Religion in the Punjab

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Religion in the Punjab in ancient history was characterized by Hinduism and later conversions to Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism and Christianity; it also includes folk practices common to all Punjabis regardless of the religion they adhere to. Such practices incorporate local mysticism, including ancestral worship and worship of local saints of all faiths.[1]

Religion in the Punjab
(2011 and 2017)[2][3][4][a]

  Islam (60.13%)
  Hinduism (28.54%)
  Sikhism (9.5%)
  Christianity (1.43%)
  Others (0.33%)

Background

Rig Veda is the oldest Hindu text that originated in the Punjab region.

Hinduism is the oldest of the religions practised by Punjabi people, however, the term Hindu was applied over a vast territory with much regional diversity.[5] The historical Vedic religion constituted the religious ideas and practices in the Punjab during the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE), centered primarily in the worship of Indra.[6][7][8][note 1] The bulk of the Rigveda was composed in the Punjab region between circa 1500 and 1200 BC,[9] while later Vedic scriptures were composed more eastwards, between the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. An ancient Indian law book called the Manusmriti, developed by Brahmin Hindu priests, shaped Punjabi religious life from 200 BC onward.[10]

Later, the spread of Buddhisim and Jainism in the Indian subcontinent saw the growth of Buddhism and Jainism in the Punjab.[11] Islam was introduced via southern Punjab in the 8th century, becoming the majority by the 16th century, via local conversion.[12][13] There was a small Jain community left in Punjab by the 16th century, while the Buddhist community had largely disappeared by the turn of the 10th century.[14] The region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs (shrines) dot the landscape of the Punjab region.[15]

The rise of Sikhism in the 1700s saw some Punjabis, both Hindu and Muslim, accepting the new Sikh faith.[10][16] A number of Punjabis during the colonial period of India became Christians, with all of these religions characterizing the religious diversity now found in the Punjab region.[10]

History

See also: Historical Vedic religion

Ancient period

The Persians were the first to use the term Hindu, referring to a vast territory containing much regional variety in belief and practice. Nevertheless, the common concept was the belief in cycles of reincarnation, or sansār, and was the oldest recorded religion in the region.[10] While law books like the Manusmriti codified socio-religious customs and were sanctified by the Hindu religion, such books more generally influenced the formation of broader traditional societal beliefs.[10]

Medieval period

Sikhism appeared in the 16th century, in reaction to both Punjabi and subcontinent-wide cultural practices of the time,[10] including asceticism, the caste system, and female subordination, as well as in congruence with it, sharing precepts with Hinduism, including karma, sansār, and liberation, and that with Islam, including a formless God, rejection of idolatry, and social equality.[10] It also developed its own distinct doctrines, including the belief that both intrinsic factors (egocentrism, to be ameliorated through devotion and prayer), and external forces (social and political oppression, to be addressed by community service and armed self-defense as needed, and balancing spiritual and temporal power in the world as opposed to renunciation), produced suffering.[10]

Modern period

During the colonial era, the practice of religious syncretism among Punjabi Muslims and Punjabi Hindus was noted and documented by officials in census reports:

"In other parts of the Province, too, traces of Hindu festivals are noticeable among the Muhammadans. In the western Punjab, Baisakhi, the new year's day of the Hindus, is celebrated as an agricultural festival, by all Muhammadans, by racing bullocks yoked to the well gear, with the beat of tom-toms, and large crowds gather to witness the show, The race is called Baisakhi and is a favourite pastime in the well-irrigated tracts. Then the processions of Tazias, in Muharram, with the accompaniment of tom-toms, fencing parties and bands playing on flutes and other musical instruments (which is disapproved by the orthodox Muhammadans) and the establishment of Sabils (shelters where water and sharbat are served out) are clearly influenced by similar practices at Hindu festivals, while the illuminations on occasions like the Chiraghan fair of Shalamar (Lahore) are no doubt practices answering to the holiday-making instinct of the converted Hindus."[17]: 174 
"Besides actual conversion, Islam has had a considerable influence on the Hindu religion. The sects of reformers based on a revolt from the orthodoxy of Varnashrama Dharma were obviously the outcome of the knowledge that a different religion could produce equally pious and right thinking men. Laxity in social restrictions also appeared simultaneously in various degrees and certain customs were assimilated to those of the Muhammadans. On the other hand the miraculous powers of Muhammadan saints were enough to attract the saint worshiping Hindus, to allegiance, if not to a total change of faith... The Shamsis are believers in Shah Shamas Tabrez of Multan, and follow the Imam, for the time being, of the Ismailia sect of Shias... they belong mostly to the Sunar caste and their connection with the sect is kept a secret, like Freemasonry. They pass as ordinary Hindus, but their devotion to the Imam is very strong."[17]: 130 

— Excerpts from the Census of India (Punjab Province), 1911 AD

Population exchange

See also: Partition of Punjab
A refugee special train at Ambala Station during the Partition of India

During Partition, both Indian and Pakistani Punjab witnessed a large-scale population exchange of minorities. Almost all Hindus and Sikhs, who numbered 3.9 million at the time of the 1941 census, left Pakistani Punjab for Indian Punjab, while Muslims, who numbered 5.2 million at the time of the 1941 census, left Indian Punjab for Pakistani Punjab. This resulted in the near-total alienation of minorities on both sides.[18]

The 1951 Census of India and Pakistan reported that Muslims comprised 0.5% of the population in East Punjab, numbering 110,000,[19] whereas Hindus and Sikhs combined comprised 0.16% of the population in West Punjab, numbering 33,000.[20] Virtually no Muslims survived in East Punjab (except in Malerkotla and Nuh), and virtually no Hindus or Sikhs survived in West Punjab (except in Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur).[21]

Punjab region

Colonial era

1855 census

During the 1855 census, religious affiliation was only enumerated in the districts of the British Territories and excluded the princely states.[22]: 31  Only two religious categories existed, including one response for Dharmic faiths, referred to as "Hindoo"; the other category included one response for Abrahamic and other faiths, referred to as "Mahomedan and others non Hindoo".[22]: 31  Adherents of Sikhism were only enumerated in the districts of the Lahore Division, which found that the Sikh population stood at 55,709 persons in Lahore District, 71,364 persons in Amritsar District, 24,746 persons in Gurdaspur District, 9,578 persons Gujranwala District, and 19,775 persons in Sialkot District.[22]: 23 

Religion in the Districts of British Punjab (1855 census)[22]: 31 
District Abrahamic religions & Others
(Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, others) 		Dharmic religions
(Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, others) 		Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Ambala District 219,570 28.08% 562,447 71.92% 782,017 100%
Thanesar District 125,121 25.19% 371,627 74.81% 496,748 100%
Ludhiana District 196,411 37.22% 331,311 62.78% 527,722 100%
Firozpur District 209,479 44.04% 266,145 55.96% 475,624 100%
Jalandhar District 318,229 44.9% 390,499 55.1% 708,728 100%
Hoshiarpur District 279,861 33.11% 565,493 66.89% 845,354 100%
Kangra District 50,709 7.05% 668,246 92.95% 718,955 100%
Lahore District 323,529 54.68% 268,154 45.32% 591,683 100%
Amritsar District 391,854 44.31% 492,575 55.69% 884,429 100%
Gurdaspur District 355,704 45.17% 431,713 54.83% 787,417 100%
Gujranwala District 366,975 66.31% 186,408 33.69% 553,383 100%
Sialkot District 350,982 54.69% 290,800 45.31% 641,782 100%
Rawalpindi District 480,488 86.77% 73,262 13.23% 553,750 100%
Jhelum District 365,945 85.22% 63,475 14.78% 429,420 100%
Gujrat District 420,229 81.18% 97,397 18.82% 517,626 100%
Shahpur District 216,361 82.68% 45,331 17.32% 261,692 100%
Multan District 328,786 79.92% 82,600 20.08% 411,386 100%
Jhang District 206,258 81.92% 45,511 18.08% 251,769 100%
Googaira District 234,611 76.17% 73,409 23.83% 308,020 100%
Layyah District 267,167 86.27% 42,529 13.73% 309,696 100%
Khangarh District 176,833 83.44% 35,087 16.56% 211,920 100%
Dera Ghazi Khan District 199,566 83.51% 39,398 16.49% 238,964 100%
Dera Ismail Khan District 323,071 89.24% 38,970 10.76% 362,041 100%
Peshawar District 403,534 89.65% 46,565 10.35% 450,099 100%
Hazara District 276,927 93.44% 19,437 6.56% 296,364 100%
Kohat District 95,602 94.44% 5,630 5.56% 101,232 100%
Total British Punjab[b] 6,084,668 52.87% 5,423,417 47.13% 11,508,085 100%
Total British NWFP[c] 1,099,134 90.86% 110,602 9.14% 1,209,736 100%
Total British Punjab Territory
(1855 borders) 		7,183,802 56.49% 5,534,019 43.51% 12,717,821 100%

1881 to 1941 censuses

Population trends for major religious groups in the Punjab Province of the British India (1881–1941)[23][24]: 46 
Religious
group 		Population
% 1881[d] 		Population
% 1891[d] 		Population
% 1901[d] 		Population
% 1911[d] 		Population
% 1921 		Population
% 1931 		Population
% 1941
Islam 47.6% 47.4% 49.2% 50.8% 51.1% 52.4% 53.2%
Hinduism[e] 43.8% 44.1% 41.8% 36.3% 35.1% 31.7% 30.1%
Sikhism 8.2% 8.1% 8.5% 11.9% 12.4% 14.3% 14.9%
Christianity 0.1% 0.2% 0.3% 0.8% 1.3% 1.5% 1.5%
Other religions / No religion 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2%
Religious groups in Punjab Province (1881–1941)
Religious
group 		1881[25][26][27][d] 1891[28][29][30][d] 1901[31]: 34 [d] 1911[32]: 27 [33]: 27 [d] 1921[34]: 29  1931[35]: 277  1941[24]: 42 
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 9,872,745 47.58% 10,827,628 47.39% 12,183,345 49.22% 12,275,477 50.75% 12,813,383 51.05% 14,929,896 52.4% 18,259,744 53.22%
Hinduism [e] 9,095,175 43.84% 10,070,716 44.08% 10,344,469 41.79% 8,773,621 36.27% 8,799,651 35.06% 9,018,509 31.65% 10,336,549 30.13%
Sikhism 1,706,165 8.22% 1,849,371 8.09% 2,102,896 8.49% 2,883,729 11.92% 3,107,296 12.38% 4,071,624 14.29% 5,116,185 14.91%
Jainism 42,572 0.21% 45,575 0.2% 49,983 0.2% 46,775 0.19% 41,321 0.16% 43,140 0.15% 45,475 0.13%
Christianity 28,054 0.14% 48,472 0.21% 66,591 0.27% 199,751 0.83% 332,939 1.33% 419,353 1.47% 512,466 1.49%
Buddhism 3,251 0.02% 6,236 0.03% 6,940 0.03% 7,690 0.03% 5,912 0.02% 7,753 0.03% 854 0.002%
Zoroastrianism 413 0.002% 364 0.002% 477 0.002% 653 0.003% 526 0.002% 569 0.002% 4,359 0.01%
Judaism — — 29 0.0001% 24 0.0001% 54 0.0002% 19 0.0001% 13 0% 39 0.0001%
Others 57 0.0003% 28 0.0001% 12 0% 0 0% 13 0.0001% 0 0% 34,190 0.1%
Total population 20,748,432 100% 22,848,419 100% 24,754,737 100% 24,187,750 100% 25,101,060 100% 28,490,857 100% 34,309,861 100%

