Punjab, capital city, Chandigarh
Area: 50362 sq kms
Population: 20281969


Introduction
Punjab is bordered on the north by Jammu and Kashmir state and Himachal Pradesh state, on the east and south by Haryana state, on the south and southwest by Rajasthan state, and on the west by Pakistan.
History
The state of Punjab was formed on November 1, 1956, by merging East Punjab States Union with Punjab and Patiala provinces of India (for earlier history of the area, see Punjab, historic region). Subsequently, the Sikhs in the new state demanded a Punjabi-speaking state. In 1966 most of Punjab was divided into Punjabi-speaking Punjab state and Hindi-speaking Haryana state. Sikh Gurus like Guru Nanak, the founder of the faith, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Harkishen and Guru Gobind Singh, the last Sikh Guru played important roles in the evolution of Sikhism, and also in the history of Punjab.
Places of interest
The famous Golden Temple stands in the middle of this city, which is visited by people from all over the world. Other places of tourist interest in Punjab are the Durgiana Mandir and Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Takhat Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, the Bhakra Dam complex and the Sodal temple at Jalandhar.
River and Lakes
The major rivers are the Indus and Ganges rivers.
Major Crops
The major crops are wheat, maize (corn), rice, pulses (legumes), sugarcane, and cotton.
Weather and Climate
The average temperature in January is 13° C, although at night the temperature sometimes lowers to freezing. In June the average temperature is 34° C, occasionally climbing as high as 45° C. Annual average rainfall ranges from 1,250 mm (49 in) in the north to 350 mm (14 in) in the southwest. More than 70 percent of the annual rainfall occurs during the monsoon season from July to September.
People
The population of Punjab consists mainly of Punjabis, Jats, and Rajputs.
Religion
The majority of the population is Sikh, the largest minority is Hindu, and a very small percentage is Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, or Jain.
Festivals
Baisakhi (in April) is the most famous of Punjabi festivals. Another great festive occasion is the Jor Mela, when thousands of people gather at Sirhind, in rememberance and devotion to Guru Gobind Singh.
The Chhapaar Mela Village
It is celebrated every September to propitiate, Guga or Goga-the Zahir Pir. He is described as the Lord of the snakes. Snake poison is neutralised by his grace and barren women are blessed with off springs. Thousands of devotees take Guga Pir in a procession,
Hola Mohalla, (National Fair) Anandpur Sahib: 
This festival is celebrated during Mid-March immediately after the festival of holi. The 10th Prophet of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Gobind Singhji had started this fair in 1700-AD. To the traditional festival of the colours, Holi, he added spiritual and martial dimensions. The fair begins a few days before Holi & is marked by the congregation of Sikh from all over the State, A large number of 'Langars' (community kitchen) offer free food to the poor and the rich alike.
Baisaki National Fair
It is another unique Punjabi fair, which tempers gay abandon with deep devotion. Dancing men and women, on the day of Baisakhi, emerge singing and dancing from the surrounding villages carrying a portion of the first harvest of wheat. Everyone is seen to be proceeding to the historical gurudwara to make an offering of it. Calm descends every where when they approach the Gurudwara and make their obeisance offerings.
Language
The official language is Punjabi, which is spoken by about two-thirds of the population; the rest speaks Hindi.
Costume
Muslims and Hindus have given up their turbans, but it remains, literally, an article of faith for Sikh men whose religion forbids them to cut their hair. The kurta, a long straight-cut, loose shirt teamed with pyjamas, the loose baggy salwar, or a kind of sarong called a loongi or tehmat makes up the traditional dress for men. The traditional Punjabi shoes, called juttis retain their popularity with both rural and urban men; they are both elegant and comfortable. It is impossible to tell by dress whether a Punjabi woman is a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian – they all dress in salwar topped by a kameez (a garment that can be fitted like a dress loose like the kurta) and accented by a rectangular scarf about 2.5 metres long called the chunni or duppatta .
Culture
Bangra Dance
Bhangra celebrates the harvest and is associated with the festival of Baisakhi (April 13) when the sight of tall heaps of golden wheat fill the farmer’s heart with joy. To the accompaniment of large drums called dhols, he and his fellow villagers circle round and round in a leaping, laughing caper. It’s a dance that cuts across all divisions of class and education. At marriages, parties, or celebrations of any sort, it is quite common for men to break out in Bhangra.
Gidda
Women have a different but no less exuberant dance called gidda. The dancers enact verses called bolis, which represent folk poetry at its best. The subject matter of these bolis is wide ranging indeed – everything from arguments with the sister-in-law to political affairs figure in these lively songs. Aside from the drums, the rhythm of this dance is set by the distinctive handclaps of the dancers.
Luddi 
Luddi is a victory-dance recognisable by the swaying movements of the head. Its costume is a simple loose shirt. The performers place one hand at the back and the other before the face; the body movement is sinuous, snake-like. This is also danced with the drummer in the centre.


Food 
Punjabi cuisine is not subtle in its flavour. There are no intricate marinades or exotic sauces but it has full-bodied masalas (spices) cooked with liberal amount o desi ghee (clarified butter) always served with a liberal helping of butter or cream. Milk and its products are an essential part of everyday cookery; curd and buttermilk are also an essential concomitant with every Punjabi meal.
Handicrafts
Plastering the walls with mud and drawing ferns, plants, and several other fascinating motifs has been a way of life of the woman of Punjab.
They have also been making paper mache utensils for storing household necessities in colourful designs for a long time past, out of a paste made by mixing paper and various kinds of earth
Sarcanda, a kind of tough; thick elastic grass used to grow in plenty at places which have now come under the plough. Out of this grass roofs of all sizes (which provided air conditioning) were fashioned in circular shapes. After shaving, thin straws of this grass were woven into beautiful carpets and curtains.
Durries
Weaving of Durries (cotton bed or floor spreads) in myriad motifes and designs especially by young girls in the villages has been a long tradition in Punjab. These are also woven in stripes, cheek boards, squares, and motifs of birds, animals and even plants as a part of dowry
Needlework
Needlework of Punjab is unique, it has beautiful names because of its associations with beautiful aspects of life and the beautiful designs which the dexterous fingers of Punjab's proverbially beautiful women
Some of these are called Baghs, literally a garden, Phulkaris, literally flower work, rummals, scarfs. The patterns of needlework done on the bedspreads, chunnis, dupattas (these are head covers) and shirts and Salwars, are still different. Needlework on phulkaris is done on a deep coloured cotton cloth with striking silk threads.