The Punjabi people (}} (Shahmukhi), ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Gurmukhi), Hindi: पंजाबी (Devanagari)), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia. They originate from the Punjab region, which has been host to some of the oldest civilizations in the world including one of the world's first and oldest civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization. The Punjabi identity was primarily cultural and linguistic, with Punjabis being those who considered the Punjabi Language their first language. However, in recent times, the definition has been broadened to include emigrants of Punjabi descent who maintain Punjabi cultural traditions, even when they no longer speak the language.

Punjabis are primarily found in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, which forms the present Indian state of Punjab and Pakistan province of Punjab. In the times that followed after gaining independence from Britain, the Punjab region was divided between the two nations. In Pakistan, Punjabis are the largest ethnic group comprising of roughly 60% of the total population of the country. Majority reside predominantly in the province of Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In India, Punjabis represent about 3% of the population. The majority of Punjabi-speaking people in India can be found across the greater Punjab region which comprises of the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Moreover, large communities of Punjabis are also found in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Punjabi is the dominant language spoken in Pakistan, and 11th most spoken language in India. According to the Ethnologue 2005 estimate, there are 88 million native speakers of the Punjabi language, which makes it approximately the 11th most widely spoken language in the world. According to the 2008 Census of Pakistan, there are approximately 76,335,300 native speakers of Punjabi in Pakistan, and according to the Census of India, there are over 29,102,477 Punjabi speakers in India. Punjabi is also spoken as a minority language in several other countries where Punjabis have emigrated in large numbers, such as the United Kingdom (where it is the second most commonly used language) and Canada, in which Punjabi has now become the fourth most spoken language after English, French and Chinese, due to the rapid growth of immigrants from Pakistan and India. There are also sizable communities in United States, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Persian Gulf countries, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Punjabis are ethno-linguistically and culturally related to the other Indo-Aryan peoples of South Asia. There are an estimated 120 million Punjabis around the world.

History

Prehistory

The exact point at which the Punjabis formed a distinct ethnic group remains speculative. The region having been the site of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization centred at Harappa became a centre of early civilization from around 3300 BC. Numerous settlers including the Indo Aryans, Persians, Scythians, Greeks, various Central Asians, Arabs, Afghans, and the British have all invaded and ruled the region, giving the Punjab a unique culture as the gateway to South Asia but this has not had a genetic impact on the region as the host population has always been far larger than the migrating or invading populations.Historically attested events, such as invasions by Huns, Greeks, Kushans, Moghuls, Muslims, and modern Europeans, have had negligible genetic impact. Despite centuries of Greek rule in Northwest India, for example, no trace of either the M170 or the M35 genetic markers associated with Greeks and Macedonians have been found. Genetic analysis of Rajput clans found a close connection with the Punjabi Khatri/Arora clans, indicating that the Rajputs are not outsiders as most tend to believe.

Following the independence of Pakistan and the subsequent partition of British India, a process of population exchange took place in 1947 as Muslims left East Punjab and headed to the newly created Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs left West Punjab for the newly created state of India. As a result of these population exchanges, both parts are now relatively homogeneous, where religion is concerned.

The main site of the Indus Valley Civilization in Punjab was the city of Harrapa. The Indus Valley Civilization spanned much of what is today Pakistan and eventually evolved into Indo-Aryan civilization. The arrival of the Indo-Aryans led to the flourishing of the Vedic Civilization along the length of the Indus River. This civilization shaped subsequent cultures in South Asia and Afghanistan. Although the archaeological site at Harappa was partially damaged in 1857 when engineers constructing the Lahore-Multan railroad used stone from the Harappa ruins for track ballast, an abundance of artifacts have nevertheless been found. Punjab was part of the great ancient empires including the Gandhara Mahajanapadas, Mauryas, Kushans and Hindu Shahi. Agriculture flourished and trading cities (such as Multan and Lahore) grew in wealth.

Genetics in the Region

The studies published in this active field of ongoing research have yet to present a unanimous picture.

On the one hand, certain reports emphasize the finding that tribal and caste populations in South Asia derive largely from a common genetic heritage of Pleistocene southern and western Asians, with only limited gene flow from external regions since the start of the Holocene. India-specific mtDNA haplogroups, in particular, show coalescence times of 40-60 kya, while J2 from West Asia is identified as the only non-native Y-DNA haplogroup present in significant proportions. The Y-DNA Haplogroup R1a1a (M17), which was thought to be a marker of Indo-European speaking peoples, has been found quite prevalent in South Asia, including tribal groups, suggesting a native origin with a time depth greater than any supposed Indo-Aryan migration.

On the other hand, certain reports stratify the population, finding relatively closer affinity to Western Eurasians than to Asians among upper castes compared to lower and in men compared to women. Evidence has also been found that the deep ancestry of the entire Indian population is a hybrid of two distinct founder groups: the "Ancestral North Indian" (ANI) genetically closer to Middle Easterners, Central Asians, and Europeans; and the "Ancestral South Indian" (ASI) is as distinct from ANI and East Asians as they are from each other; whose relative proportions vary with the former type more prevalent in high-caste and Indo-Aryan speaking groups.