Modern era

1951 Indian & Pakistani censuses

Religious groups in the Punjab Region (1951 Census of India & 1951 Census of Pakistan)[36][37]
Religious
group 		Punjab
Region 		Punjab
(Pakistan) 		Punjab
(India) 		Haryana Himachal
Pradesh 		Delhi
Total
Population 		Percentage Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 20,600,541 52.34% 20,200,794 97.89% 77,540 0.85% 200,368 3.49% 22,338 1.07% 99,501 5.71%
Hinduism 12,470,526 31.69% 33,052 0.16% 3,865,429 42.27% 5,079,499 88.36% 2,024,692 97.24% 1,467,854 84.16%
Sikhism 5,696,033 14.47% — — 5,088,754 55.65% 439,346 7.64% 30,837 1.48% 137,096 7.86%
Christianity 520,477 1.32% 402,617 1.95% 91,599 1% 6,059 0.11% 1,517 0.07% 18,685 1.07%
Jainism 65,304 0.17% — — 20,815 0.23% 22,951 0.4% 1,364 0.07% 20,174 1.16%
Buddhism 2,174 0.01% 9 0% 268 0% 74 0% 1,320 0.06% 503 0.03%
Zoroastrianism 534 0.001% 195 0% 159 0% 3 0% 13 0% 164 0.01%
Others 939 0.002% 35 0% 152 0% 645 0.01% 12 0% 95 0.01%
Total population 39,356,528 100% 20,636,702 100% 9,144,716 100% 5,748,945 100% 2,082,093 100% 1,744,072 100%

2011/2017 Indian & Pakistani censuses

Religious groups in the Punjab Region (2011 Census of India & 2017 Census of Pakistan)[2][3][4][a]
Religious
group 		Punjab
Region 		Punjab
(Pakistan)[2] 		Punjab (India)[3] Haryana[4] Delhi[4] Himachal
Pradesh[4] 		Islamabad[2] Chandigarh[4]
Total
Population 		Percentage Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 114,130,322 60.13% 107,541,602 97.77% 535,489 1.93% 1,781,342 7.03% 2,158,684 12.86% 149,881 2.18% 1,911,877 95.43% 51,447 4.87%
Hinduism 54,159,083 28.54% 211,641 0.19% 10,678,138 38.49% 22,171,128 87.46% 13,712,100 81.68% 6,532,765 95.17% 737 0.04% 852,574 80.78%
Sikhism 18,037,312 9.5% — — 16,004,754 57.69% 1,243,752 4.91% 570,581 3.4% 79,896 1.16% — — 138,329 13.11%
Christianity 2,715,952 1.43% 2,063,063 1.88% 348,230 1.26% 50,353 0.2% 146,093 0.87% 12,646 0.18% 86,847 4.34% 8,720 0.83%
Jainism 267,649 0.14% — — 45,040 0.16% 52,613 0.21% 166,231 0.99% 1,805 0.03% — — 1,960 0.19%
Ahmadiyya 160,759 0.08% 158,021 0.14% — — — — — — — — 2,738 0.14% — —
Buddhism 139,019 0.07% — — 33,237 0.12% 7,514 0.03% 18,449 0.11% 78,659 1.15% — — 1,160 0.11%
Others 185,720 0.1% 15,328 0.01% 98,450 0.35% 44,760 0.18% 15,803 0.09% 8,950 0.13% 1,169 0.06% 1,260 0.12%
Total population 189,795,816 100% 109,989,655 100% 27,743,338 100% 25,351,462 100% 16,787,941 100% 6,864,602 100% 2,003,368 100% 1,055,450 100%

West Punjab

Religion in West Punjab (1881–1947)
Religious
group 		1881[25][26][27][38][f] 1891[28][29][30][39][g] 1901[31]: 34 [40]: 62 [h] 1911[32]: 27 [33]: 27 [i] 1921[34]: 29 [j] 1931[35]: 277 [k] 1941[24]: 42 [l] 1947 estimates[m]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 6,201,859 78.09% 6,766,545 76.07% 7,951,155 76.25% 8,494,314 76.49% 8,975,288 75.49% 10,570,029 75.28% 13,022,160 75.06% 14,760,215 74.34%
Hinduism [e] 1,449,913 18.26% 1,727,810 19.42% 1,944,363 18.65% 1,645,758 14.82% 1,797,141 15.12% 1,957,878 13.94% 2,373,466 13.68% 2,663,488 13.41%
Sikhism 272,908 3.44% 366,162 4.12% 483,999 4.64% 813,441 7.33% 863,091 7.26% 1,180,789 8.41% 1,530,112 8.82% 1,788,007 9.01%
Christianity 12,992 0.16% 30,168 0.34% 42,371 0.41% 144,514 1.3% 247,030 2.08% 324,730 2.31% 395,311 2.28% 444,923 2.24%
Jainism 4,352 0.05% 4,408 0.05% 5,562 0.05% 5,977 0.05% 5,930 0.05% 6,921 0.05% 9,520 0.05% 11,527 0.06%
Zoroastrianism 354 0.004% 215 0.002% 300 0.003% 377 0.003% 309 0.003% 413 0.003% 312 0.002% — —
Buddhism 0 0% 0 0% 6 0.0001% 168 0.002% 172 0.001% 32 0.0002% 87 0.001% — —
Judaism — — 17 0.0002% 9 0.0001% 36 0.0003% 16 0.0001% 6 0% 7 0% — —
Others 21 0.0003% 17 0.0002% 0 0% 0 0% 8 0.0001% 0 0% 19,128 0.11% 187,413[n] 0.94%
Total Population 7,942,399 100% 8,895,342 100% 10,427,765 100% 11,104,585 100% 11,888,985 100% 14,040,798 100% 17,350,103 100% 19,855,573 100%
Territory comprises the contemporary subdivisions of Punjab, Pakistan and Islamabad Capital Territory.

1881 to 1941 figures are official census data. 1947 figures (the year of partition and the accompanying mass population transfer) for West Punjab are estimates based on the annualized growth rates between the 1931 census[35]: 277 [k] and 1941 census[24]: 42 [l] for adherents of Islam (+2.11% p.a.), Hinduism (+1.94% p.a.), Sikhism (+2.63% p.a.), Christianity (+1.99% p.a.), Jainism (+3.24% p.a.), and others (+45.77% p.a.).

East Punjab

Religion in East Punjab (1881–1947)
Religious
group 		1881[25][26][27][38][o][d] 1891[28][29][30][39][p][d] 1901[31]: 34 [40]: 62 [q][d] 1911[32]: 27 [33]: 27 [r][d] 1921[34]: 29 [s] 1931[35]: 277 [t] 1941[24]: 42 [u] 1947 estimates[v]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hinduism [e] 7,645,262 59.7% 8,342,906 59.79% 8,400,106 58.63% 7,127,863 54.48% 7,002,510 53% 7,060,631 48.86% 7,963,083 46.95% 8,558,976 45.79%
Islam 3,670,886 28.67% 4,061,083 29.11% 4,232,190 29.54% 3,781,163 28.9% 3,838,095 29.05% 4,359,867 30.17% 5,237,584 30.88% 5,846,517 31.28%
Sikhism 1,433,257 11.19% 1,483,209 10.63% 1,618,897 11.3% 2,070,288 15.82% 2,244,205 16.99% 2,890,835 20.01% 3,586,073 21.14% 4,081,450 21.84%
Jainism 38,220 0.3% 41,167 0.3% 44,421 0.31% 40,798 0.31% 35,391 0.27% 36,219 0.25% 35,955 0.21% 35,804 0.19%
Christianity 15,062 0.12% 18,304 0.13% 24,220 0.17% 55,237 0.42% 85,909 0.65% 94,623 0.65% 117,155 0.69% 133,182 0.71%
Buddhism 3,251 0.03% 6,236 0.04% 6,934 0.05% 7,522 0.06% 5,740 0.04% 7,721 0.05% 767 0.005% — —
Zoroastrianism 59 0.0005% 149 0.001% 177 0.001% 276 0.002% 217 0.002% 156 0.001% 4,047 0.02% — —
Judaism — — 12 0.0001% 15 0.0001% 18 0.0001% 3 0% 7 0% 32 0.0002% — —
Others 36 0.0003% 11 0.0001% 12 0.0001% 0 0% 5 0% 0 0% 15,062 0.09% 34,714[n] 0.19%
Total Population 12,806,033 100% 13,953,077 100% 14,326,972 100% 13,083,165 100% 13,212,075 100% 14,450,059 100% 16,959,758 100% 18,690,643 100%
Territory comprises the contemporary subdivisions of Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

1881 to 1941 figures are official census data. 1947 figures (the year of partition and the accompanying mass population transfer) for East Punjab are estimates based on the annualized growth rates between the 1931 census[35]: 277 [t] and 1941 census[24]: 42 [u] for adherents of Hinduism (+1.21% p.a.), Islam (+1.85% p.a.), Sikhism (+2.18% p.a.), Christianity (+2.16% p.a.), Jainism (-0.07% p.a.), and others (+9.71% p.a.).

Subregions

Following the creation of the North-West Frontier Province in 1901, the Punjab region (Punjab Province) was divided into four natural geographical divisions by colonial officials on the decadal census data:[17]: 2 [24]: 4 

  1. Indo−Gangetic Plain West geographical division (including Hisar district, Loharu State, Rohtak district, Dujana State, Gurgaon district, Pataudi State, Delhi, Karnal district, Jalandhar district, Kapurthala State, Ludhiana district, Malerkotla State, Firozpur district, Faridkot State, Patiala State, Jind State, Nabha State, Lahore District, Amritsar district, Gujranwala District, and Sheikhupura District);
  2. Himalayan geographical division (including Sirmoor State, Simla District, Simla Hill States, Bilaspur State, Kangra district, Mandi State, Suket State, and Chamba State);
  3. Sub−Himalayan geographical division (including Ambala district, Kalsia State, Hoshiarpur district, Gurdaspur district, Sialkot District, Gujrat District, Jhelum District, Rawalpindi District, and Attock District);
  4. North−West Dry Area geographical division (including Montgomery District, Shahpur District, Mianwali District, Lyallpur District, Jhang District, Multan District, Bahawalpur State, Muzaffargarh District, Dera Ghazi Khan District, and the Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract).

