The word "Punjab"
is made up of two Persian words 'Panj' and 'Aab'. Panj means
five and Aab means water. This name was probably given
to this land possibly in an era when this region came into
close contact with Persia. The Punjab was known as land of
five rivers because of the five rivers that ran through it.
They are Indus, Ravi, Beas, Sutlaj and Ghaggar. Prior to Persian
period this region was known by different names at different
times. Probably, at the height of its glory it was known as
Sapta Sindhu, land of the seven rivers, namely Sindhu (Indus),
Vitasta (Jehlum), Asuhi (chenab), Purshin (Ravi), Vipasa (Beas),
Satadru (Sutleg) and Saruri (Saraswati). The last one is a
dried up stream now and its traces are found in the present
seasonal streams that flow near Pehowa in Haryana. During
Greek occupation, the territory had shrunk into the area covering
the five rivers. |
The Gay and vivacious
Punjabi's are very fond of fairs and
festivals and almost every fortnight
there is a fair or a festival in one
part of the state or the other..
Punjab, literally meaning
'The land of five Rivers'
is one of India's most beautiful
states. It is the location
of the world's first and oldest
civilization- the Indus Valley
Civilization..
Music and dance are deep
rooted in Punjabi life. The Desert land
comes alive when it stage for performance.
Most of the Punjabi Folk arts are linked
to either region or Festival. Folk dances
of Punjab has been classified according
to the three natural division of the region
- hilly, desert and eastern plain including
Shekhawati. 
Punjab is the largest state in the
Indian Union. Geographically, the land
of Punjab is more varied than any other
region. It is a region of lofty rocks,
rolling sand dunes, of burning heat and
freezing cold, of fertile plains and deep
wild glens and jungles. 