Language change resulting from the migration of numerically small superstrate groups would be difficult to trace genetically. Historically attested events, such as invasions by Huns, Greeks, Kushans, Moghuls, Muslims, and modern Europeans, have had negligible genetic impact. Despite centuries of Greek rule in Northwest India, for example, no trace of either the M170 or the M35 genetic markers associated with Greeks and Macedonians have been found. in a number of demographic groups. Hindus in Nepal/India as a whole show it at 69%.

Among the caste groups of India high percentage of this haplogroup is observed in West Bengal Brahmins(72%) in north and Iyenger(31%) Brahmins

Punjabi Hindus

Punjabi Hindus are a group of people that follow the Hindu religion and have their roots in the erstwhile joint Punjab of greater Panjab (West Punjab/East Punjab).

Today they are distributed in most parts of the northern India and in some parts of western India like Mumbai. In India, most of the Punjabi Hindus are concentrated in Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. There has also been continuous migration of Punjabi Hindus to western world countries like USA, Canada and UK.

The oldest Hindu texts such as the Vedas, Upanishads and Mahabharata were composed in Punjab or nearby region and therefore indirectly influenced the entire South Asian region through time.In fact, Punjabi Hindus can trace their roots from the time of the Vedas. Many would later convert into Sikhism to fight the Mughals. Hindu Punjabi's used to send their oldest son to become a Sikh this was mostly seen in the Khatri and Arora communities and is still practiced today. In fact, Punjabi Hindus can trace their roots from the time of the Vedas. Many modern day cities in Indian Punjab and Pakistan Punjab are still named from that period like Lahore etc.

Punjabi Hindus have their unique culture which resembles in some ways very closely to the culture of Sikhs and also differs in lot of other ways. The Punjabi Hindus usually have a very liberal lifestyle and are famous for their lavish wedding parties. Like other Hindus, they are also divided into castes. The most common castes are Khatri (Kshatriya in Hindi), Brahman, Baniya, Rajput etc. Punjabi Hindus go to Hindu temples for worship.

Arrival of Islam

the Sufi Muslim Scholar, Poet]] The Punjabis were mainly Hindus with Buddhist and Zoroastrian minorities when the Umayyad Muslim Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim conquered the Punjab and Sindh in 711. Bin Qasim recorded that he so was overwhelmed by the gold in the Aditya Temple in the thriving trading city of Multan (known as Mulasthana then), that he recovered the expenses for his entire invasion.

During the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni, non-Muslims were ordered to pay the jaziya tax under Islamic law. The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Turk Ghaznavid Empire based out of Ghazni.

Mughals

.]] The Mughals controlled the region from 1524 until 1739 and would also lavish the province with building projects such as the Shalimar Gardens and the Badshahi Mosque, both situated in Lahore. Muslim soldiers, traders, architects, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and some may have settled in the Punjab. Following the decline of the Mughals, the Shah of Iran and founder of the Afsharid dynasty in Persia, Nader Shah crossed the Indus and sacked the province in 1739. Later, the Afghan conqueror Ahmad Shah Durrani, incidentally born in Punjab, in the city of Multan made the Punjab a part of his Durrani Empire lasting until 1762.

Afghans

The founder of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Durrani, an ethnic Pashtun (Pathan), was born on the outskirts of Multan, southern Punjab where many of his descendants live to this day. After cementing his authority over various Afghan tribes, he went about to establish the first united Afghan Kingdom (Greater Afghanistan) that during its greatest extent included modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and northeastern Iran. The Punjab was a cultural reservoir for the Afghans, and many where attracted to its lush fertile lands, a process that continues to this very day. It has been said that with the loss of the breadbasket regions of the Punjab and Sindh, Afghanistan has never been able to achieve a stable state ever since. Many ethnic Afghan or Pashtun tribes continue to live in Pakistan's Punjab province such as the Khugyanis known as Khakwanis, Alizais, Tareens, Durranis, Mullazais, Niazis, Khattaks, Lodhis, Kakars, Kakazais, and Barakzais to name a few.

Sikhs

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the religion of Sikhism was born, and during the Mughal period its Misls gradually emerged as a formidable military force until assimilated under the expanding Sikh Empire. After fighting Ahmad Shah Durrani, the Sikhs wrested control of the Punjab from his descendants and ruled in a confederacy, which later became the Sikh Empire of the Punjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A denizen of the city of Gujranwala, the capital of Ranjit Singh's empire was Lahore. The Sikhs made architectural contributions to the city and the Lahore Fort. The Sikh empire was the first local power to rule the region since Muhammed Ghori's defeat of Prithvi Raj Chauhan in 1192. According to some accounts, Ranjit Singh was not sympathetic to the Muslim inhabitants of the city, he is said to have turned the Badshahi Mosque, one of the most famous examples of Mughal architecture and one of the largest Mosques in the world, into a gun powder magazine for military stores.