Throughout history, religious diversity has been noted across the Punjab region. During the colonial era, the various districts and princely states that made up each of the four geographical divisions were religiously eclectic, each containing significant populations of Punjabi Muslims, Punjabi Hindus, Punjabi Sikhs, Punjabi Christians, along with other ethnic and religious minorities.

However, between the censuses of 1941 and 1951, a sudden shift towards religious homogeneity occurred in all districts across Punjab owing to the new international border that cut through the province due to the partition of India in 1947. This rapid demographic shift was primarily as a consequence of wide scale migration but also caused by large-scale religious cleansing riots which were witnessed across the region at the time. According to historical demographer Tim Dyson, in the eastern regions of Punjab that ultimately became Indian Punjab following independence, districts that were 66% Hindu in 1941 became 80% Hindu in 1951; those that were 20% Sikh became 50% Sikh in 1951. Conversely, in the western regions of Punjab that ultimately became Pakistani Punjab, all districts became almost exclusively Muslim by 1951.[41]

Indo−Gangetic Plain West geographical division

Including Hisar district, Loharu State, Rohtak district, Dujana State, Gurgaon district, Pataudi State, Delhi, Karnal district, Jalandhar district, Kapurthala State, Ludhiana district, Malerkotla State, Firozpur district, Faridkot State, Patiala State, Jind State, Nabha State, Lahore District, Amritsar district, Gujranwala District, and Sheikhupura District.[24]: 48 [17]: 2 

Religious groups in the Indo—Gangetic Plain West geographical division of Punjab Province (1881–1951)
Religious
group 		1881[25][26][27] 1901[31]: 34  1911[32]: 27 [33]: 27  1921[34]: 29  1931[35]: 277  1941[24]: 42  1951[36][37]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hinduism [e] 4,975,901 48.94% 5,825,964 48.64% 4,790,624 43.44% 4,735,960 41.37% 4,709,545 36.59% 5,314,610 34.43% 8,024,554 45.69%
Islam 3,751,891 36.9% 4,481,366 37.42% 4,144,971 37.59% 4,350,186 38% 5,112,215 39.72% 6,247,791 40.48% 3,998,326 22.76%
Sikhism 1,390,873 13.68% 1,605,457 13.4% 1,993,750 18.08% 2,186,429 19.1% 2,816,785 21.88% 3,576,659 23.17% 4,778,518 27.21%
Jainism 36,479 0.36% 41,877 0.35% 39,111 0.35% 33,515 0.29% 34,806 0.27% 34,744 0.23% 57,800 0.33%
Christianity 11,729 0.12% 22,103 0.18% 58,462 0.53% 140,104 1.22% 198,081 1.54% 247,028 1.6% 259,764 1.48%
Zoroastrianism 139 0% 299 0% 412 0% 318 0% 314 0% 235 0% 497 0%
Buddhism 1 0% 3 0% 132 0% 184 0% 23 0% 39 0% 835 0%
Judaism — — 19 0% 28 0% 14 0% 5 0% 30 0% 221 0%
Others 49 0% 12 0% 0 0% 6 0% 0 0% 14,844 0.1% 676 0%
Total population[w] 10,167,062 100% 11,977,100 100% 11,027,490 100% 11,446,716 100% 12,871,774 100% 15,435,980 100% 17,564,265 100%

1901 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Indo−Gangetic Plain West geographical division (1901)[31]: 34 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism Islam Sikhism Jainism Christianity Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hisar District 544,799 69.69% 202,009 25.84% 28,642 3.66% 6,003 0.77% 253 0.03% 11 0% 781,717 100%
Loharu State 13,254 87.03% 1,963 12.89% 0 0% 12 0.08% 0 0% 0 0% 15,229 100%
Rohtak District 533,723 84.63% 91,687 14.54% 94 0.01% 5,087 0.81% 80 0.01% 1 0% 630,672 100%
Dujana State 18,380 76.03% 5,790 23.95% 4 0.02% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 24,174 100%
Gurgaon District 499,373 66.92% 242,548 32.5% 99 0.01% 3,909 0.52% 278 0.04% 1 0% 746,208 100%
Pataudi State 18,281 83.35% 3,549 16.18% 0 0% 103 0.47% 0 0% 0 0% 21,933 100%
Delhi District 510,532 74.09% 167,290 24.28% 294 0.04% 7,726 1.12% 3,158 0.46% 39 0.01% 689,039 100%
Karnal District 623,597 70.6% 241,412 27.33% 12,294 1.39% 4,739 0.54% 1,179 0.13% 4 0% 883,225 100%
Jalandhar District 368,051 40.11% 421,011 45.88% 125,817 13.71% 969 0.11% 1,713 0.19% 26 0% 917,587 100%
Kapurthala State 93,652 29.79% 178,326 56.73% 42,101 13.39% 226 0.07% 39 0.01% 7 0% 314,351 100%
Ludhiana District 269,076 39.98% 235,937 35.05% 164,919 24.5% 2,217 0.33% 947 0.14% 1 0% 673,097 100%
Malerkotla State 38,409 49.56% 27,229 35.13% 10,495 13.54% 1,361 1.76% 12 0.02% 0 0% 77,506 100%
Firozpur District 279,099 29.13% 447,615 46.72% 228,355 23.83% 1,090 0.11% 1,908 0.2% 5 0% 958,072 100%
Faridkot State 35,778 28.64% 35,996 28.82% 52,721 42.21% 406 0.33% 11 0.01% 0 0% 124,912 100%
Patiala State 880,490 55.14% 357,334 22.38% 355,649 22.27% 2,877 0.18% 316 0.02% 26 0% 1,596,692 100%
Jind State 211,963 75.16% 38,717 13.73% 29,975 10.63% 1,258 0.45% 80 0.03% 10 0% 282,003 100%
Nabha State 160,553 53.89% 58,550 19.65% 78,361 26.3% 476 0.16% 7 0% 2 0% 297,949 100%
Lahore District 276,375 23.78% 717,519 61.74% 159,701 13.74% 1,047 0.09% 7,296 0.63% 171 0.01% 1,162,109 100%
Amritsar District 280,985 27.44% 474,976 46.39% 264,329 25.82% 1,439 0.14% 2,078 0.2% 21 0% 1,023,828 100%
Gujranwala District 169,594 22.41% 531,908 70.28% 51,607 6.82% 932 0.12% 2,748 0.36% 8 0% 756,797 100%
Total 5,825,964 48.64% 4,481,366 37.42% 1,605,457 13.4% 41,877 0.35% 22,103 0.18% 333 0.003% 11,977,100 100%

1911 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Indo−Gangetic Plain West geographical division (1911)[32]: 27 [33]: 27 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism Islam Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hisar District 541,720 67.3% 218,600 27.16% 38,508 4.78% 273 0.03% 5,767 0.72% 21 0% 804,889 100%
Loharu State 16,178 86.99% 2,401 12.91% 0 0% 0 0% 18 0.1% 0 0% 18,597 100%
Rohtak District 450,549 83.21% 86,076 15.9% 161 0.03% 334 0.06% 4,369 0.81% 0 0% 541,489 100%
Dujana State 20,161 79.11% 5,324 20.89% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 25,485 100%
Gurgaon District 421,885 65.59% 217,237 33.78% 342 0.05% 782 0.12% 2,921 0.45% 10 0% 643,177 100%
Pataudi State 16,114 82.45% 3,338 17.08% 0 0% 9 0.05% 82 0.42% 0 0% 19,543 100%
Delhi District 469,561 71.4% 171,745 26.12% 2,985 0.45% 5,693 0.87% 7,539 1.15% 81 0.01% 657,604 100%
Karnal District 556,203 69.54% 224,920 28.12% 13,531 1.69% 920 0.12% 4,213 0.53% 0 0% 799,787 100%
Jalandhar District 265,378 33.09% 357,051 44.52% 176,227 21.98% 2,404 0.3% 842 0.1% 18 0% 801,920 100%
Kapurthala State 61,426 22.91% 152,117 56.73% 54,275 20.24% 107 0.04% 205 0.08% 3 0% 268,133 100%
Ludhiana District 131,370 25.4% 176,043 34.04% 207,042 40.03% 888 0.17% 1,849 0.36% 0 0% 517,192 100%
Malerkotla State 22,902 32.19% 25,942 36.46% 21,018 29.54% 14 0.02% 1,268 1.78% 0 0% 71,144 100%
Firozpur District 273,832 28.53% 418,553 43.61% 262,511 27.35% 3,342 0.35% 1,401 0.15% 18 0% 959,657 100%
Faridkot State 37,377 28.69% 37,105 28.48% 55,397 42.52% 6 0% 409 0.31% 0 0% 130,294 100%
Patiala State 563,940 40.06% 307,384 21.84% 532,292 37.81% 739 0.05% 3,282 0.23% 22 0% 1,407,659 100%
Jind State 210,222 77.36% 37,520 13.81% 22,566 8.3% 187 0.07% 1,233 0.45% 0 0% 271,728 100%
Nabha State 126,414 50.79% 46,032 18.5% 76,198 30.62% 5 0% 238 0.1% 0 0% 248,887 100%
Lahore District 217,609 21% 626,271 60.44% 169,008 16.31% 21,781 2.1% 1,139 0.11% 350 0.03% 1,036,158 100%
Amritsar District 211,708 24.04% 408,882 46.43% 253,941 28.83% 4,763 0.54% 1,386 0.16% 48 0.01% 880,728 100%
Gujranwala District 176,075 19.07% 622,430 67.4% 107,748 11.67% 16,215 1.76% 950 0.1% 1 0% 923,419 100%
Total 4,790,624 43.44% 4,144,971 37.59% 1,993,750 18.08% 58,462 0.53% 39,111 0.35% 572 0.01% 11,027,490 100%

