Punjabi Sikhs are adherents of Sikhism who identify ethnically, linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Punjabis. Punjabi Sikhs are the second-largest religious group of the Punjabis, after the Punjabi Muslims. They form the largest religious community in the Indian state of Punjab. Sikhism is an indigenous religion that originated in the Punjab region of South Asia during the 15th century. Almost 97% of the world's Sikh population are Punjabis.[5]
 A painting of a Sikh family, circa late 19th century | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 24–29 million approx. (Worldwide)[1][2][3] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Punjab, India | 16,004,754 (2011 census)[4][a] |
| Haryana | 1,243,752 (2011)[4][a] |
| Rajasthan | 872,930 (2011)[4][a] |
| Uttar Pradesh | 643,500 (2011)[4][a] |
| Delhi | 570,581 (2011)[4][a] |
| Uttarakhand | 236,340 (2011)[4][a] |
| Maharashtra | 223,247 (2011)[4][a] |
| Madhya Pradesh | 151,412 (2011)[4][a] |
| Chandigarh | 138,329 (2011)[4][a] |
| Himachal Pradesh | 79,896 (2011)[4][a] |
| Languages | |
| Sacred language Sant Bhasha Ethnic language Hindi, English | |
| Religion | |
| Sikhism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
Punjabi Sikhs primarily inhabit in the Indian state of Punjab, the only Sikh-majority administrative division on Earth. Punjabi Sikhs make up roughly 60 percent of the state’s population.[6] Many have ancestry from the greater Punjab region, an area that was partitioned between India and Pakistan in 1947. In the contemporary era, apart from Indian Punjab, Punjabi Sikhs are found in large numbers across the Indian states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Large numbers are also found in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Britain, as various immigration waves over the centuries better prospects and career.[7]
History
The Sikh religion founder, Guru Nanak (1469–1539), was roughly a contemporary of the founder of Mughal Empire Babur in India. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in a Punjabi Hindu Khatri family, which was initially a community of scribes and traders.[8] In Un-divided Punjab region, the eldest son of every Punjabi Hindu families was nominated and was represented as Sardars and had protected their family and Indic communities from the tyrannies of Mughal rulers and their torture.[9][10][11] A huge number of peasants from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds in Punjab have converted to Sikhism for various motives (such as conviction, fear, or economic) since the starting of new faith.[12]
Martial race
The militarization of Punjabi Sikhs began after the execution of Guru Arjan Dev (5th Guru in Sikhism). Following his execution, a conflict erupted between the Mughal Empire and Sikhs which led to the last guru, Gobind Singh, establishing a militarized order known as the Khalsa, in 1699.[13] Punjabi Sikhs were regarded as one of the toughest and fiercest warriors by the British during their rule in the Indian subcontinent. Punjabi Sikh soldiers constituted a significant chunk of the British Indian Army due to their distinguished service in action.[14][15] Despite being only around 2% of India's population, Punjabi Sikhs constitute around 20% of the Indian Armed Forces, with the Punjab province being the 2nd largest contributor for manpower after Uttar Pradesh.[16][17]
Language
Punjabi Sikhs speaks the Punjabi language as their mother tongue. Various dialects of Punjabi language such as Bagri, Bilaspuri, Bhateali, Majhi, Doabi, Malwai, and Puadhi etc are spoken by Punjabi Sikhs across India and abroad as their mother tongue. In Indian Punjab, Punjabi is written in Gurmukhi script, While in Pakistan's Punjab, Shahmukhi script is used respectively.[18] Gurmukhi is written from left to right, while Shahmukhi is written from right to left.[19][20] The use of Gurmukhi script generally started and developed during the time of 2nd Sikh guru, Guru Angad Dev (1504–1552) who have standardized it.[21] It is commonly regarded as Sikh Script. While Shahmukhi script have been used by Punjabi Muslims since from the time of the 12th century, when Punjabi Sufi Poets have used it to write Punjabi. Shahmukhi is a Perso-Arabic alphabet script.[22]
Culture
Festivals
The Punjabi Sikhs observe historic festivals such as Lohri, Basant and Vaisakhi as seasonal and cultural festivals in Punjab and outside of it. Other seasonal Punjabi festivals in India include Maghi and Teeyan respectively. Teeyan is also known as festival of females, as women enjoy it with their close friends. On the day of maghi, people fly kites and eat their traditional dish Punjabi dish khichdi.[23] Other festivals observed by Punjabi Sikhs includes the festivals of Sikhism like- Gurupurab, Bandi Chhor Divas, etc.
Homeland demand
The demand for Khalistan as a separate homeland for Sikhs is championed by a segment of the Punjabi Sikh population, various advocacy groups, and certain Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who demand secession of Indian Punjab from India. This movement, rooted in historical, political, and religious factors, emerged prominently in the 1970s and 1980s. Key advocates include local organizations in Punjab and Sikhs abroad, particularly in Canada, the UK, and the US. They seek to safeguard Sikh identity, achieve political autonomy, and address historical grievances such as Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. However, not all Sikhs support this idea, with many preferring integration within India to address issues through democratic means. While the Khalistan movement does not dominate mainstream Sikh politics today, it remains a contentious issue with varying levels of support.[24]
Notes
References
Further reading
- Benson, Heather Lené. "In Place/Out of Place: Punjabi-Sikhs in Reno, Nevada" (PhD dissertation, University of Nevada, Reno, 2022) online.
- Bhachu, Parminder. "Culture, ethnicity and class among Punjabi Sikh women in 1990s Britain." Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 17.3 (1991): 401-412.
- Banerjee, Himadri. "The Other Sikhs: Punjabi-Sikhs of Kolkata." Studies in History 28.2 (2012): 271-300.
- Grewal, Jagtar Singh. The Sikhs of the Punjab (Cambridge University Press, 1998).
- Usha, George, and Ferzana Chaze. "Punjabis/Sikhs in Canada." in Mobility and Multiple Affiliations (2016): 91-104.