British

, who led Sikh forces against the British during the First Anglo-Sikh War, 1846]] The Maharaja's death in the summer of 1839 brought political chaos and the subsequent battles of succession and the bloody infighting between the factions at court weakened the state. Relationships with neighbouring British territories then broke down, starting the First Anglo-Sikh War; this led to a British official being resident in Lahore and the annexation of territory south of the Satluj to British India.

Some parts of Pakistani Punjab also served as the centre of resistance in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Independence and its aftermath

In 1947 the Punjab province of British India was divided along religious lines into West Punjab and East Punjab. The western Punjabis voted to join the new country of Pakistan while the easterners joined India. This led to massive rioting as both sides committed atrocities against fleeing refugees.

The undivided Punjab, of which Punjab (Pakistan) forms a major region today, was home to a large minority population of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus unto 1947 apart from the Muslim majority.

Geographic distribution

Indian Punjabis

The population of Indian Punjab is divided into two major religious groups, the Sikhs and Hindus. It is further sub-divided into various tribal groups, social groups (caste) and economic groups. Major sub-groups in India include the Aroras, Kalals/Ahluwalias, Bania, Bhatias, Brahmin , Chamar, Chhimba, Chura, Jatt Sikhs, GUJJAR both Sikh and Hindu, Kamboj Sikhs, Khatri, Labanas, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Nais, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Ramdasia, Sainis, Soods and Tarkhans etc. The largest subgroups are Jatts with around 20% of the population, Chamars with around 12% of the population and Churas with around 10% of the population.

Like Punjabi Muslim society, these various castes are associated with particular occupations or crafts. Communities such as the Jatt Sikh, Kamboj Sikh and Saini Sikh are essentially farmers, while the Arora, Bania, Bhatia and Khatri are associated to trade. Other groups are associated with particular crafts, include Lohar who were historically ironsmiths, while Tarkhans were carpenters and the Nai were barbers.

Indian Punjab is also home to small groups of Muslims and Christian. Most of the East Punjab's Muslims (in today's states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh) left for West Punjab in 1947. However, a small community still exists today, mainly in Malerkotla which was spared during partition, the only Muslim princely state among the seven that formed the erstwhile Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU). The other six (mostly Sikh) states were: Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Faridkot, Kapurthala and Kalsia.

Punjabis in India have mainly Indo-Aryan and Indo-Scythian origin. The Punjab region within India maintains a strong influence on the perceived culture of India towards the rest of the world. Numerous Bollywood film productions use the Punjabi language within its songs and dialogues as well as traditional dances and instruments such as the bhangra and the tabla. Prime Ministers of India including Gulzarilal Nanda and Inder Kumar Gujral in the past, and Dr. Manmohan Singh at present, are Punjabis, as are numerous players in the Indian cricket team (both past and present including Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, Navjot Sidhu, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Yograj Singh).

Pakistani Punjabis

Punjabis make up almost 45% of the population of Pakistan. The Punjabis found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris, which descend from a common male ancestor. In addition, Punjabi society is divided into two divisions, the zamindar groups or qoums, traditionally associated with farming and the moeens, who are traditionally artisans. Zamindars are further divided into qoups that claim pre-Islamic ancestry such as the Rajput,Aheers, Harals, Ghosi (tribe), Jat, Shaikhs or (Muslim Khatri), Kambohs, Gujjars, Dogars and Rahmani (Muslim Labana). Zamindar groups claiming Central Asian or Middle Eastern ancestry include the Gakhars, Khattar, Awan, Mughal and Arain, comprising the main tribes in the north of the province, while Khagga, Bodla, Jhandir, Daudpota, Gardezi, Syed and Quraishi are found in the south, all of whom claim Arab ancestry. Immigrants from neighbouring regions, such as the Kashmiri, Pashtun and Baluch ,also form important element in the Punjabi population. Pashtun tribes like the Niazis and the Khakwanis, are integrated into Punjabi village life. Especially the members of the Niazi tribe, who see themselves as Punjabis first. They have big communities in Mianwali, Bakkar, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh. Major Moeen groups include the Lohar, Khateek, Rawal, Chhimba Darzi, Teli, Julaha, Mallaah, Mirasi and Muslim Shaikhs, who are associated with a particular crafts or occupation.