1921 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Indo−Gangetic Plain West geographical division (1921)[34]: 29 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism Islam Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hisar District 548,351 67.13% 215,943 26.44% 45,615 5.58% 1,024 0.13% 5,874 0.72% 3 0% 816,810 100%
Loharu State 17,978 87.18% 2,625 12.73% 0 0% 0 0% 18 0.09% 0 0% 20,621 100%
Rohtak District 629,592 81.52% 125,035 16.19% 602 0.08% 10,033 1.3% 7,010 0.91% 0 0% 772,272 100%
Dujana State 20,135 77.94% 5,698 22.06% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 25,833 100%
Gurgaon District 460,134 67.47% 216,860 31.8% 924 0.14% 1,316 0.19% 2,762 0.4% 7 0% 682,003 100%
Pataudi State 15,090 83.38% 2,898 16.01% 0 0% 0 0% 109 0.6% 0 0% 18,097 100%
Karnal District 573,224 69.17% 235,618 28.43% 12,280 1.48% 3,382 0.41% 4,222 0.51% 0 0% 828,726 100%
Jalandhar District 244,995 29.79% 366,586 44.57% 206,130 25.06% 4,088 0.5% 736 0.09% 9 0% 822,544 100%
Kapurthala State 58,412 20.55% 160,457 56.44% 64,074 22.54% 1,100 0.39% 228 0.08% 4 0% 284,275 100%
Ludhiana District 135,512 23.87% 192,961 33.99% 235,721 41.53% 1,613 0.28% 1,796 0.32% 19 0% 567,622 100%
Malerkotla State 29,459 36.68% 28,413 35.37% 21,828 27.18% 37 0.05% 585 0.73% 0 0% 80,322 100%
Firozpur District 306,350 27.89% 482,540 43.94% 302,761 27.57% 5,365 0.49% 1,211 0.11% 21 0% 1,098,248 100%
Faridkot State 38,610 25.63% 44,813 29.74% 66,658 44.24% 107 0.07% 473 0.31% 0 0% 150,661 100%
Patiala State 642,055 42.81% 330,341 22.03% 522,675 34.85% 1,395 0.09% 3,249 0.22% 24 0% 1,499,739 100%
Jind State 234,721 76.16% 43,251 14.03% 28,026 9.09% 637 0.21% 1,548 0.5% 0 0% 308,183 100%
Nabha State 133,870 50.84% 50,756 19.27% 78,389 29.77% 41 0.02% 278 0.11% 0 0% 263,334 100%
Lahore District 255,690 22.6% 647,640 57.25% 179,975 15.91% 46,454 4.11% 1,209 0.11% 368 0.03% 1,131,336 100%
Amritsar District 204,435 22% 423,724 45.59% 287,004 30.88% 12,773 1.37% 1,375 0.15% 63 0.01% 929,374 100%
Gujranwala District 101,566 16.29% 443,147 71.06% 50,802 8.15% 27,308 4.38% 754 0.12% 4 0% 623,581 100%
Sheikhupura District 85,781 16.4% 330,880 63.25% 82,965 15.86% 23,431 4.48% 78 0.01% 0 0% 523,135 100%
Total 4,735,960 41.37% 4,350,186 38% 2,186,429 19.1% 140,104 1.22% 33,515 0.29% 522 0.005% 11,446,716 100%

1931 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Indo−Gangetic Plain West geographical division (1931)[35]: 277 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism [e] Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hisar District 253,784 28.21% 583,429 64.86% 55,169 6.13% 1,107 0.12% 5,988 0.67% 2 0% 899,479 100%
Loharu State 3,119 13.36% 20,198 86.55% 2 0.01% 1 0% 18 0.08% 0 0% 23,338 100%
Rohtak District 137,880 17.11% 655,963 81.42% 596 0.07% 4,807 0.6% 6,375 0.79% 0 0% 805,621 100%
Dujana State 5,863 20.78% 22,347 79.2% 1 0% 5 0.02% 0 0% 0 0% 28,216 100%
Gurgaon District 242,357 32.74% 493,174 66.63% 500 0.07% 1,463 0.2% 2,665 0.36% 4 0% 740,163 100%
Pataudi State 3,168 16.79% 15,596 82.64% 1 0.01% 3 0.02% 105 0.56% 0 0% 18,873 100%
Karnal District 259,730 30.46% 570,297 66.89% 16,928 1.99% 1,469 0.17% 4,190 0.49% 0 0% 852,614 100%
Jalandhar District 419,556 44.46% 268,822 28.49% 249,571 26.45% 4,323 0.46% 1,379 0.15% 70 0.01% 943,721 100%
Kapurthala State 179,251 56.59% 64,319 20.31% 72,177 22.79% 983 0.31% 27 0.01% 0 0% 316,757 100%
Ludhiana District 235,598 35.03% 120,161 17.87% 312,829 46.52% 2,477 0.37% 1,419 0.21% 10 0% 672,494 100%
Malerkotla State 31,417 37.82% 21,252 25.58% 28,982 34.89% 135 0.16% 1,286 1.55% 0 0% 83,072 100%
Firozpur District 515,430 44.56% 244,688 21.15% 388,108 33.55% 7,070 0.61% 1,411 0.12% 25 0% 1,156,732 100%
Faridkot State 49,912 30.37% 20,855 12.69% 92,880 56.51% 167 0.1% 550 0.33% 0 0% 164,364 100%
Patiala State 363,920 22.39% 623,597 38.36% 632,972 38.94% 1,449 0.09% 3,578 0.22% 4 0% 1,625,520 100%
Jind State 46,002 14.17% 243,561 75.02% 33,290 10.25% 210 0.06% 1,613 0.5% 0 0% 324,676 100%
Nabha State 57,393 19.96% 132,354 46.02% 97,452 33.89% 66 0.02% 309 0.11% 0 0% 287,574 100%
Lahore District 815,820 59.18% 259,725 18.84% 244,304 17.72% 57,097 4.14% 1,450 0.11% 174 0.01% 1,378,570 100%
Amritsar District 524,676 46.97% 174,556 15.63% 399,951 35.8% 16,619 1.49% 1,272 0.11% 46 0% 1,117,120 100%
Gujranwala District 521,343 70.82% 92,764 12.6% 71,595 9.73% 49,364 6.71% 1,071 0.15% 1 0% 736,138 100%
Sheikhupura District 445,996 64.01% 81,887 11.75% 119,477 17.15% 49,266 7.07% 100 0.01% 6 0% 696,732 100%
Total 5,112,215 39.72% 4,709,545 36.59% 2,816,785 21.88% 198,081 1.54% 34,806 0.27% 342 0.003% 12,871,774 100%

1941 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Indo−Gangetic Plain West geographical division (1941)[24]: 42 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism [e] Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hisar District 285,208 28.33% 652,842 64.85% 60,731 6.03% 1,292 0.13% 6,126 0.61% 510 0.05% 1,006,709 100%
Loharu State 3,960 14.2% 23,923 85.77% 7 0.03% 2 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 27,892 100%
Rohtak District 166,569 17.42% 780,474 81.61% 1,466 0.15% 1,043 0.11% 6,847 0.72% 0 0% 956,399 100%
Dujana State 6,939 22.63% 23,727 77.37% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 30,666 100%
Gurgaon District 285,992 33.59% 560,537 65.83% 637 0.07% 1,673 0.2% 2,613 0.31% 6 0% 851,458 100%
Pataudi State 3,655 16.98% 17,728 82.38% 0 0% 9 0.04% 128 0.59% 0 0% 21,520 100%
Karnal District 304,346 30.6% 666,301 66.99% 19,887 2% 1,249 0.13% 2,789 0.28% 3 0% 994,575 100%
Jalandhar District 509,804 45.23% 311,010 27.59% 298,741 26.5% 6,233 0.55% 1,395 0.12% 7 0% 1,127,190 100%
Kapurthala State 213,754 56.49% 61,546 16.27% 88,350 23.35% 1,667 0.44% 380 0.1% 12,683 3.35% 378,380 100%
Ludhiana District 302,482 36.95% 171,715 20.98% 341,175 41.68% 1,913 0.23% 1,279 0.16% 51 0.01% 818,615 100%
Malerkotla State 33,881 38.45% 23,482 26.65% 30,320 34.41% 116 0.13% 310 0.35% 0 0% 88,109 100%
Firozpur District 641,448 45.07% 287,733 20.22% 479,486 33.69% 12,607 0.89% 1,674 0.12% 128 0.01% 1,423,076 100%
Faridkot State 61,352 30.79% 21,814 10.95% 115,070 57.74% 247 0.12% 800 0.4% 0 0% 199,283 100%
Patiala State 436,539 22.55% 597,488 30.86% 896,021 46.28% 1,592 0.08% 3,101 0.16% 1,518 0.08% 1,936,259 100%
Jind State 50,972 14.09% 268,355 74.17% 40,981 11.33% 161 0.04% 1,294 0.36% 49 0.01% 361,812 100%
Nabha State 70,373 20.45% 146,518 42.59% 122,451 35.59% 221 0.06% 480 0.14% 1 0% 344,044 100%
Lahore District 1,027,772 60.62% 284,689 16.79% 310,646 18.32% 70,147 4.14% 1,951 0.12% 170 0.01% 1,695,375 100%
Amritsar District 657,695 46.52% 217,431 15.38% 510,845 36.13% 25,973 1.84% 1,911 0.14% 21 0% 1,413,876 100%
Gujranwala District 642,706 70.45% 108,115 11.85% 99,139 10.87% 60,829 6.67% 1,445 0.16% 0 0% 912,234 100%
Sheikhupura District 542,344 63.62% 89,182 10.46% 160,706 18.85% 60,054 7.04% 221 0.03% 1 0% 852,508 100%
Total 6,247,791 40.48% 5,314,610 34.43% 3,576,659 23.17% 247,028 1.6% 34,744 0.23% 15,148 0.1% 15,435,980 100%

Himalayan geographical division

Including Sirmoor State, Simla District, Simla Hill States, Bilaspur State, Kangra district, Mandi State, Suket State, and Chamba State.[24]: 48 [17]: 2 

Religious groups in the Himalayan geographical division of Punjab Province (1881–1951)
Religious
group 		1881[25][26][27] 1901[31]: 34  1911[32]: 27 [33]: 27  1921[34]: 29  1931[35]: 277  1941[24]: 42  1951[36][37]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hinduism [e] 1,458,481 94.74% 1,598,853 94.6% 1,630,084 94.53% 1,642,176 94.5% 1,729,008 94.42% 1,929,634 94.76% 2,024,692 97.24%
Islam 70,642 4.59% 76,480 4.53% 74,205 4.3% 77,425 4.46% 82,711 4.52% 87,485 4.3% 22,338 1.07%
Christianity 3,840 0.25% 3,415 0.2% 4,400 0.26% 4,471 0.26% 2,586 0.14% 2,129 0.1% 1,517 0.07%
Buddhism 3,250 0.21% 6,931 0.41% 7,518 0.44% 5,718 0.33% 7,705 0.42% 614 0.03% 1,320 0.06%
Sikhism 2,680 0.17% 3,897 0.23% 7,894 0.46% 7,610 0.44% 8,948 0.49% 12,245 0.6% 30,837 1.48%
Jainism 536 0.03% 483 0.03% 358 0.02% 356 0.02% 291 0.02% 425 0.02% 1,364 0.07%
Zoroastrianism 4 0% 7 0% 18 0% 40 0% 3 0% 3,895 0.19% 13 0%
Judaism — — 0 0% 3 0% 1 0% 1 0% 0 0% 12 0%
Others 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 4 0% 0 0% 1 0% 0 0%
Total population[w] 1,539,433 100% 1,690,066 100% 1,724,480 100% 1,737,801 100% 1,831,253 100% 2,036,428 100% 2,082,093 100%

