9]
  7. ^ a b Punjabi Hindus represent between eight and 32 per cent of Haryana's population, determined from 2014, 2019, and 2023 estimates.[7][8][9] Based on the 2011 official census counts out of a total population of 25,351,462, this amounts to between 2,028,117 and 8,112,467 persons.

References

  1. ^ "Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India". Archived from the original on 13 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Behind the decline". 16 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Population by religion community – 2011". The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  4. ^ a b c "Delhi (India): Union Territory, Major Agglomerations & Towns – Population Statistics in Maps and Charts". City Population. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  5. ^ a b Singh, Raj (6 February 2015). "Delhi Assembly elections 2015: Important facts and major stakeholders". India TV. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-81-88054-00-8
    .
  7. ^ a b Kumar, Virender (28 October 2014). "The 'vulnerable Punjabi' in an unthinkable post in Haryana". Indian Express. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  8. ^ a b Naqshbandi, Aurangzeb (23 October 2019). "The 'vulnerable Punjabi' in an unthinkable post in Haryana". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  9. ^ a b Sharma, Nitish (23 March 2023). "Punjabi leaders in Haryana Congress seek due representation". Tribune News Service. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d "Language – India, States and Union Territories" (PDF). Census of India 2011. Office of the Registrar General. pp. 13–14. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  11. ^ "RSGPC to publicize issue of Punjabi in Rajasthan". The Times of India. 17 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Una, amalgam of Punjabi and Pahari cultures".
  13. ^ "Himachal Pradesh Youth status report: Sex ratio up but total fertility rate declining". The Indian Express. Shimla. Express News Service. 5 January 2018. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  14. ^ a b "SALIENT FEATURES OF FINAL RESULTS CENSUS-2017" (PDF). Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  15. ^ https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/include-punjabi-as-official-language-in-jammu-and-kashmir-punjab-cm-amarinder-204566 [bare URL]
  16. ^ "A Mini Punjab in Uttrakhand That Has Given Punjabi Cinema a Superstar Diva!".
  17. ISBN 978-0-7735-4070-5
    . Hinduism is the oldest of the religions practiced by the Punjabis
  18. ISBN 978-0-231-10781-5
    .
  19. Encyclopedia Britannica. 10 November 2023. It Vedic religion
    takes its name from the collections of sacred texts known as the Vedas. Vedism is the oldest stratum of religious activity in India for which there exist written materials. It was one of the major traditions that shaped Hinduism.
  20. ISBN 978-1-108-42811-8
    . The Rig Veda and the Upanishads, which belonged to the Vedic religion, were a precursor of Hinduism, both of which were composed in Punjab.
  21. ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0
    .
  22. ISBN 978-0-7735-4070-5
    .
  23. ISBN 978-81-7141-792-6
    .
  24. ^ Rajivlochan, M. (2014). Coping with Exclusions the Non-Political Way. Mapping Social Exclusion in India: Caste, Religion and Borderlands. pp. 82–83.
  25. JSTOR 4375593
    .
  26. ^ a b "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 1, Report". Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  27. OCLC 40480171
    .
  28. OCLC 302183130
    .
  29. ^ "The partition of India and retributive genocide in the Punjab, 1946–47: means, methods, and purposes" (PDF). Retrieved 19 December 2006.
  30. ^ Brass 1974, p. 326.
  31. S2CID 147110854
    . The number of casualties remains a matter of dispute, with figures being claimed that range from 200,000 to 2 million victims.
  32. ISBN 9780415565660
    .
  33. ^ Butalia, Urvashi (2000). The Other Side of Silence: Voices From the Partition of India. Duke University Press.
  34. ISBN 9781134378258
    .
  35. ISBN 9781482800050
    Accessed 3 February 2017.
  36. ISBN 9788176291293
    Accessed 3 February 2017.
  37. ISBN 9780521637640
    Accessed 3 February 2017.
  38. ^ "Religion by districts - Punjab". census.gov.in. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  39. ^ "District wise census". Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  40. ^ Dharmindar Balach (17 August 2017). "Pakistani Hindus celebrate Janmashtami with fervour". Daily Times. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  41. ^ "Hindu community celebrates Diwali across Punjab". The Express Tribune. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  42. ^ "Dussehra celebrated at Krishna Mandir". The Express Tribune. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  43. ^ "Only Hindu temple in Lahore demolished". The Times of India. 13 June 2006.
  44. ^ "Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board". mansadevi.org.in. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  45. ^ "Sikhism | History, Doctrines, Practice, & Literature". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  46. ISBN 9780520233836
    .
  47. ^ MINE, T. I., & ROY, A. G. (2004). NOT SPEAKING A LANGUAGE. Translation Today, 1, 26.[1]
  48. ^ Kumar, P. (1982). Communalisation of Hindus in Punjab. Secular Democracy, 11(9), 27-29.|url=https://idcindia.org/wp-content/themes/idc/pdf/3.communalism/news/1-Communalisation%20of%20Hindus%20in%20Punjab%20_%20Secular%20Democracy%20_%20October%201982%20_%20Vol%2015%20No.%20IX.pdf%7Cpage=8
  49. OCLC 874522334
    .
  50. OCLC 39001441
    .
  1. ^ Michaels (2004, p. 38): "The legacy of the Vedic religion in Hinduism is generally overestimated. The influence of the mythology is indeed great, but the religious terminology changed considerably: all the key terms of Hinduism either do not exist in Vedic or have a completely different meaning. The religion of the Veda does not know the ethicised migration of the soul with retribution for acts (karma), the cyclical destruction of the world, or the idea of salvation during one's lifetime (jivanmukti; moksa; nirvana); the idea of the world as illusion (maya) must have gone against the grain of ancient India, and an omnipotent creator god emerges only in the late hymns of the rgveda. Nor did the Vedic religion know a caste system, the burning of widows, the ban on remarriage, images of gods and temples, Puja worship, Yoga, pilgrimages, vegetarianism, the holiness of cows, the doctrine of stages of life (asrama), or knew them only at their inception. Thus, it is justified to see a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions."
    Jamison, Stephanie; Witzel, Michael (1992). "Vedic Hinduism" (PDF). Harvard University. p. 3.: "... to call this period Vedic Hinduism is a contradictio in terminis since Vedic religion is very different from what we generally call Hindu religion – at least as much as Old Hebrew religion is from medieval and modern Christian religion. However, Vedic religion is treatable as a predecessor of Hinduism."
    See also Halbfass 1991, pp. 1–2

Further reading

  • Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
    .
  • Brass, Paul Richard (1974). Language, Religion and Politics in North India. Cambridge University Press.
  • JSTOR 4407076
    .

External links
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