Punjabis have traditionally and historically been farmers and soldiers, which has transferred into modern times with their dominance of agriculture and military fields in Pakistan. In addition, Punjabis in Pakistan have been quite prominent politically, having had many elected Members of Parliament. As the most ardent supporters of a Pakistani state, the Punjabis in Pakistan have shown a strong predilection towards the adoption of the Urdu language but nearly all speak Punjabi, and still identify themselves as ethnic Punjabis for the most part. Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Islamic Sunni-Shia population and a Christian minority have not completely wiped out diversity since the partition of British India. A variety of related sub-groups exist in Pakistan and are often considered by many Pakistani Punjabis to be simply regional Punjabis including the Seraikis (who overlap and are often considered transitional with the Sindhis) and Punjabi Pathans (which publications like Encyclopædia Britannica consider a transitional group between Punjabis and Pathans.

The Punjabi Diaspora

The Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers to many parts of the world. The United Kingdom has a significant number of Punjabis from both Pakistan and India as does Canada (specifically Vancouver and Toronto) and the United States, (specifically California's Great Central Valley). The Middle East has a large immigrant community of Punjabis, in places such as the UAE and Kuwait. There are large communities in East Africa including the countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Punjabis have also emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia including Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Punjabis per country

Diversity

The Punjab region is diverse, due to its location near Central Asia. It has been prone to numerous migrations and the resulting settlers have left imprints upon the local Punjabi population that remain present in the numerous sub-groups. The Punjabi people are a heterogeneous group and can be subdivided into a number of ethnic clan groups in Pakistan called qaums while they adhere to caste identities in India, each having their own subtle differences.

In terms of ancestry, the majority of Punjabis share many similar genes with other northern Indian populations, but also show a significant relationship with west Eurasian groups. In a 2004 Stanford study conducted with a wide sampling from India, including 112 Punjabis, and selected other countries, displayed the following:

:Results show that Indian tribal and caste populations derive largely from the same genetic heritage of Pleistocene southern and western Asians and have received limited gene flow from external regions since the Holocene.

This study also found that roughly 42% of genetic markers in the Punjab were of West Asian origin, the highest amongst the sampled group of South Asians. Another study also showed that there has been limited gene flow in and out of north India, but the highest amount of genetic inflow from the west showed up in the Punjab region:

:Broadly, the average proportion of mtDNAs from West Eurasia among Indian caste populations is 17% (Table 2). In the northern States of India their share is greater, reaching over 30% in Kashmir and Gujarat, nearly 43% in Indian Punjab.

Some preliminary conclusions from these varying tests support a largely north Indian genetic base for most Punjabis accompanied by some of the highest degrees of west Asian admixture found in north India.

Culture and society

border crossing, between India and Pakistan.]] Punjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjab region. It is one of the oldest and richest cultures in world history, dating from ancient antiquity to the modern era. The Punjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjabi people who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of the culture are vast. Some of the main areas include, Punjabi Philosophy, poetry, spirituality, education, artistry, dance, music, cuisine, science, technology, military warfare, architecture, traditions, values and history.

Religion

Science, history and religion has played an important role in shaping Punjabi ethnic identity and it is not uncommon for Punjabis to generally treat their religious identity as synonymous with their ethnic identity or at least a combined identity that differentiates them from others. Punjabis belong largely to three major religions: Islam (70%), Sikhism (18%) and Hinduism (10%) and also small numbers of Christianity, Jainism and Buddhist.

Muslim Punjabis are the largest group in the Punjab region and are largely concentrated in Pakistan, though a small Muslim Punjabi population exists in India. Sikhism and Hinduism are the major religions followed by Punjabis in India, with Jainism being the largest minority religion that is followed largely by Punjabi Banias and Bhabra people.

Language

The main language of the Punjabi people is Punjabi and its associated dialects which differ depending on the region of Punjab the individual speaker belongs to with notable differences in dialect found in Pakistani Punjabi (Lahnda dialect),However in Pakistani Punjab,many people speak Urdu but nearly all speak Punjabi,In Indian Punjab,all/or most people can speak Hindi,English is sometimes used,but not commonly. They may also speak Urdu, Hindi and English. There is significant Persian influence found in certain Punjabi dialects, although it is more pronounced in the Pakistani Punjab region, due to that regions proximity to the Iranic plateau. In recent years, the respective Punjabi languages have absorbed a considerable number of loan words from surrounding areas/provinces as well as from English and continue to evolve.

Cuisine

Punjabi Cuisine has an immense range of dishes and has become world-leader in the field so much so that many entrepreneurs that have invested in the sector have built large personal fortunes due to popularity of Punjabi Cuisine throughout the world.

Music

tournament concert]] Bhangra is one of the many Punjabi musical art forms that is increasingly being listened to in the west and is becoming a mainstream favourite. Punjabi music is being used by western musicians, in many ways, such as mixing it with other compositions to produce award-winning music. In addition, Punjabi Classical music is increasingly becoming popular in the west due to the popular admiration of sounds of the Punjabi language and its composition.The most common instruments used in both India and Pakistan Punjab are the Tabla Harmonium and sometimes Sitar.