1901 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Himalayan geographical division (1901)[31]: 34 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism Islam Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Nahan State 128,478 94.69% 6,414 4.73% 688 0.51% 46 0.03% 61 0.04% 0 0% 135,687 100%
Simla District 30,299 75.09% 6,675 16.54% 544 1.35% 2,798 6.93% 32 0.08% 3 0.01% 40,351 100%
Simla Hill States 373,886 96.03% 11,535 2.96% 1,318 0.34% 113 0.03% 274 0.07% 2,223 0.57% 389,349 100%
Kangra District 722,554 94.07% 39,672 5.16% 1,220 0.16% 385 0.05% 113 0.01% 4,180 0.54% 768,124 100%
Mandi State 170,304 97.85% 3,187 1.83% 41 0.02% 3 0% 0 0% 510 0.29% 174,045 100%
Suket State 54,005 98.77% 665 1.22% 6 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 54,676 100%
Chamba State 119,327 93.35% 8,332 6.52% 80 0.06% 70 0.05% 3 0% 22 0.02% 127,834 100%
Total 1,598,853 94.6% 76,480 4.53% 3,897 0.23% 3,415 0.2% 483 0.03% 6,938 0.41% 1,690,066 100%

1911 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Himalayan geographical division (1911)[32]: 27 [33]: 27 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism Islam Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Nahan State 130,276 94.05% 6,016 4.34% 2,142 1.55% 37 0.03% 49 0.04% 0 0% 138,520 100%
Simla District 29,047 73.87% 5,820 14.8% 693 1.76% 3,666 9.32% 49 0.12% 45 0.11% 39,320 100%
Simla Hill States 386,953 95.7% 11,374 2.81% 2,911 0.72% 224 0.06% 172 0.04% 2,709 0.67% 404,343 100%
Kangra District 725,156 94.13% 38,859 5.04% 1,910 0.25% 386 0.05% 81 0.01% 3,994 0.52% 770,386 100%
Mandi State 178,115 98.35% 2,799 1.55% 26 0.01% 4 0% 2 0% 164 0.09% 181,110 100%
Suket State 54,268 98.8% 587 1.07% 71 0.13% 2 0% 0 0% 0 0% 54,928 100%
Chamba State 126,269 92.93% 8,750 6.44% 141 0.1% 81 0.06% 5 0% 627 0.46% 135,873 100%
Total 1,630,084 94.53% 74,205 4.3% 7,894 0.46% 4,400 0.26% 358 0.02% 7,539 0.44% 1,724,480 100%

1921 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Himalayan geographical division (1921)[34]: 29 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism Islam Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Nahan State 132,431 94.29% 6,449 4.59% 1,449 1.03% 44 0.03% 65 0.05% 10 0.01% 140,448 100%
Simla District 33,228 73.31% 6,953 15.34% 1,173 2.59% 3,823 8.43% 90 0.2% 60 0.13% 45,327 100%
Simla Hill States 292,768 95.45% 9,551 3.11% 2,040 0.67% 164 0.05% 142 0.05% 2,053 0.67% 306,718 100%
Bilaspur State 96,000 97.96% 1,559 1.59% 437 0.45% 4 0% 0 0% 0 0% 98,000 100%
Kangra District 722,277 94.28% 38,263 4.99% 2,083 0.27% 363 0.05% 56 0.01% 3,023 0.39% 766,065 100%
Mandi State 181,358 98.01% 3,462 1.87% 142 0.08% 10 0.01% 0 0% 76 0.04% 185,048 100%
Suket State 53,625 98.71% 659 1.21% 44 0.08% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 54,328 100%
Chamba State 130,489 91.98% 10,529 7.42% 242 0.17% 63 0.04% 3 0% 541 0.38% 141,867 100%
Total 1,642,176 94.5% 77,425 4.46% 7,610 0.44% 4,471 0.26% 356 0.02% 5,763 0.33% 1,737,801 100%

1931 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Himalayan geographical division (1931)[35]: 277 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism [e] Islam Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Sirmoor State 139,031 93.58% 7,020 4.73% 2,413 1.62% 52 0.04% 52 0.04% 0 0% 148,568 100%
Simla District 28,661 77.91% 5,810 15.79% 760 2.07% 1,540 4.19% 1 0% 14 0.04% 36,786 100%
Simla Hill States 317,390 95.93% 10,017 3.03% 1,817 0.55% 176 0.05% 141 0.04% 1,309 0.4% 330,850 100%
Bilaspur State 99,023 98.05% 1,458 1.44% 507 0.5% 6 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 100,994 100%
Kangra District 752,098 93.86% 40,483 5.05% 2,396 0.3% 576 0.07% 94 0.01% 5,665 0.71% 801,312 100%
Mandi State 199,935 96.37% 6,351 3.06% 899 0.43% 141 0.07% 0 0% 139 0.07% 207,465 100%
Suket State 57,616 98.64% 733 1.25% 44 0.08% 1 0% 0 0% 14 0.02% 58,408 100%
Chamba State 135,254 92.09% 10,839 7.38% 112 0.08% 94 0.06% 3 0% 568 0.39% 146,870 100%
Total 1,729,008 94.42% 82,711 4.52% 8,948 0.49% 2,586 0.14% 291 0.02% 7,709 0.42% 1,831,253 100%

1941 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Himalayan geographical division (1941)[24]: 42 
District/
Princely State 		Hinduism [e] Islam Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Sirmoor State 146,199 93.7% 7,374 4.73% 2,334 1.5% 38 0.02% 81 0.05% 0 0% 156,026 100%
Simla District 29,466 76.38% 7,022 18.2% 1,032 2.68% 934 2.42% 114 0.3% 8 0.02% 38,576 100%
Simla Hill States 345,716 96.16% 10,812 3.01% 2,693 0.75% 161 0.04% 126 0.04% 12 0% 359,520 100%
Bilaspur State 108,375 98.22% 1,498 1.36% 453 0.41% 7 0.01% 3 0% 0 0% 110,336 100%
Kangra District 846,531 94.12% 43,249 4.81% 4,809 0.53% 788 0.09% 101 0.01% 3,899 0.43% 899,377 100%
Mandi State 227,463 97.79% 4,328 1.86% 583 0.25% 11 0% 0 0% 208 0.09% 232,593 100%
Suket State 69,974 98.43% 884 1.24% 234 0.33% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 71,092 100%
Chamba State 155,910 92.3% 12,318 7.29% 107 0.06% 190 0.11% 0 0% 383 0.23% 168,908 100%
Total 1,929,634 94.76% 87,485 4.3% 12,245 0.6% 2,129 0.1% 425 0.02% 4,510 0.22% 2,036,428 100%

Sub−Himalayan geographical division

Including Ambala district, Kalsia State, Hoshiarpur district, Gurdaspur district, Sialkot District, Gujrat District, Jhelum District, Rawalpindi District, and Attock District.[24]: 48 [17]: 2 

Religious groups in the Sub—Himalayan geographical division of Punjab Province (1881–1951)
Religious
group 		1881[25][26][27] 1901[31]: 34  1911[32]: 27 [33]: 27  1921[34]: 29  1931[35]: 277  1941[24]: 42  1951[36][37]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 3,511,174 58.8% 3,741,759 60.62% 3,551,989 61.19% 3,587,246 61.44% 4,009,166 61.99% 4,751,911 62.32% 4,846,714 61.77%
Hinduism [e] 2,159,634 36.17% 2,042,505 33.09% 1,588,097 27.36% 1,556,703 26.66% 1,565,034 24.2% 1,799,915 23.6% 1,968,976 25.09%
Sikhism 284,592 4.77% 350,587 5.68% 565,596 9.74% 570,759 9.78% 753,168 11.65% 906,802 11.89% 884,063 11.27%
Christianity 10,363 0.17% 29,930 0.48% 92,524 1.59% 117,172 2.01% 132,500 2.05% 155,386 2.04% 141,602 1.8%
Jainism 5,231 0.09% 7,278 0.12% 6,695 0.12% 6,866 0.12% 7,299 0.11% 9,172 0.12% 5,483 0.07%
Zoroastrianism 200 0% 117 0% 152 0% 111 0% 76 0% 141 0% 7 0%
Buddhism 0 0% 6 0% 11 0% 8 0% 22 0% 171 0% 19 0%
Judaism — — 5 0% 17 0% 1 0% 7 0% 6 0% 16 0%
Others 1 0% 0 0% 0 0% 3 0% 0 0% 1,681 0.02% 14 0%
Total population[w] 5,971,195 100% 6,172,187 100% 5,805,081 100% 5,838,869 100% 6,467,272 100% 7,625,185 100% 7,846,894 100%

1901 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Sub−Himalayan geographical division (1901)[31]: 34 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Ambala District 240,710 29.5% 510,105 62.52% 58,073 7.12% 4,362 0.53% 2,614 0.32% 16 0% 815,880 100%
Kalsia State 21,921 32.63% 38,626 57.5% 6,453 9.61% 0 0% 181 0.27% 0 0% 67,181 100%
Hoshiarpur District 312,958 31.62% 603,710 60.99% 71,126 7.19% 813 0.08% 1,173 0.12% 2 0% 989,782 100%
Gurdaspur District 463,371 49.28% 380,636 40.48% 91,756 9.76% 4,471 0.48% 72 0.01% 28 0% 940,334 100%
Sialkot District 716,953 66.15% 302,012 27.86% 50,982 4.7% 11,939 1.1% 2,008 0.19% 15 0% 1,083,909 100%
Gujrat District 655,838 87.38% 69,346 9.24% 24,893 3.32% 460 0.06% 11 0% 0 0% 750,548 100%
Jhelum District 526,725 88.67% 51,801 8.72% 15,070 2.54% 271 0.05% 151 0.03% 0 0% 594,018 100%
Rawalpindi District 803,283 86.32% 86,269 9.27% 32,234 3.46% 7,614 0.82% 1,068 0.11% 67 0.01% 930,535 100%
Total 3,741,759 60.62% 2,042,505 33.09% 350,587 5.68% 29,930 0.48% 7,278 0.12% 128 0.002% 6,172,187 100%

