Punjab

Punjab or Panjab (etymologically the more accurate form) is derived from the medieval Persian language, in which it means "[land of] five rivers" (panj, "five"; ĝb, "water", cognate with Latin aqua, see OED, "Punjab"; Online Etymological Dictionary, "aqua-"). The original English pronunciation, reflecting the indigenous pronunciation, is [pʌndʒa˝b] (see OED); but there is also a common spelling pronounciation [pundʒa˝b]. Punjab in its various forms may refer to:

Geographical regions

• Punjab region, an area of South Asia spanning from central Pakistan to north-western India
  • Punjab (India), the part of the Punjab which became part of India used to consist of present-day Punjab state; also part of Haryana state.
  • Punjab (Pakistan), the part of the Punjab which became part of Pakistan, now predominately called "Punjab Province" in Pakistan
• Panjab District, Afghanistan
  • Panjab, Afghanistan, capital of Panjab District

In former countries, states and provinces:

• Sikh Empire (authoritative)/Punjab Empire (geographic), a former religious monarchy in the region.
• Punjab (British India), a former province of British India.
• Punjab Hill States Agency, an administrative unit of British India
• Punjab States Agency, an administrative unit of British India
• Patiala and East Punjab States Union, a former state of India
• East Punjab, the part of the Punjab which became part of India
• West Punjab, the part of the Punjab which became part of Pakistan

In other:

• Punjab lasso, a weapon made of cat gut used to strangle people, mentioned in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera
• Punjab, a character in the Little Orphan Annie comic strip, and the musical Annie

See also:

• Punjabi language

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