Punjabi Dances

Punjabi Dances, due to the long history of the Punjabi culture and of the Punjabi people there is a large number of dances. These dances are normally performed at times of celebration the most prominent being at Punjabi weddings, where the elation is usually particularly intense. The overall style can range from very high energy to more reserved, however the common elements make it particularly attractive to the viewers whether they be of Punjabi heritage or not, the allure is considered universal. Punjabi dances are designed for either men or women.

Marriage

Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Punjabi and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. While the actual religious marriage ceremony, among Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains may be conducted in Arabic, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Pali/Prakrit or English by the Kazi, Pandit, Granthi or Priest, there are commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, and dress. The Punjabi wedding has many rituals and ceremonies that have evolved since traditional times. Punjabi receptions of all sorts are known to be very energetic; filled with loud Bhangra music, people dancing, and a wide variety of Punjabi food.

Prominent Punjabis

See also

Punjab region

Punjabi culture

Punjabi language

Punjabi cuisine

Music of Punjab

Punjabi dance

Punjabi folklore

Punjabi press

History of the Punjab

Punjabi Mexican American - A crosscultural merger of the first Punjabis with Mexican/Hispanic residents in California.

References

References and further reading

Gilmartin, David. Empire and Islam: Punjab and the Making of Pakistan. Univ of California Press (1988), ISBN 0-520-06249-3.

Grewal, J.S. and Gordon Johnson. The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India). Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition (1998), ISBN 0-521-63764-3.

Denzil Ibbetson, Punjab Castes: Race, Castes and Tribes of the People of Punjab. Cosmo Publications, ISBN 81-7020-458-5.

Ibbetson, Denzil, (2002). Panjab castes. Low Price Publications. ISBN 81-7536-290-1.

Latif, Syed. History of the Panjab. Kalyani (1997), ISBN 81-7096-245-5.

Rose, H.A. Denzil Ibbetson, Edward Maclagan (reprint 1990). Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province. Asian Educational Services, India, ISBN 81-206-0505-5.

Sekhon, Iqbal S. The Punjabis : The People, Their History, Culture and Enterprise. Delhi, Cosmo, 2000, 3 Vols., ISBN 81-7755-051-9.

Singh, Gurharpal. Ethnic Conflict in India : A Case-Study of Punjab. Palgrave Macmillan (2000).

Singh, Gurharpal (Editor) and Ian Talbot (Editor). Punjabi Identity: Continuity and Change. South Asia Books (1996), ISBN 81-7304-117-2.

Singh, Khushwant. A History of the Sikhs - Volume 1.Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-562643-5

Steel, Flora Annie. Tales of the Punjab : Told by the People (Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints). Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition (2002), ISBN 0-19-579789-2.

Tandon, Prakash and Maurice Zinkin. Punjabi Century 1857-1947, University of California Press (1968), ISBN 0-520-01253-4.

Pakistan, India

DNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia, BMC Genetics 2004, 5:26

Ethnologue Eastern Panjabi

Ethnologue Western Panjabi

Indian Census

Pakistan Census

The Genetic Heritage of the Earliest Settlers Persists Both in Indian Tribal and Caste Populations, Am. J. Hum. Genet. 72:313–332, 2003

Online 1 Online 2 Online 3 (A free copy of this book can be read from any 3 of the included "Online Sources" of this free “Online Book”)

External links

Jattworld.com - The Punjabi Jatts

Peoples and Languages in Pre-Islamic Indus Valley

Free Punjabi (Gurmukhi) Primer - Especially designed for those who know English

Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan Category:Ethnic groups in India Category:Punjabi culture Category:Muslim communities

Naseem Vicky is one of Pakistan's most popular comedians, best known for his quick and extremely sharp replies(known as 'JUGTEIN'). He has also starred in many Punjabi and Urdu stage dramas. He has worked alongside some of the greats of the Pakistani comedy theatrical world. Naseem has also directed and produced a few stage shows.He is one of the few stage actors to make it to TV serial. He appeared alongside Kashif Mehmood on Pakistan Television's Dil Lagi and ARY Digital's Family Front. =

Stage Drama

# Devdas # Mohabbat CNG # Husn Meri Majboori # Ji Karda # Sub Say Bara Ruppiya # Vicky Bhai M.B.B.S # Asli Tay Naqli # Lahore Aya Lahore klk # Ashiq 20-20 # Baajay Waloun Ki Baraat-Part 2 # Mithiyan sharartan # Welcome # Dil Machal Machal Jaey # Badshah O Badshah # Double Shah # Miss World

References

Watch Pakistani Stage Shows

Category:Living people Category:Pakistani actors Category:People from Lahore Category:Pakistani television actors Category:Pakistani stage actors Category:Pakistani comedians Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Punjabi people

:For the town in France, see Nargis, Loiret; For the 2008 cyclone which devastated the Irrawaddy Delta and the city of Yangon, see Cyclone Nargis, for the flower, see Nargis (flower), for the other actress, see Nargis (actress)