1911 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Sub−Himalayan geographical division (1911)[32]: 27 [33]: 27 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Ambala District 205,203 29.74% 380,592 55.16% 94,471 13.69% 7,483 1.08% 2,187 0.32% 34 0% 689,970 100%
Kalsia State 18,820 33.66% 30,640 54.8% 6,258 11.19% 31 0.06% 160 0.29% 0 0% 55,909 100%
Hoshiarpur District 281,805 30.68% 498,642 54.28% 134,146 14.6% 2,978 0.32% 998 0.11% 0 0% 918,569 100%
Gurdaspur District 408,216 48.78% 284,017 33.94% 121,078 14.47% 23,365 2.79% 73 0.01% 22 0% 836,771 100%
Sialkot District 604,801 61.74% 242,325 24.74% 81,761 8.35% 48,620 4.96% 2,029 0.21% 17 0% 979,553 100%
Gujrat District 650,893 87.29% 49,430 6.63% 44,693 5.99% 570 0.08% 48 0.01% 0 0% 745,634 100%
Jhelum District 452,260 88.41% 34,261 6.7% 24,436 4.78% 450 0.09% 163 0.03% 5 0% 511,575 100%
Rawalpindi District 458,101 83.62% 48,449 8.84% 31,839 5.81% 8,320 1.52% 1,028 0.19% 90 0.02% 547,827 100%
Attock District 471,890 90.88% 19,741 3.8% 26,914 5.18% 707 0.14% 9 0% 12 0% 519,273 100%
Total 3,551,989 61.19% 1,588,097 27.36% 565,596 9.74% 92,524 1.59% 6,695 0.12% 180 0.003% 5,805,081 100%

1921 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Sub−Himalayan geographical division (1921)[34]: 29 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Ambala District 205,750 30.19% 370,125 54.31% 97,614 14.32% 5,679 0.83% 2,272 0.33% 37 0.01% 681,477 100%
Kalsia State 20,394 35.55% 28,769 50.15% 8,014 13.97% 4 0.01% 190 0.33% 0 0% 57,371 100%
Hoshiarpur District 289,298 31.19% 500,339 53.95% 132,958 14.34% 3,745 0.4% 1,079 0.12% 0 0% 927,419 100%
Gurdaspur District 422,877 49.62% 258,823 30.37% 137,625 16.15% 32,832 3.85% 20 0% 15 0% 852,192 100%
Sialkot District 580,532 61.9% 217,912 23.24% 74,939 7.99% 62,266 6.64% 2,147 0.23% 27 0% 937,823 100%
Gujrat District 709,684 86.12% 62,529 7.59% 49,456 6% 2,373 0.29% 4 0% 0 0% 824,046 100%
Jhelum District 422,979 88.66% 34,837 7.3% 18,626 3.9% 430 0.09% 195 0.04% 1 0% 477,068 100%
Rawalpindi District 470,038 82.58% 57,185 10.05% 31,718 5.57% 9,286 1.63% 954 0.17% 43 0.01% 569,224 100%
Attock District 465,694 90.91% 26,184 5.11% 19,809 3.87% 557 0.11% 5 0% 0 0% 512,249 100%
Total 3,587,246 61.44% 1,556,703 26.66% 570,759 9.78% 117,172 2.01% 6,866 0.12% 123 0.002% 5,838,869 100%

1931 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Sub−Himalayan geographical division (1931)[35]: 277 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism [e] Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Ambala District 230,837 31.07% 346,809 46.68% 155,555 20.94% 7,141 0.96% 2,550 0.34% 10 0% 742,902 100%
Kalsia State 21,797 36.42% 28,832 48.18% 9,035 15.1% 22 0.04% 162 0.27% 0 0% 59,848 100%
Hoshiarpur District 328,078 31.78% 526,182 50.98% 173,147 16.77% 3,764 0.36% 1,016 0.1% 0 0% 1,032,187 100%
Gurdaspur District 493,216 50.8% 255,949 26.36% 178,471 18.38% 43,243 4.45% 15 0% 4 0% 970,898 100%
Sialkot District 609,633 62.23% 206,421 21.07% 94,955 9.69% 66,365 6.77% 2,236 0.23% 7 0% 979,617 100%
Gujrat District 786,750 85.29% 73,356 7.95% 59,188 6.42% 3,097 0.34% 32 0% 4 0% 922,427 100%
Jhelum District 482,097 89.1% 36,068 6.67% 22,030 4.07% 672 0.12% 209 0.04% 0 0% 541,076 100%
Rawalpindi District 524,965 82.76% 59,485 9.38% 41,265 6.51% 7,486 1.18% 1,077 0.17% 79 0.01% 634,357 100%
Attock District 531,793 91.07% 31,932 5.47% 19,522 3.34% 710 0.12% 2 0% 1 0% 583,960 100%
Total 4,009,166 61.99% 1,565,034 24.2% 753,168 11.65% 132,500 2.05% 7,299 0.11% 105 0.002% 6,467,272 100%

1941 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the Sub−Himalayan geographical division (1941)[24]: 42 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism [e] Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Ambala District 268,999 31.73% 412,658 48.68% 156,543 18.47% 6,065 0.72% 3,065 0.36% 415 0.05% 847,745 100%
Kalsia State 25,049 37.17% 29,866 44.32% 12,235 18.15% 55 0.08% 188 0.28% 0 0% 67,393 100%
Hoshiarpur District 380,759 32.53% 584,080 49.91% 198,194 16.93% 6,165 0.53% 1,125 0.1% 0 0% 1,170,323 100%
Gurdaspur District 589,923 51.14% 290,774 25.21% 221,261 19.18% 51,522 4.47% 25 0% 6 0% 1,153,511 100%
Sialkot District 739,218 62.09% 231,319 19.43% 139,409 11.71% 75,831 6.37% 3,250 0.27% 1,470 0.12% 1,190,497 100%
Gujrat District 945,609 85.58% 84,643 7.66% 70,233 6.36% 4,449 0.4% 10 0% 8 0% 1,104,952 100%
Jhelum District 563,033 89.42% 40,888 6.49% 24,680 3.92% 893 0.14% 159 0.03% 5 0% 629,658 100%
Rawalpindi District 628,193 80% 82,478 10.5% 64,127 8.17% 9,014 1.15% 1,337 0.17% 82 0.01% 785,231 100%
Attock District 611,128 90.42% 43,209 6.39% 20,120 2.98% 1,392 0.21% 13 0% 13 0% 675,875 100%
Total 4,751,911 62.32% 1,799,915 23.6% 906,802 11.89% 155,386 2.04% 9,172 0.12% 1,999 0.03% 7,625,185 100%

North−West Dry Area geographical division

Including Montgomery District, Shahpur District, Mianwali District, Lyallpur District, Jhang District, Multan District, Bahawalpur State, Muzaffargarh District, Dera Ghazi Khan District, and the Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract.[24]: 48 [17]: 2 

Religious groups in the North—West Dry Area geographical division of Punjab Province (1881–1951)
Religious
group 		1881[25][26][27] 1901[31]: 34  1911[32]: 27 [33]: 27  1921[34]: 29  1931[35]: 277  1941[24]: 42  1951[36][37]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 2,539,038 82.68% 3,883,740 79.01% 4,504,312 80% 4,798,526 78.95% 5,725,804 78.22% 7,172,557 77.86% 11,731,713 98.89%
Hinduism [e] 501,159 16.32% 877,147 17.84% 764,816 13.58% 864,812 14.23% 1,014,922 13.86% 1,292,390 14.03% 13,957 0.12%
Sikhism 28,020 0.91% 142,955 2.91% 316,489 5.62% 342,498 5.64% 492,723 6.73% 620,479 6.74% — —
Christianity 2,122 0.07% 11,143 0.23% 44,365 0.79% 71,192 1.17% 86,186 1.18% 107,923 1.17% 117,589 0.99%
Jainism 326 0.01% 345 0.01% 611 0.01% 584 0.01% 744 0.01% 1,134 0.01% — —
Zoroastrianism 70 0% 54 0% 71 0% 57 0% 176 0% 88 0% 17 0%
Buddhism 0 0% 0 0% 29 0% 2 0% 3 0% 30 0% 0 0%
Judaism — — 0 0% 6 0% 3 0% 0 0% 3 0% — —
Others 7 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 17,664 0.19% 0 0%
Total population[w] 3,070,742 100% 4,915,384 100% 5,630,699 100% 6,077,674 100% 7,320,558 100% 9,212,268 100% 11,863,276 100%

1901 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the North−West Dry Area geographical division (1901)[31]: 34 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Montgomery District 334,474 72.15% 109,945 23.72% 19,092 4.12% 66 0.01% 8 0% 1 0% 463,586 100%
Shahpur District 442,921 84.49% 68,489 13.06% 12,756 2.43% 91 0.02% 2 0% 0 0% 524,259 100%
Mianwali District 371,674 87.54% 50,202 11.82% 2,633 0.62% 44 0.01% 35 0.01% 0 0% 424,588 100%
Lyallpur District 484,657 61.2% 210,459 26.58% 88,049 11.12% 8,672 1.1% 23 0% 1 0% 791,861 100%
Jhang District 295,481 78.03% 79,650 21.03% 3,526 0.93% 38 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 378,695 100%
Multan District 570,254 80.25% 133,560 18.79% 4,662 0.66% 1,964 0.28% 134 0.02% 52 0.01% 710,626 100%
Muzaffargarh District 350,177 86.32% 52,221 12.87% 3,225 0.8% 33 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 405,656 100%
Dera Ghazi Khan District 412,012 87.45% 57,815 12.27% 1,027 0.22% 152 0.03% 143 0.03% 0 0% 471,149 100%
Bahawalpur State 598,139 82.97% 114,670 15.91% 7,985 1.11% 83 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 720,877 100%
Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract 23,951 99.44% 136 0.56% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 24,087 100%
Total 3,883,740 79.01% 877,147 17.84% 142,955 2.91% 11,143 0.23% 345 0.01% 54 0.001% 4,915,384 100%

1911 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the North−West Dry Area geographical division (1911)[32]: 27 [33]: 27 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Montgomery District 399,723 74.67% 66,803 12.48% 68,175 12.74% 581 0.11% 13 0% 4 0% 535,299 100%
Shahpur District 572,565 83.3% 72,695 10.58% 33,456 4.87% 8,616 1.25% 5 0% 29 0% 687,366 100%
Mianwali District 299,971 87.87% 36,326 10.64% 4,881 1.43% 168 0.05% 31 0.01% 0 0% 341,377 100%
Lyallpur District 524,288 61.13% 154,603 18.03% 146,670 17.1% 32,023 3.73% 125 0.01% 2 0% 857,711 100%
Jhang District 422,468 81.95% 73,426 14.24% 19,427 3.77% 201 0.04% 4 0% 0 0% 515,526 100%
Multan District 665,488 81.67% 126,603 15.54% 19,881 2.44% 2,441 0.3% 394 0.05% 64 0.01% 814,871 100%
Muzaffargarh District 494,915 86.91% 68,158 11.97% 6,322 1.11% 60 0.01% 1 0% 5 0% 569,461 100%
Dera Ghazi Khan District 442,234 88.47% 56,485 11.3% 1,042 0.21% 76 0.02% 23 0% 0 0% 499,860 100%
Bahawalpur State 654,247 83.81% 109,548 14.03% 16,630 2.13% 199 0.03% 15 0% 2 0% 780,641 100%
Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract 28,413 99.39% 169 0.59% 5 0.02% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 28,587 100%
Total 4,504,312 80% 764,816 13.58% 316,489 5.62% 44,365 0.79% 611 0.01% 106 0.002% 5,630,699 100%

