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{{merge to|Punjabis|discuss=Talk:Punjabis#Merge Punjabi Sikhs to this page}}
{{Short description|Ethnic Punjabis who are adherents of Sikhism}}
{{Use dmy dates}}
{{Use Indian English}}

{{infobox ethnic group
| group = Punjabi Sikhs
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = pa
| image = A painting of a Sikh family, circa late 19th century.jpg
| image_caption = A painting of a Sikh family, circa late 19th century
| population = {{circa|24,000,000-29,000,000 approx.}} (Worldwide)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/05/us/religion-what-is-a-sikh/index.html | title=Who are Sikhs and what do they believe? | date=5 August 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://thewire.in/religion/indianapolis-shootout-the-us-has-long-lacked-understanding-on-who-sikh-people-are | title=Indianapolis Shootout: The US Has Long Lacked Understanding on Who Sikh People Are }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/behind-the-decline/article7654960.ece|title=Behind the decline|website=frontline.thehindu.com}}</ref>
| region1 = [[Punjab, India]]
| pop1 = 16,004,754 ([[2011 Census of India|2011 census]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus">{{cite web|title=Population by religion community – 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS |website=Census of India, 2011 |publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=13 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825155850/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS |archive-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>{{efn|name=SikhPop|Figure is total Sikh population on census.}}
| region2 = [[Haryana]]
| pop2 = 1,243,752 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region3 = [[Rajasthan]]
| pop3 = 872,930 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region4 = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| pop4 = 643,500 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region5 = [[Delhi]]
| pop5 = 570,581 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region6 = [[Uttarakhand]]
| pop6 = 236,340 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region7 = [[Maharashtra]]
| pop7 = 223,247 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region8 = [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| pop8 = 151,412 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region9 = [[Chandigarh]]
| pop9 = 138,329 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| region10 = [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| pop10 = 79,896 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]])<ref name="2011IndianCensus"/>{{efn|name=SikhPop}}
| langs = '''Sacred language''' [[Sant Bhasha]] 
'''Ethnic language''' [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and [[Punjabi dialects|its dialects]] 
'''Code language''' [[Khalsa bole]] 
'''Other languages''' [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]]
| rels = [[Sikhism]]
| related = [[Punjabi Hindus]], [[Punjabi Muslims]], [[Punjabi Christians]]
}}
{{Sikhism sidebar}}{{Punjabis}}

'''Punjabi Sikhs''' are adherents of [[Sikhism]] who identify [[Ethnolinguistic groups|ethnolinguistically]], [[culturally]], and [[Genealogy|genealogically]] as [[Punjabis]]. Sikhs are the third-largest religious group of the Punjabi ethnic community, after the [[Punjabi Muslims|Muslims]] and [[Punjabi Hindus|Hindus]]. While, they form the largest religious community in the [[Indian states|Indian state]] of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]. [[Sikhism]] is an [[Indigenous religion|Indigenous]] religion born and brought up in [[Punjab region]] of [[South Asia]] during 15th century. Almost 97% of world's [[Sikh]] population are [[Punjabis]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sikhism | title=Sikhism | History, Doctrines, Practice, & Literature | Britannica }}</ref>

While Punjabi Sikhs are mostly found in the Indian state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] today, where they formed around [[Demographics of Punjab, India|60 percent]] of the state population and is the only Sikh-majority [[administrative division]] on Earth,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/chandigarh/census-2011-age-of-sikhs-drops-in-punjab-migration-to-blame/articleshow/48689317.cms | title=Census 2011: %age of Sikhs drops in Punjab; migration to blame? | newspaper=The Times of India | date=27 August 2015 }}</ref> many have ancestry from the [[Punjab region|greater Punjab region]], an area that was [[Partition of India|partitioned]] between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]] in 1947. In the contemporary era, apart from [[Punjab, India|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 [[United Kingdom|Britain]], as various immigration waves over the centuries better prospects and career.<ref>George, Usha, and Ferzana Chaze. "Punjabis/Sikhs in Canada." ''Mobility and Multiple Affiliations'' (2016): 91-104. </ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of Sikhism}}

The origins of the Sikhs, a religious group initially formed as a sect within the larger [[Punjabi Hindu]] community in Undivided Punjab region during 15th century.{{Cn|reason=Citation needed for the claim that Sikhism started out as a sect of Hinduism}} The Sikh religion founder, Shri [[Guru Nanak Dev]] ji (1469–1539), was roughly a contemporary of the founder of [[Mughal Empire]] [[Babur]] in [[Indian Subcontinent|India]]. Guru Nanak dev ji was born in a Punjabi Hindu [[Khatri]] family, which was initially a community of scribes and traders.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/place/India/The-Sikhs-in-the-Punjab | title=India - the Sikhs in the Punjab | Britannica }}</ref> In Un-divided [[Punjab region]], the eldest son of every [[Punjabi Hindu]] families was nominated and was represented as [[Sikh|Sardars]] and had protected their family and [[Indian religions|Indic communities]] from the tyrannies of Mughal rulers and their torture.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://scroll.in/article/880186/from-guru-hargobind-to-guru-gobind-singh-how-the-sikh-community-militarised-to-take-on-the-mughals | title=From Guru Hargobind to Guru Gobind Singh: How the Sikh community militarised to take on the Mughals }}</ref><ref>[https://www.esamskriti.com/e/History/Indian-History/Why-was-the-first-son-made-a-Sikh-1.aspx Why was the first son made a Sikh]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sikhism | title=Sikhism | History, Doctrines, Practice, & Literature | Britannica }}</ref> A huge number of peasants from [[Punjabi Hindu|Hindu]] and [[Punjabi Muslim|Muslim]] in Punjab have converted to Sikhism for various motives (mainly economic in nature) since the starting of new faith.<ref name="Singh2008">
{{cite book
|last1= Singh |first1= Pritam
|title= Federalism, Nationalism and Development: India and the Punjab Economy
|publisher= Routledge |isbn= 9781134049455
|language= en
|quote= A lot of Hindu and Muslim peasants converted to Sikhism from conviction, fear, economic motives, or a combination of the three (Khushwant Singh 1999: 106; Ganda Singh 1935: 73).
}}
</ref>