Bgcolour	silver
Name	Nargis
Caption
Birth name	Fatima Rashid
Birth date	1 June 1929
Occupation	Actress
Birth place	Calcutta, West Bengal, British India
Death date	3 May 1981 (aged 51)
Death place	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Years active	1935, 1942 – 1967
Spouse	Sunil Dutt (1958 – 1981) (her death)
Children	Sanjay Dutt Anju Priya Dutt

Nargis Dutt (, }}; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981), born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting carer began in 1942 with Tamanna. During a career that spanned from the 1940s to the 60s, Nargis appeared in numerous commercially successful as well as critically appreciated films, many of which featured her alongside actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor. One of her best-known roles was that of Radha in the Academy Award-nominated Mother India (1957), a performance that won her Best Actress trophies at the Filmfare Awards and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. In 1958, Nargis married her Mother India co-star, actor Sunil Dutt, and left the film industry. She would appear infrequently in films during the 60s. Some of her films of this period include the drama Raat Aur Din (1967), for which she got the inaugural National Film Award for Best Actress.

Along with her husband, Nargis formed the Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe, which roped in several leading actors and singers of the time and held stage shows at border areas. In early 1970s, she became the first patron of Spastics Society of India, and her subsequent work with the organisation brought her recognition as a social worker, and later a Rajya Sabha nomination in 1980.

Nargis died in 1981 of pancreatic cancer, a few days before her son Sanjay Dutt made his film debut in Bollywood. In 1982, the Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation was established in her memory. The award for best feature film on national integration in the annual National Film Awards ceremony is called the Nargis Dutt Award in her honour.

Early life and background

Nargis was born into the tawaif tradition of Calcutta. Her mother, the Allahabad-based Hindustani classical music singer and courtesan Jaddanbai Her only brother, Anwar Hussain, also became a film actor.

Career

Fatima was recruited to the cinema at an early age. She made her first film appearance in the 1935 Talashe Haq when she was six years old, credited as "Baby Nargis". Nargis, her stage name, means "Narcissus", the flower. She was subsequently credited as Nargis in all of her films.

Nargis appeared in numerous movies after her film debut; she won lasting fame for her later, adult, roles, starting with at the age of 14, in Mehboob Khan's Taqdeer in 1943 opposite, Motilal. The couple married on 11 March 1958 and had three children together: Sanjay, Namrata, and Priya. Sanjay Dutt went onto become a very successful film actor. Namrata married actor Kumar Gaurav, son of veteran actor Rajendra Kumar who had appeared alongside both Nargis and Sunil Dutt in Mother India. Priya became a politician, and since 2005 has been a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha). but fell ill and died during her tenure. She had been conferred with a National Award for contribution to Indian Cinema. On 8 January 2001, Amitabh Bachchan and Nargis Dutt were honoured with the "Best Artists of the Millennium" award by Hero Honda and film magazine "Stardust".

Filmography

Talashe Haq (1935)

Tamanna (1942)

Taqdeer (1943)

Humayun (1945)

Bisvi Sadi (1945)

Nargis (1946)

Mehandi (1947)

Mela (1948)

Anokha Pyar (1948)

Anjuman (1948)

Aag (1948)

Roomal (1949)

Lahore (1949)

Darogaji (1949)

Barsaat (1949)

Andaz (1949)

Pyaar (1950)

Meena Bazaar (1950)

Khel (1950)

Jogan (1950)

Jan Pahchan (1950)

Chhoti Bhabbi (1950)

Babul (1950)

Aadhi Raat (1950)

Saagar (1951)

Pyar Ki Baaten (1951)

Hulchul (1951)

Deedar (1951)

Awaara (1951)

Sheesha (1952)

Bewafaa (1952)

Ashiana (1952)

Anhonee (1952)

Amber (1952)

Shikast (1953)

Paapi (1953)

Dhoon (1953)

Aah (1953)

Angarey (1954)

Shree 420 (1955)

Jagte Raho (1956)

Chori Chori (1956)

Pardesi (1957 film)

Mother India (1957)

Lajwanti (1958)

Ghar Sansar (1958)

Adalat (1958)

Yaadein (1964)

Raat Aur Din (1967)

Tosa oneira stous dromous (1968)

Further reading

Mr. and Mrs. Dutt: Memories of our Parents, Namrata Dutt Kumar and Priya Dutt, 2007, Roli Books. ISBN 9788174364555.

Darlingji: The True Love Story of Nargis and Sunil Dutt, Kishwar Desai. 2007, Harper Collins. ISBN 9788172236977.

The Life and Times of Nargis, T. J. S. George. 1994, Harper Collins. ISBN 9788172231491.