1921 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the North−West Dry Area geographical division (1921)[34]: 29 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Montgomery District 513,055 71.88% 94,791 13.28% 95,520 13.38% 10,408 1.46% 12 0% 0 0% 713,786 100%
Shahpur District 596,100 82.8% 82,182 11.42% 30,361 4.22% 11,270 1.57% 3 0% 2 0% 719,918 100%
Mianwali District 308,876 86.23% 45,974 12.83% 2,986 0.83% 369 0.1% 0 0% 0 0% 358,205 100%
Lyallpur District 594,917 60.74% 181,488 18.53% 160,821 16.42% 42,004 4.29% 231 0.02% 2 0% 979,463 100%
Jhang District 475,388 83.32% 85,339 14.96% 9,376 1.64% 449 0.08% 7 0% 0 0% 570,559 100%
Multan District 731,605 82.18% 134,013 15.05% 18,562 2.08% 6,006 0.67% 28 0% 50 0.01% 890,264 100%
Muzaffargarh District 493,369 86.79% 69,878 12.29% 4,869 0.86% 356 0.06% 6 0% 0 0% 568,478 100%
Dera Ghazi Khan District 411,431 87.72% 56,346 12.01% 932 0.2% 47 0.01% 296 0.06% 0 0% 469,052 100%
Bahawalpur State 647,207 82.85% 114,621 14.67% 19,071 2.44% 283 0.04% 1 0% 8 0% 781,191 100%
Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract 26,578 99.33% 180 0.67% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 26,758 100%
Total 4,798,526 78.95% 864,812 14.23% 342,498 5.64% 71,192 1.17% 584 0.01% 62 0.001% 6,077,674 100%

1931 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the North−West Dry Area geographical division (1931)[35]: 277 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism [e] Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Montgomery District 697,542 69.77% 136,783 13.68% 148,155 14.82% 17,245 1.72% 38 0% 9 0% 999,772 100%
Shahpur District 679,546 82.72% 90,561 11.02% 40,074 4.88% 11,294 1.37% 14 0% 1 0% 821,490 100%
Mianwali District 357,109 86.77% 49,794 12.1% 4,231 1.03% 380 0.09% 20 0% 5 0% 411,539 100%
Lyallpur District 720,996 62.62% 173,344 15.06% 211,391 18.36% 45,518 3.95% 95 0.01% 7 0% 1,151,351 100%
Jhang District 552,853 83.16% 102,990 15.49% 8,476 1.27% 494 0.07% 0 0% 20 0% 664,833 100%
Multan District 942,937 80.26% 182,029 15.49% 39,453 3.36% 9,924 0.84% 440 0.04% 117 0.01% 1,174,900 100%
Muzaffargarh District 513,265 86.79% 72,577 12.27% 5,287 0.89% 246 0.04% 0 0% 0 0% 591,375 100%
Dera Ghazi Khan District 432,911 88.16% 57,217 11.65% 760 0.15% 31 0.01% 125 0.03% 0 0% 491,044 100%
Bahawalpur State 799,176 81.17% 149,454 15.18% 34,896 3.54% 1,054 0.11% 12 0% 20 0% 984,612 100%
Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract 29,469 99.42% 173 0.58% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 29,642 100%
Total 5,725,804 78.22% 1,014,922 13.86% 492,723 6.73% 86,186 1.18% 744 0.01% 179 0.002% 7,320,558 100%

1941 census

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of the North−West Dry Area geographical division (1941)[24]: 42 
District/
Princely State 		Islam Hinduism [e] Sikhism Christianity Jainism Others[n] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Montgomery District 918,564 69.11% 210,966 15.87% 175,064 13.17% 24,432 1.84% 49 0% 28 0% 1,329,103 100%
Shahpur District 835,918 83.68% 102,172 10.23% 48,046 4.81% 12,770 1.28% 13 0% 2 0% 998,921 100%
Mianwali District 436,260 86.16% 62,814 12.41% 6,865 1.36% 358 0.07% 23 0% 1 0% 506,321 100%
Lyallpur District 877,518 62.85% 204,059 14.61% 262,737 18.82% 51,948 3.72% 35 0% 8 0% 1,396,305 100%
Jhang District 678,736 82.61% 129,889 15.81% 12,238 1.49% 763 0.09% 5 0% 0 0% 821,631 100%
Multan District 1,157,911 78.01% 249,872 16.83% 61,628 4.15% 14,290 0.96% 552 0.04% 80 0.01% 1,484,333 100%
Muzaffargarh District 616,074 86.42% 90,643 12.72% 5,882 0.83% 227 0.03% 0 0% 23 0% 712,849 100%
Dera Ghazi Khan District 512,678 88.19% 67,407 11.59% 1,072 0.18% 87 0.01% 106 0.02% 0 0% 581,350 100%
Bahawalpur State 1,098,814 81.93% 174,408 13% 46,945 3.5% 3,048 0.23% 351 0.03% 17,643 1.32% 1,341,209 100%
Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract 40,084 99.6% 160 0.4% 2 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 40,246 100%
Total 7,172,557 77.86% 1,292,390 14.03% 620,479 6.74% 107,923 1.17% 1,134 0.01% 17,785 0.19% 9,212,268 100%