==Martial race==
===Origin as a Martial race===

[[File:Soldier Sikh LI INF of the Indian Army practices aim during MALABAR 2006.jpg|thumb|Indian Punjabi Sikh armies during their military training]]

Unofficially the militarization of Punjabi Sikhs have just started after The Martyrdom of [[Guru Arjan Dev]] (5th Guru in [[Sikhism]]). He was looked at as a sacrifice for the truth, and it became un-Sikh like to stand oppression. The guru’s death became a watershed moment as from then onwards there began the militarisation of Sikhs in Punjab to take up arms against Mughal tyrannies. This conflict that started between the Mughals and Sikhs with the execution of Arjan Dev continued till the last guru, [[Gobind Singh]] who finally established the official Militarised order, the [[Khalsa Fauj|Khalsa]], in 1699.<ref>https://theprint.in/feature/guru-arjan-dev-the-martyr-whose-death-changed-the-course-of-sikhism/401897/</ref> Punjabi Sikhs have been regarded as one of the toughest and fiercest [[Martial race]] warriors by [[British India|British]] when they were ruling Indian Subcontinent between (1858–1947) AD respectively. Initially, Punjabi Sikh soldiers constituted a major chunk of the British Indian Army as they were most trusted by British officers due to their hard work, dedication, loyalty and valuable service.<ref>https://scroll.in/article/1045152/how-punjab-came-to-dominate-the-british-indian-army</ref><ref>https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/how-british-idolised-the-loyal-sikh-soldier-and-inspired-conflict-in-indian-army/1559249/</ref> People of Punjab have played a big role in the India's freedom struggle. About 120 people from Punjab were hanged and many more were imprisoned during the Independence movement.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ludhiana/punjabis-were-at-forefront-of-freedom-struggle-bhagaten/</ref><ref>https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/punjabis-played-a-key-role-in-independence-struggle-dhindsa/story-cxLaraDNRWiYOLADcpLv5K.html</ref> Infact, despite being 2% of India's population, Punjabi Sikhs constitute around 20% of the Indian Armed Force. [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] is the 2nd Largest Army contributor after [[Uttar Pradesh]] respectively.<ref>https://m.timesofindia.com/city/chandigarh/gallant-and-patriotic-how-sikhs-shaped-armed-forces/articleshow/99028321.cms</ref><ref>https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjab-second-among-all-states-in-contributing-to-armys-rank-and-file-225565</ref>

== Language ==
Punjabi Sikhs speaks the [[Punjabi language]] as their [[mother tongue]]. Various [[Punjabi dialects and languages|dialects of Punjabi language]] such as [[Bagri language|Bagri]], [[Bilaspuri]], [[Bhateali]], [[Majhi dialect|Majhi]], [[Doabi dialect|Doabi]], [[Malwai dialect|Malwai]], and [[Puadhi dialect|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.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/generals-jottings/shahmukhi-the-window-to-punjabi-culture/ | title=Shahmukhi: The window to Punjabi culture | newspaper=The Times of India }}</ref> Gurmukhi is written from left to right, while Shahmukhi is written from right to left.<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal|last1=Sharma|first1=Saurabh|last2=Gupta|first2=Vishal|title=Punjabi Documents Clustering System|url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6677/85950119ad00c97dd28ab0799976fee89a5b.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421200231/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6677/85950119ad00c97dd28ab0799976fee89a5b.pdf|archive-date=21 April 2020|access-date=21 April 2020|journal=Journal of Emerging Technologies in Web Intelligence|volume=5|issue=2|page=174|doi=10.4304/JETWI.5.2.171-187|s2cid=55699784}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography|publisher=Springer|year=2019|isbn=978-3030059774|pages=142}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Guru-Angad | title=Guru Angad | Second Sikh Guru, Achievements, & Facts | Britannica }}</ref> It is commonly regarded as Sikh Script. While Shahmukhi script have been used by [[Punjabi Muslims]] since from the time of 12th century, when [[Sufi literature|Punjabi Sufi Poets]] have used it to write Punjabi. Shahmukhi is a [[Persian alphabet|Perso-Arabic alphabet script]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Punjabi-language | title=Punjabi language | Britannica }}</ref>

== Culture ==
{{See also|Punjabi culture}}

=== Festivals ===
{{Further information|List of Sikh festivals|Punjabi festivals|Punjabi festivals (Pakistan)}}
The Punjabi Sikhs observe historic festivals such as [[Lohri]], [[Basant (festival)|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]].<ref>Punjab Tourism
https://punjabtourism.punjab.gov.in › ...PDF
FESTIVALS IN PUNJAB 2021-22</ref> Other festivals observed by Punjabi Sikhs includes the festivals of [[Sikhism]] like- [[Gurupurab]], [[Bandi Chhor Divas]], etc.

== Notes ==
{{notelist|30em}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
==Further reading==
* Benson, Heather Lené. "In Place/Out of Place: Punjabi-Sikhs in Reno, Nevada" (PhD dissertation, University of Nevada, Reno, 2022) [https://scholarworks.unr.edu/bitstream/handle/11714/8223/Benson_unr_0139D_13786.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 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.

[[Category:Community]]
[[Category:Sikhs]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Punjabi tribes]]
[[Category:Sikh culture]]
[[Category:Sikhism]]

Punjabi Sikhs - Revision history

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