Geographical History of Punjab

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Punjab is a state in northern India, located in the northwestern region of the subcontinent. It extends from the latitudes 29.30° North to 32.32° North and longitudes 73.55° East to 76.50° East. The state of Punjab is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, Rajasthan to the southwest, and Pakistan to the west. The city of Chandigarh, which is in the Chandigarh Union Territory, serves as the shared capital of both Punjab and Haryana.

About Punjab

Punjab is one of the smaller states of India with a total geographical area of 50,362 sq. Km (19,445 square miles). The state is divided into 23 districts (Malerkotla is the latest district to be formed). It has approximately 12,858 revenue villages and 237 urban settlements.

Etymology and Early Boundaries

Punjab derives from two Persian words: Punj (five) and ab (water), meaning “land of five rivers.” In the Vedic Age, it encompassed the region of seven rivers: Vitasta (Jhelum), Askini (Chenab), Purushni (Ravi), Vipash (Beas), Shutudri (Satluj), Surusti (Saraswati), and Sindhu (Indus). Known as Sapta Sindhu or the “Land of Seven Rivers,” it also included Brahmavarta between Surusti and Drishadvati (Ghaggar).

Expansion and Contraction Through Historical Periods

During the Mauryan and Kushana periods, Punjab extended to the Hindu-Kush Range in Afghanistan. Under the Delhi Sultanate, its boundary reached Peshawar.
During Mughal rule, it was divided into Subha of Lahore and Subha of Multan.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh united Punjab, forming the Lahore Kingdom, which spanned from the Khyber Pass to the Sutlej River.
The British formalized Punjab as a province, adding Haryana and Delhi post-1857 Sepoy Mutiny. It remained under British control until India’s independence in 1947.

Partition and Its Aftermath

The partition of India in 1947 divided Punjab into West Punjab (Pakistan) and East Punjab (India) based on religious demographics.
United Punjab had five divisions and 29 districts, of which 69% went to West Punjab (16 districts) and 31% to East Punjab (13 districts). Fertile lands and the canal network predominantly fell in West Punjab. Lahore, the united capital, became part of West Punjab.

Post-Independence Developments

On 15th July 1948, princely states like Patiala, Nabha, and Faridkot merged to form PEPSU (Patiala and East Punjab States Union).
In 1956, PEPSU merged with Punjab. On 1st November 1966, Punjab was reorganized linguistically, resulting in the creation of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Today, the term “Punjab” is a misnomer as the historic land of five rivers is divided between two nations. Both regions, West Punjab (Pakistan) and East Punjab (India), share the name but represent separate political entities.