See also

References

  1. ^ Singh, Nagendra Kr; Khan, Abdul Mabud (2001). Encyclopaedia of the World Muslims: Tribes, Castes and Communities. Global Vision. ISBN 978-81-87746-09-6.
  2. ^ a b c d e "TABLE 9 - POPULATION BY SEX, RELIGION AND RURAL/URBAN" (PDF). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Population by religion community – 2011". The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Population by religion community – 2011". Census of India, 2011. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  5. ^ Nayar, Kamala Elizabeth (2012). The Punjabis in British Columbia: Location, Labour, First Nations, and Multiculturalism. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN 978-0-7735-4070-5.
  6. ^ Wheeler, James Talboys (1874). The History of India from the Earliest Ages: Hindu Buddhist Brahmanical revival. N. Trübner. p. 330. The Punjab, to say the least, was less Brahmanical. It was an ancient centre of the worship of Indra, who was always regarded as an enemy by the Bráhmans; and it was also a stronghold of Buddhism.
  7. ^ Hunter, W. W. (2013-11-05). The Indian Empire: Its People, History and Products. Routledge. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-136-38301-4. In the settlements of the Punjab, Indra thus advanced to the first place among the Vedic divinities.
  8. ^ Virdee, Pippa (February 2018). From the Ashes of 1947. Cambridge University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-1-108-42811-8. The Rig Veda and the Upanishads, which belonged to the Vedic religion, were a precursor of Hinduism, both of which were composed in Punjab.
  9. ^ Flood, Gavin (13 July 1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Nayar, Kamala Elizabeth (2012). The Punjabis in British Columbia: Location, Labour, First Nations, and Multiculturalism. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-0-7735-4070-5.
  11. ^ "In ancient Punjab, religion was fluid, not watertight, says Romila Thapar". The Indian Express. 2019-05-03. Thapar said Buddhism was very popular in Punjab during the Mauryan and post-Mauryan period. Bookended between Gandhara in Taxila on the one side where Buddhism was practised on a large scale and Mathura on another side where Buddhism, Jainism and Puranic religions were practised, this religion flourished in the state. But after the Gupta period, Buddhism began to decline.
  12. ^ Rambo, Lewis R.; Farhadian, Charles E. (2014-03-06). The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion. Oxford University Press. pp. 489–491. ISBN 978-0-19-971354-7. First, Islam was introduced into the southern Punjab in the opening decades of the eighth century. By the sixteenth century, Muslims were the majority in the region and an elaborate network of mosques and mausoleums marked the landscape. Local converts constituted the majority of this Muslim community, and as far for the mechanisms of conversion, the sources of the period emphasize the recitation of the Islamic confession of faith (shahada), the performance of the circumcision (indri vaddani), and the ingestion of cow-meat (bhas khana).
  13. ^ Chhabra, G. S. (1968). Advanced History of the Punjab: Guru and post-Guru period upto Ranjit Singh. New Academic Publishing Company. p. 37.
  14. ^ Rambo, Lewis R.; Farhadian, Charles E. (2014-03-06). The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion. Oxford University Press. p. 490. ISBN 978-0-19-971354-7. While Punjabi Hindu society was relatively well established, there was also a small but vibrant Jain community in the Punjab. Buddhist communities, however, had largely disappeared by the turn of the tenth century.
  15. ^ Nicholls, Ruth J.; Riddell, Peter G. (2020-07-31). Insights into Sufism: Voices from the Heart. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5275-5748-2. With the Muslim conquest of Punjab there was a flow of Sufis and other preachers who came to spread Islam. Much of the advance of Islam was due to these preachers.
  16. ^ Singh, Pritam (2008-02-19). Federalism, Nationalism and Development: India and the Punjab Economy. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-04946-2.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 1, Report". Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  18. ^ "Punjab 1947: Bloodied and Partitioned by Competing Nationalisms".
  19. ^ "In Indian Punjab's Muslim 'island', voters vying for change". 16 February 2022.
  20. ^ https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/31311/download/34492/1422_1951_POP.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  21. ^ "A heritage all but erased". The Friday Times. 25 December 2015. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  22. ^ a b c d "Report on the census, taken on the 1st January 1855, of the population of the Punjab Territories; Papers connected with the administration of Mysore". Census Digital Library. 1855. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  23. ^ Krishan, Gopal (2004). "Demography of the Punjab (1849–1947)" (PDF). Journal of Punjab Studies. 11 (1): 77–89.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w India Census Commissioner (1941). "Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab". JSTOR saoa.crl.28215541. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. I." 1881. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057656. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II". 1881. p. 14. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057657. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. III". 1881. p. 14. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057658. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  28. ^ a b c d e "Census of India, 1891 The Punjab and its feudatories, part I--The report on the census". 1891. JSTOR saoa.crl.25318668. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  29. ^ a b c d e "Census of India, 1891 The Punjab and its feudatories, part II--Imperial Tables and Supplementary Returns for the British Territory". 1891. p. 14. JSTOR saoa.crl.25318669. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  30. ^ a b c d e "Census of India, 1891 The Punjab and its feudatories, part III--Imperial Tables and Supplementary Returns for the Native States, Together with a Caste Index". 1891. p. 8. JSTOR saoa.crl.25318670. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province". 1901. JSTOR saoa.crl.25363739. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  32. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1911. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393788. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Kaul, Harikishan (1911). "Census Of India 1911 Punjab Vol XIV Part II". Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables". 1921. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1931. JSTOR saoa.crl.25793242. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  36. ^ a b c d e "Census of Pakistan, 1951 Population According to Religion Table 6". p. 12. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  37. ^ a b c d e Vashishta, Lakshmi Chandra; India. Superintendent Of Census Operations, Punjab (1951). "Census of India, 1951: Punjab, Pepsu, Himachal Pradesh, Bilaspur & Delhi". p. 298. JSTOR saoa.crl.25803729. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  38. ^ a b "Gazetteers Of Gurdaspur District, 1883-84". 1884. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  39. ^ a b "Gazetteer of the Gurdaspur district, 1891-92". 1892. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  40. ^ a b "Punjab District Gazetteers Gurdaspur District Vol.21 Statistical Tables". 1913. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  41. ^ Dyson 2018, pp. 188–189.
  1. ^ a b Estimates from combining 2011 Indian census and 2017 Pakistani census with religious data amalgamated from Punjab, India, Punjab, Pakistan, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Islamabad, and Chandigarh.[2][3][4]
  2. ^ All districts in table above that ultimately formed part of Punjab Province, east of the Indus River, which excludes Dera Ismail Khan District, Peshawar District, Hazara District, and Kohat District.
  3. ^ Dera Ismail Khan District, Peshawar District, Hazara District, and Kohat District only.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Including Delhi district, which was later made into a separate province in 1912, following the transfer from Calcutta to Delhi as capital of India in 1911.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 1931 & 1941 censuses: Including Ad-Dharmis
  6. ^ 1881 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Montgomery, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargargh, Dera Ghazi Khan), one tehsil (Shakargarh – then part of Gurdaspur District), and one princely state (Bahawalpur) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the western side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1881 census data here:[25][26][27]
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and tract would ultimately make up the subdivision of West Punjab, which also later included Bahawalpur. The state that makes up this region in the contemporary era is Punjab, Pakistan.
  7. ^ 1891 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Montgomery, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargargh, Dera Ghazi Khan), one tehsil (Shakargarh – then part of Gurdaspur District), one princely state (Bahawalpur), and one tract (Biloch Trans–Frontier) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the western side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1891 census data here:[28][29][30]
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and tract would ultimately make up the subdivision of West Punjab, which also later included Bahawalpur. The state that makes up this region in the contemporary era is Punjab, Pakistan.
  8. ^ 1901 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Mianwali, Montgomery, Lyallpur (inscribed as the Chenab Colony on the 1901 census), Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargargh, Dera Ghazi Khan), one tehsil (Shakargarh – then part of Gurdaspur District), one princely state (Bahawalpur), and one tract (Biloch Trans–Frontier) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the western side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1901 census data here:[31]: 34 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and tract would ultimately make up the subdivision of West Punjab, which also later included Bahawalpur. The state that makes up this region in the contemporary era is Punjab, Pakistan.
  9. ^ 1911 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock, Mianwali, Montgomery, Lyallpur, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargargh, Dera Ghazi Khan), one tehsil (Shakargarh – then part of Gurdaspur District), one princely state (Bahawalpur), and one tract (Biloch Trans–Frontier) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the western side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1911 census data here:[32]: 27 [33]: 27 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and tract would ultimately make up the subdivision of West Punjab, which also later included Bahawalpur. The state that makes up this region in the contemporary era is Punjab, Pakistan.
  10. ^ 1921 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock, Mianwali, Montgomery, Lyallpur, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargargh, Dera Ghazi Khan), one tehsil (Shakargarh – then part of Gurdaspur District), one princely state (Bahawalpur), and one tract (Biloch Trans–Frontier) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the western side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1921 census data here:[34]: 29 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and tract would ultimately make up the subdivision of West Punjab, which also later included Bahawalpur. The state that makes up this region in the contemporary era is Punjab, Pakistan.
  11. ^ a b c 1931 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock, Mianwali, Montgomery, Lyallpur, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargargh, Dera Ghazi Khan), one tehsil (Shakargarh – then part of Gurdaspur District), one princely state (Bahawalpur), and one tract (Biloch Trans–Frontier) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the western side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1931 census data here:[35]: 277 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and tract would ultimately make up the subdivision of West Punjab, which also later included Bahawalpur. The state that makes up this region in the contemporary era is Punjab, Pakistan.
  12. ^ a b c 1941 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock, Mianwali, Montgomery, Lyallpur, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargargh, Dera Ghazi Khan), one tehsil (Shakargarh – then part of Gurdaspur District), one princely state (Bahawalpur), and one tract (Biloch Trans–Frontier) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the western side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1941 census data here:[24]: 42 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and tract would ultimately make up the subdivision of West Punjab, which also later included Bahawalpur. The state that makes up this region in the contemporary era is Punjab, Pakistan.
  13. ^ 1947 figures (the year of partition and the accompanying mass population transfer) for West Punjab are estimates based on the annualized growth rates between the 1931 census[35]: 277 [k] and 1941 census[24]: 42 [l] for adherents of Islam (+2.11% p.a.), Hinduism (+1.94% p.a.), Sikhism (+2.63% p.a.), Christianity (+1.99% p.a.), Jainism (+3.24% p.a.), and others (+45.77% p.a.).
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Tribals, others, or not stated
  15. ^ 1881 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Hisar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Delhi, Karnal, Sirsa, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Amritsar, Simla, Kangra, Ambala, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur (minus Shakargarh Tehsil)), and princely states (Loharu, Dujana, Pataudi, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Patiala, Jind, Nabha, and Simla Hill) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1881 census data here:[25][26][27]
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and princely states would ultimately make up the subdivision of East Punjab, which also included Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh, and Bilaspur State. The states that make up this region in the contemporary era are Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
  16. ^ 1891 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Hisar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Delhi, Karnal, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Amritsar, Simla, Kangra, Ambala, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur (minus Shakargarh Tehsil)), and princely states (Loharu, Dujana, Pataudi, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Nahan, Simla Hill, Mandi, and Chamba) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1891 census data here:[28][29][30]
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and princely states would ultimately make up the subdivision of East Punjab, which also included Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh, and Bilaspur State. The states that make up this region in the contemporary era are Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
  17. ^ 1901 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Hisar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Delhi, Karnal, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Amritsar, Simla, Kangra, Ambala, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur (minus Shakargarh Tehsil)), and princely states (Loharu, Dujana, Pataudi, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Nahan, Simla Hill, Mandi, Suket, and Chamba) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1901 census data here:[31]: 34 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and princely states would ultimately make up the subdivision of East Punjab, which also included Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh, and Bilaspur State. The states that make up this region in the contemporary era are Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
  18. ^ 1911 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Hisar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Delhi, Karnal, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Amritsar, Simla, Kangra, Ambala, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur (minus Shakargarh Tehsil)), and princely states (Loharu, Dujana, Pataudi, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Nahan, Simla Hill, Mandi, Suket, and Chamba) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1911 census data here:[32]: 27 [33]: 27 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and princely states would ultimately make up the subdivision of East Punjab, which also included Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh, and Bilaspur State. The states that make up this region in the contemporary era are Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
  19. ^ 1921 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Hisar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Karnal, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Amritsar, Simla, Kangra, Ambala, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur (minus Shakargarh Tehsil)), and princely states (Loharu, Dujana, Pataudi, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Nahan, Simla Hill, Bilaspur, Mandi, Suket, and Chamba) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1921 census data here:[34]: 29 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and princely states would ultimately make up the subdivision of East Punjab, which also included Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh, and Bilaspur State. The states that make up this region in the contemporary era are Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
  20. ^ a b c 1931 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Hisar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Karnal, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Amritsar, Simla, Kangra, Ambala, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur (minus Shakargarh Tehsil)), and princely states (Loharu, Dujana, Pataudi, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Sirmoor, Simla Hill, Bilaspur, Mandi, Suket, and Chamba) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1931 census data here:[35]: 277 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and princely states would ultimately make up the subdivision of East Punjab, which also included Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh, and Bilaspur State. The states that make up this region in the contemporary era are Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
  21. ^ a b c 1941 figure taken from census data by combining the total population of all districts (Hisar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Karnal, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Amritsar, Simla, Kangra, Ambala, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur (minus Shakargarh Tehsil)), and princely states (Loharu, Dujana, Pataudi, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Sirmoor, Simla Hill, Bilaspur, Mandi, Suket, and Chamba) in Punjab Province, British India that ultimately fell on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line. See 1941 census data here:[24]: 42 
    Immediately following the partition of India in 1947, these districts and princely states would ultimately make up the subdivision of East Punjab, which also included Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh, and Bilaspur State. The states that make up this region in the contemporary era are Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
  22. ^ 1947 figures (the year of partition and the accompanying mass population transfer) for East Punjab are estimates based on the annualized growth rates between the 1931 census[35]: 277 [t] and 1941 census[24]: 42 [u] for adherents of Hinduism (+1.21% p.a.), Islam (+1.85% p.a.), Sikhism (+2.18% p.a.), Christianity (+2.16% p.a.), Jainism (-0.07% p.a.), and others (+9.71% p.a.).
  23. ^ a b c d See total breakdowns in tables below.

Notes

  1. ^ Michaels (2004, p. 38): "The legacy of the Vedic religion in Hinduism is generally overestimated. The influence of the mythology is indeed great, but the religious terminology changed considerably: all the key terms of Hinduism either do not exist in Vedic or have a completely different meaning. The religion of the Veda does not know the ethicised migration of the soul with retribution for acts (karma), the cyclical destruction of the world, or the idea of salvation during one's lifetime (jivanmukti; moksa; nirvana); the idea of the world as illusion (maya) must have gone against the grain of ancient India, and an omnipotent creator god emerges only in the late hymns of the rgveda. Nor did the Vedic religion know a caste system, the burning of widows, the ban on remarriage, images of gods and temples, Puja worship, Yoga, pilgrimages, vegetarianism, the holiness of cows, the doctrine of stages of life (asrama), or knew them only at their inception. Thus, it is justified to see a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions."
    Jamison, Stephanie; Witzel, Michael (1992). "Vedic Hinduism" (PDF). Harvard University. p. 3.: "... to call this period Vedic Hinduism is a contradictio in terminis since Vedic religion is very different from what we generally call Hindu religion – at least as much as Old Hebrew religion is from medieval and modern Christian religion. However, Vedic religion is treatable as a predecessor of Hinduism."
    See also Halbfass 1991, pp. 1–2

Bibliography