Wikipedia

Hinduism in Punjab, Pakistan

Hinduism is a minority religion in Punjab province of Pakistan followed by about 0.2% of its population. Punjab has the second largest number of Hindus in Pakistan after Sindh.[2] Hinduism is followed mainly in the Southern Punjab districts of Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur.[3]

Punjabi Hindus of Pakistan
Hindus in Cholistan celebrating Holi
Total population
211,641 (2017)
0.2% of total Province population
Religions
Hinduism (majority)
Nanakpanthi and Kalash
Scriptures
Bhagavad Gita, and Vedas
Guru Granth Sahib (only by Nanakpanthi)
Languages
Sanskrit (sacred)
Punjabi, Marwari, Saraiki[1]
Hindi, Urdu and other languages (minority)

Hinduism has a strong historical presence in Punjab with many mandirs, shrines (samadhis), alongside various religious traditions and texts that were developed in the region. According to the 1941 census, Punjabi Hindus constituted approximately 13.7 percent of the population in the region that comprises the contemporary state of Punjab, Pakistan.[a] With violence and religious cleansing accompanying the partition of India in 1947, the vast majority departed the region en masse, primarily migrating eastward to Delhi and the region of Punjab that would fall on the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line, in the contemporary Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

History edit

 
One of the Amb Temples constructed between the 7th and 9th centuries.
Hindu Population History
Punjab, Pakistan
YearPop.±% p.a.
1881 1,449,913—    
1901 1,944,363+1.48%
1911 1,645,758−1.65%
1921 1,797,141+0.88%
1931 1,957,878+0.86%
1941 2,373,466+1.94%
1951 33,052−34.78%
1998 116,410+2.72%
2017 211,641+3.20%
Source: [b][c][d][e][f][a][13]: 12–21 [14][15]
Census of India, Census of Pakistan

Ancient era edit

Hinduism is the oldest recorded religion practiced by the Punjabi people.[16] The Rig Veda, the oldest and most sacred Hindu text, is believed to have been composed in the Punjab region of modern-day Pakistan (and India) on the banks of the Indus River around 1500 BCE.[17] The Punjab region also features heavily in the Mahabharata.[18][19] According to Hindu religious texts, Multan was founded by the Hindu sage Kashyapa[20] and also asserts Multan as the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom ruled by the Katoch dynasty at the time of the Kurukshetra War that is central the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata.[21][22][23] Historically, the Punjabi Hindus and Saraiki Hindus followed mainly a Brahminical form of Hinduism.[24] The Prahladpuri Temple in Multan is believed to be constructed by Prahlada in honor of Narasimha.[25] Most of the Hindus in Punjab once also had also influence of Sikhism on their culture and lifestyle. Nanakpanthis are the Hindus who follows the teaching of Sikh guru, Guru Nanak.[26]

Colonial era edit

By the early 20th century, Western Punjab (present-day Punjab, Pakistan) had a Punjabi Muslim majority population (primarily supporting the Muslim League and Pakistan Movement) but also included significant Punjabi Hindu and Punjabi Sikh minority populations.

According to the 1941 census, Punjabi Hindus constituted approximately 13.7 percent of the population in the region that comprises the contemporary state of Punjab, Pakistan, numbering around 2.4 million persons.[a] Following the partition of Punjab, according to the 1951 census, the Hindu population declined to 33,052 persons or 0.2 percent due to religious cleansing violence alongside large-scale mass migration and population transfer to East Punjab, India and Delhi in the violent events of partition of India.[13]: 12–21 

With the formation of independent Pakistan and India during the partition of India in 1947, approximately 3 million Punjabi Hindus migrated to India.[27][28][29]