References

External links

Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation

Category:1929 births Category:1981 deaths Category:People from Allahabad Category:Indian Muslims Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer Category:Indian film actors Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Nominated Rajya Sabha members Category:Cancer deaths in India Category:Indian actors Category:Hindi film actors

Name	Bhagwant Mann
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Bhagwant Singh Mann
Alias	"Comedy King"
Born	October 01, 1975'Satauj', dist Sangrur, Punjab
Genre	Comedy
Associated acts	Jagtar Jaggi, Rana Ranbir
Occupation	Comedian
Years active	1992–present
Label	Unsigned (India) |

Bhagwant Mann (Punjabi:ਭਗਵੰਤ ਮਾਨ, Hindi: भगवंत मान) (born 17 October 1975) Satauj dist.Sangrur, Punjab, India. Bhagwant Mann is an Indian comedian, who is famous for his skits in Punjabi language. He started his comedy career by participating in youth festivals and inter-college competitions. He won two gold medals from Punjabi University Patiala for Sunam College.

His first comedy album was a huge success entitled "Kulfi Garma Garm". Bhagwant Mann's comedy focuses on Indian issues — politicians, policemen, business departments, and sports. His first comedy album was with Jagtar Jaggi and together they were the most successful comedy partnership of the 1990s creating many successful comedy albums. They also created a show for Punjabi channel Alpha Punjabi called Jugnu Kehnda Hai. After 10 years together, Jaggi and Mann split when Jaggi felt he wasn't getting enough credit. Jaggi left to carve his own niche in the comedy market.

After their split, Bhagwant Mann became partners with writer and co-actor Rana Ranbir. Both were very popular and worked together on Jugnu Mast Mast for Alpha ETC Punjabi. In 2006, it was announced that Bhagwant & Jaggi had settled their differences and were due to reunite. Both toured Canada & England with their stage play No Life With Wife.

Bhagwant also gained notoriety in the rest of India when he competed in the Great Indian Laughter Challenge on Star Plus. This widened his audience and made him very popular throughout the world.

Bhagwant Mann currently had a show on MH One called Jugnu Hazir Hai and is to feature in Manjit Mann's film Sukhmani alongside Gurdas Mann.

Discography

2010: 'Aawaaz - The Voice' (Point Zero)

2009: 'Just Laugh Baki Maaf' (M Series)

2007: 'Haas-Haas Ke' (T-Series)

2005: 'Bhagwant Mann Most Wanted' (Creative Audio Productions)

2004: 'Panj Duni Veeh' [previously unreleased] (T-Series)

2004: 'Kee Main Jhooth Boliya' (T-Series)

2003: 'Sawdhan Agge Bhagwant Mann' (T-Series)

2002: 'Bhagwant Mann Full Speed' (T-Series)

2001: 'Dam Lai Lo' (T-Series)

2001: 'Bhagwant Mann Non-Stop' (T-Series)

2000: 'Bhagwant Mann 420' (Sun Music)

2000: 'Jattan Da Munda Gaoon Lagaya' (Sun Music)

2000: 'Sadi Billi Sanu Miyaoon' (T-Series)

1999: 'Lallu Kare Kawaliya' (T-Series)

1998: 'Gustaki Maaf' (T-Series)

1997: 'Rukawat Ke Liye Khed Hai' (T-Series)

1997: 'Khariya Khariya' (Tips)

1996: 'Kursi Rani' (Tips)

1995: 'Jagde Raho' (Peritone)

1995: 'Hindustan Dhakka Start' (T-Series)

1995: 'Maaf Karo' (T-Series)

1994: 'Koko de Bachee' (T-Series)

1994: 'Bol Madari Bol' (Peritone)

1994: 'Mithiya Mircha' (T-Series)

1993: 'Kulfi Garma Garm' (T-Series)

1992: 'Gobhi Diye Kacchiye Vaparne' (Creative Music Company)

Videography

2009: 'Just Laugh Baki Maaf' (M Series)

2007: 'Pappu Da Dhaba' (Eagle Video)

2006: 'Punjabi Bluff Master' (Eagle Video)

2006: 'Pappu Baneya Neta' (Eagle Video)

2006: 'Pappu Bhaa Ji M.B.B.S.' (Eagle Video))

2005: 'Pappu Pass Ho Gaya' (Eagle Video)

2004: 'Kee Main Jhooth Boliya' (T-Series)

2003: 'Sawdhan Agge Bhagwant Mann' (T-Series)

2002: 'Bhagwant Mann Non-Stop Vol. 2' (T-Series)

2002: 'Bhagwant Mann Full Speed' (T-Series)

2001: 'Bhagwant Mann Non-Stop Vol. 1' (T-Series)

References

Tribune News Service, One held, 4 booked for attacking Bhagwant Mann, "Tribune India" 15 October 2009

Ashish Mitra, Laugh Masters, "Indian Express", 30 December 2005

Randeep Wadehra, I want people to sit down and reflect "Tribune India" 11 September 2005

Category:Indian comedians Category:Living people Category:1975 births

Name	Babbu Maan
Background	solo_singer
Born	March 29, 1967
Origin	Khant, Punjab
Record label	Point Zero Production
Genre	Punjabi, Bhangra, Romantic, Hindi Pop Punjabi Rap
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, Actor, Producer
Years active	1998–present
Url

Babbu Maan (born Tejinder Singh Maan on March 29, 1967) is a Punjabi singer widely famous for his distinctive music and lyrics born into a jatt family, at present he is one of the great Punjabi singers who has given a new trend to Bhangra Music. His sad songs are incredibly touching and urbane with the synchronized Punjabi music, as that no one else could create. Now he is entrenched Punjabi pop singer, composer, lyricist, playback singer and actor as well.

