Majha (Punjabi: ਮਾਝਾ (Gurmukhi), ماجھا(Shahmukhi), romanized:Mājhā; Punjabi pronunciation:[mäˑ˩˥.dʒˑäː]; meaning "heartland[1]) is a region located in the central parts of the historical Punjab region, currently split between the republics of Pakistan and India.[2][1] It extends north from the right banks[note 1] of the river Beas, and reaches as far north as the river Jhelum.[3] People of the Majha region are given the demonym "Mājhī" or "Majhail". Most inhabitants of the region speak the Majhi dialect, which is the basis of the standard register of the Punjabi language.[4] The most populous city in the area is Lahore on the Pakistani side, and Amritsar on the Indian side of the border.
The people of the Majha region have been historically known for their warrior-like nature. The Majha region is called the "Sword Arm of the Country", due to it contributing disproportionately to the Officer as well as Orderly ranks of the Armies of both India and Pakistan.[6] The Sikh Empire was founded in the Majha region, and so the region is also sometimes referred to as "the cradle of the brave Sikhs".[7] Majha is also the birthplace of Sikhism.[8]
History
A map of the Punjab region c. 1947 showing the different doabs.
The word "Mājhā" means the "central" or the "heartland". The Majha region is geographically located in the middle (or central part) of the historic Punjab region, hence giving it the name Majha.[9] It includes a considerable portion of the Bari Doab (the region between the rivers Beas and Ravi) and the Rechna Doab (the region between the rivers Ravi and Chenab), and a smaller portion of the Jech Doab region (the region between the rivers Jhelum and Chenab).[10]
The Majha region of historical Punjab region spans northward from the right banks[note 1] of river Beas, and extends up to river Jhelum at its northmost,[3] making it the largest regions of historic Punjab.
Bassawah Singh, a Majha Sikh, Subedar of the 9th Punjab Infantry, 21 December 1859
The Indian state of Punjab has continued to recognize the Majha region through maintaining the districts that have historically belonged to the Majha region. In Pakistan, the Majha city of Lahore was selected as its provincial capital, which the remaining Majha districts were either maintained, or their borders blurred as the boundaries were divided between districts Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, and Rawalpindi,[11] Sahiwal and Sargodha.
^ abThe left/right bank of a river is determined by looking in the direction of flow of the river (facing downstream).
References
^ abGrover, Parminder Singh; Singh, Davinderjit (2011). "Section 1: Introduction – Regions of Punjab". Discover Punjab: Attractions of Punjab. Photographs by Bhupinder Singh. Ludhiana, Punjab, India and Berlin: Golden Point Pvt Lmt. Regions of Punjab: The much-truncated India's portion of present Punjab is divided into three natural regions: The Maiha, The Doaba, The Malwa. Majha: Majha starts northward from the right bank of river Beas and stretches up to the Wagha village, which marks the boundary between India and India. Majha in Punjabi means the heartland. The region is divided into three districts: 1. Amritsar, 2. Gurdaspur, 3. Tarn Taran. Doaba: The rivers Sutlei in the south and Beas in the North bound the Doaba of Puniab. The Doaba region is divided into four districts: 1. Jalandhar, 2. Nawanshahr, 3. Kapurthala, 4. Hoshiarpur. Malwa: The area south of the river Sutlej is called Malwa. The name has stuck because a clan called Molois (sometimes written as Malawis in ancient works) once ruled this area, which must have spread up to present State of Gujrat which was known as the Subah of Malwa as late as the Mughul times. Malwa the largest part of the Punjab is divided into the following 12 districts after the names of their headquarters: 1. Bathinda, 2. Barnala, 3. Faridkot, 4. Fatehgarh Sahib, 5. Ludhiana, 6. Mansa, 7. Moga, 8. Sangrur, 9. Muktsar, 10. Patiala, 11. Rup Nagar, 12. SAS Nagar - Mohali.
^Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (1996). Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants (Contemporary Ethnography), p. 153. Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania.
^Sandhu, Gulzar Singh (2004). Gods on Trial and Other Stories, p. 132. Diamond Pocket Books. ISBN8128808087
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