Geographical distribution edit

 
Hindu Khatri man, Lahore circa 1859-1869
 
Hindu Arora Storekeeper, Lahore, circa 1862–72
 
Rattan Chand temple, Lahore, 1880
 
Hindu Shivite temple, Lahore, 1914

Colonial Era edit

Hindus in the administrative divisions that compose the contemporary Punjab, Pakistan region (1881–1941)
District or Princely State 1881[4][5][6][30] 1901[7]: 34 [31]: 62  1911[8]: 27 [9]: 27  1921[10]: 29  1931[11]: 277  1941[12]: 42 
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Sialkot District 299,311 29.57% 302,012 27.86% 242,325 24.74% 217,912 23.24% 206,421 21.07% 231,319 19.43%
Lahore District 193,319 20.92% 276,375 23.78% 217,609 21% 255,690 22.6% 259,725 18.84% 284,689 16.79%
Gujranwala District 127,322 20.64% 169,594 22.41% 176,075 19.07% 101,566 16.29% 92,764 12.6% 108,115 11.85%
Multan District 112,001 20.29% 133,560 18.79% 126,603 15.54% 134,013 15.05% 182,029 15.49% 249,872 16.83%
Shakargarh Tehsil[g] 109,241 49.77% 111,819 47.69% 93,052 44.22% 90,645 42.59% 101,318 40.96% 116,553 39.98%
Bahawalpur State 91,272 15.92% 114,670 15.91% 109,548 14.03% 114,621 14.67% 149,454 15.18% 174,408 13%
Rawalpindi District 86,162 10.5% 86,269 9.27% 48,449 8.84% 57,185 10.05% 59,485 9.38% 82,478 10.5%
Montgomery District 83,974 19.69% 109,945 23.72% 66,803 12.48% 94,791 13.28% 136,783 13.68% 210,966 15.87%
Gujrat District 72,450 10.51% 69,346 9.24% 49,430 6.63% 62,529 7.59% 73,356 7.95% 84,643 7.66%
Jhang District 64,892 16.42% 79,650 21.03% 73,426 14.24% 85,339 14.96% 102,990 15.49% 129,889 15.81%
Jhelum District 60,949 10.34% 51,801 8.72% 34,261 6.7% 34,837 7.3% 36,068 6.67% 40,888 6.49%
Shahpur District 59,026 14% 68,489 13.06% 72,695 10.58% 82,182 11.42% 90,561 11.02% 102,172 10.23%
Dera Ghazi Khan District 46,697 12.85% 57,815 12.27% 56,485 11.3% 56,346 12.01% 57,217 11.65% 67,407 11.59%
Muzaffargarh District 43,297 12.79% 52,221 12.87% 68,158 11.97% 69,878 12.29% 72,577 12.27% 90,643 12.72%
Lyallpur District[h] — — 210,459 26.58% 154,603 18.03% 181,488 18.53% 173,344 15.06% 204,059 14.61%
Mianwali District — — 50,202 11.82% 36,326 10.64% 45,974 12.83% 49,794 12.1% 62,814 12.41%
Biloch Trans–Frontier Tract — — 136 0.56% 169 0.59% 180 0.67% 173 0.58% 160 0.4%
Attock District[i] — — — — 19,741 3.8% 26,184 5.11% 31,932 5.47% 43,209 6.39%
Sheikhupura District[j] — — — — — — 85,781 16.4% 81,887 11.75% 89,182 10.46%
Total Hindus 1,449,913 18.26% 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%
Total Population 7,942,399 100% 10,427,765 100% 11,104,585 100% 11,888,985 100% 14,040,798 100% 17,350,103 100%

Modern era edit

According to the 2017 Census, Hinduism is followed by 0.19% of the population or about 2 lakh people including 11,000 scheduled caste Hindus.[2] However according to the Pakistan Hindu Council, there are 349,230 Hindus in Punjab. [32]

According to estimates in religious minorities in Pakistan's elections, there are above 50,000 or more in 11 districts in Pakistan. All of these are in Sindh except the Rahim Yar Khan District in Punjab and is the only district in Punjab with more than 2% of its population as Hindu.[33]

About 90% of the Hindus in Punjab province lives in Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur.[34]

Districts of Punjab Percentage of Hindus Population
Rahim Yar Khan 3.12% 150,002
Bahawalpur 1.12% 41,094
Other districts - 20,545

Community life edit

Hindus in Punjab is mainly concentrated in the Southern Punjab districts. According to a study, the majority (86.5%) of the scheduled caste Hindus in Southern Punjab have experienced discrimination. The study found that majority (91.5%) of the respondents in Rahimyar Khan districts believed that political parties are not giving importance to them.[35] In Central Punjab, the population of Hindus are very low, so many of the Hindus have married Sikhs and vice versa. Intermarriages between the Hindus and Sikh community are very common there.[36] The Forced conversion of Hindu girls are a problem faced by the Hindu community. According to a report by Minority Rights Commission, the number of forced conversions and forced marriages increasing in South Punjab, particularly the Rahim Yar Khan District and adjacent areas.[37]

The Hindu marriages in Punjab are registered under the Hindu marriage act of 2017.[38][39]

Politics edit

Punjab Assembly has eight reserved seats for non-Muslims and most of them are Christians.[33] In 1997, the Seth Bharta Ram became the first Hindu to be elected to the minority reserved seat in Punjab Provincial assembly. It was only after 16 years, another Hindu member Kanji Ram was elected to the provincial assembly.[40][41] Currently there are no Hindu member in the 17th Punjab provincial assembly.

Hindus form a significant electoral role in the assembly seats of Rahim Yar Khan District.[33]

Temples edit

Main page: Category:Hindu temples in Punjab, Pakistan

There are many temples in the Punjab and mainly of them served as a worship place for multi-religious community. The notable of them includes:

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ 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: [12]: 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.
  2. ^ 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: [4][5][6]
    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.
  3. ^ 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: [7]: 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.
  4. ^ 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: [8]: 27 [9]: 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.
  5. ^ 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: [10]: 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.
  6. ^ 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: [11]: 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.
  7. ^ Part of Gurdaspur District which was awarded to Pakistan as part of the Radcliffe Line.
  8. ^ District formerly inscribed as the Chenab Colony on the 1901 census, later renamed to Lyallpur District, created between Jhang District, Gujranwala District, Lahore District, Montgomery District, and Multan District to account for the large population increase in the region, primarily due to the Chenab Canal Colony.
  9. ^ District created in 1904 by taking Talagang Tehsil from Jhelum District and Pindi Gheb, Fateh Jang and Attock Tehsils from Rawalpindi District.
  10. ^ District created between Gujranwala District, Sialkot District, Amritsar District, Lahore District, Montgomery District, and Lyallpur District in 1920 to account for the large population increase in the region, primarily due to the Chenab Canal Colony.

References edit

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  7. ^ a b "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.
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  10. ^ a b "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables". 1921. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
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  39. ^ Kalbe Ali (27 September 2016). "NA finally passes Hindu marriage bill". Dawn. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
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  41. ^ "Hindus get representation in Punjab Assembly of Pakistan after 16 years". India Today. 13 June 2013. Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2018.

External links edit

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