Babbu Maan (born Tejinder Singh Maan on March 29) is a Punjabi singer-songwriter, actor, and producer. Born in the village of Khant Maanpur in the Fatehgarh Sahib District of Punjab, India Babbu Maan has been very fond of playing music sinc e his childhood, singing on stage for the first time during a school function in his village school at the age of seven. He would see everything through the eyes of a musician, even turning cooking pans into musical instruments as he created rhythmic sounds. He learned how to write lyrics, while at school (Panjab University, Chandigarh) when he was about 16. After college, he started singing and composing music. He is one of the few singers who writes his own lyrics for all of his songs. He sang for Mavi music recording studio and recorded his first album when he was only 23.

Career

Babbu Maan debuted in 1998 with his album Sajjan Rumal De Giya. Unhappy with the album he went back to the drawing board and re-wrote many of the songs, many of which were re-released in his following albums. Tu Meri Miss India, his second album was released in 1999 was a smash hit.

His third album Saaun Di Jhadi released in 2001 was a highly successful album; It sold over ten million copies in India alone and many more overseas. In 2003 Maan was selected as actor and Music Director for the movie Hawayein in which he worked alongside his favourite singer, Sukhwinder Singh. The movie was highly successful. It was followed by his album, Ohi Chann Ohi Rataan. This album also fared well, in both critical acclaim and sales. Pyass was he's next album.

In 2006 Maan started on his first playback movie called Rabb Ne Banayien Jodeian, with its songs scoring another success for Maan. Mera Gham was a highly successful Hindi album. It focused more on slow romantic and sad songs with a few up-beat songs. The song "Ek Raat/One Night Stand" shocked many listeners, but nevertheless, the song has a very catchy beat.

Maan starred in a New Year's special called Aao Saare Nachiye which was also highly successful. Part 1 was released in 2008 and Part 2 in 2009. Maan's Film Hashar... A love Story, was the biggest film success yet in his career; the songs were also a hit. Recently Babbu released a religious album, Singh Better Than King. A song from this album "Ik Baba Nanak Si" was banned by the government. This was followed by a TV survey in which 80% of people supported Babbu Maan, 6% people supported the censorship of the song and 14% people did not participate. Nevertheless, it was successful album and it sold more than 25 million copies in (INDIA). On March 25, 2010, Maan came out with his new film Ekam - Son of Soil. The film faired well at the box office.

Discography

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 105%;" class=sortable |- bgcolor="#AAAAACCCCDDDDD" align="center" ! Year ! Album ! Record label |- | 1998 | Sajjan Rumal De Giya | Catrack |- | 1999 | Tu Meri Miss India | Catrack |- | 2001 | Saun Di Jhadi | T-Series |- | 2003 | Hawayein (Sundtrack) | T-Series |- | 2004 | Ohi Chann Ohi Rataan | T-Series |- | 2005 | Pyass | T-Series |- | 2006 | Rabb Ne Banaiyan Jodiean (Soundtrack) | T-Series |- | 2007 | Mera Gham | Point Zero |- | 2008 | Aao Saare Nachiye (Track: 'Sardar') | Point Zero |- | 2008 | Hashar... A Love Story (Soundtrack) | Point Zero |- | 2009 | Aao Saare Nachiye 2 (Tracks: 'Uchhian Imaartaan' & 'Aashquan Di Line') | Point Zero |- | 2009 | Singh Better Than King (Religious) | Point Zero |- | 2010 | Ekam – Son of Soil (Soundtrack) | Point Zero |}

Filmography

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 105%;" class=sortable |- bgcolor="#AAAAACCCCDDDDD" align="center" ! Year ! Film ! Character |- | 2003 | Hawayein | Kanpuria |- | 2006 | Rabb Ne Banaiyan Jodiean | Jelly |- | 2008 | HASHAR.. A Love Story | Maninder |-bravo | 2009 | Vaada Raha | Playback Singer |- | 2010 | Ekam – Son of Soil | Ekam |- | 2010 | | Playback Singer |- | 2011 | Jazba |-26 January |}

External links

babbumaanonline.com Babbu Maan's official website

maanfilms.com/ekam Ekam: Son of Soil official website

pointzeroentertainers.com Point Zero official website

maanfilms.com Maan Films official website

Hashar a Love Story official website

Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:Pakistani singers Category:Indian Sikhs Category:Panjab University alumni Category:Punjabi-language singers