Majha ( Mājhā; ; from "mañjhlā" )[Punjabi language: ਮਾਝਾ , ][The left/right bank of a river is determined by looking in the direction of flow of the river (facing downstream).] of the river Beas river, and reaches as far north as left bank of the river Ravi River, constituting upper half of the Bari Doab.
The Majha region was partitioned between India and Pakistan in 1947. It includes four districts of Indian state of Punjab — Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot. In the Pakistani province of Punjab, the Majha region proper includes Lahore District and Kasur District districts. However, it is not uncommon to include the districts of Gujranwala (including Hafizabad and Wazirabad), Sialkot District (including Narowal District) and Sheikhupura (including Nankana Sahib) — located in the Upper Rachna Doab — in the Majha area as well.[Advanced Centre for Technical Development of Punjabi Language, Literature and Culture, Punjabi University, Patiala Punjabi University, Patiala.] The most populous city in the area is Lahore on the Pakistani side, and Amritsar on the Indian side of the border. Majha is also the birthplace of Sikhism.[
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History
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.[Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (1996). Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants (Contemporary Ethnography), p. 153. Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania.] 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".[Sandhu, Gulzar Singh (2004). Gods on Trial and Other Stories, p. 132. Diamond Pocket Books. ]
Districts
The following districts are classified as Majha:
Tourist attractions
India
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Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar
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Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib, Tarn Taran
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Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
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Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal, Amritsar
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Ram Bagh Palace, Amritsar
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Partition Museum, Amritsar
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Harike Wetland bird sanctuary, Tarn Taran
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Durgiana Temple, Amritsar
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Gobindgarh Fort, Amritsar
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Ranjit Sagar Dam, Pathankot
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Pul Kanjri, Amritsar
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Wagah-Attari border ceremony, Attari border between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan
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Akbari Sarai, Lahore
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Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Lahore
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Anarkali Bazaar, Lahore
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Badshahi Mosque, Lahore
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Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore
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Begum Shahi Mosque, Lahore
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Chauburji, Lahore
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Data Darbar, Lahore
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Fakir Khana, Lahore
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Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Kartarpur
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Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore
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Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib
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Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das, Lahore
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Haveli of Nau Nihal Singh, Lahore
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Hazuri Bagh, Lahore
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Hiran Minar, Sheikhupura
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Lahore Fort, Lahore
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Lahore Museum, Lahore
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Lahore Zoo, Lahore
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Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore
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Moti Masjid, Lahore
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Neevin Mosque, Lahore
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Oonchi Mosque, Lahore
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Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore
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Samadhi of Ranjit Singh, Lahore
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Shahi Hammam, Lahore
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Shalimar Gardens, Lahore
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Sheesh Mahal, Lahore
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Sunehri Mosque, Lahore
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Tomb of Asif Khan, Lahore
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Tomb of Jahangir, Lahore
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Tomb of Allama Iqbal, Lahore
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Tomb of Nur Jahan, Lahore
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Wagah-Attari border ceremony, Attari border between India and Pakistan.
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Walled City of Lahore, Lahore
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Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore
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Zamzama, Lahore
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Tomb of Bulleh Shah, Kasur
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Changa Manga forest, Kasur
Notable residents
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Manmohan Singh former Prime Minister of India and economist from Gah, located in present-day Pakistan.
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Baba Deep Singh Ji (1682–1757).
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Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia - Sikh Emperor, supreme leader of Dal Khalsa, Chief of Budha Dal, Jathedar Akal Takhat.
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Lala Achint Ram - Noted freedom Fighter, Member of the Constitutional Assembly, Later Parliamentarian.
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Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab (1780–1839), the founder of the Sikh Empire.
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Premchand Degra Bodybuilder from Gurdaspur.
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Zubair Jhara Pehalwan (1990-1991) Famous Wrestler from Lahore
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Krishan Kant - Former Vice President of India
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Hari Singh Nalwa (1791–1837), renowned warrior and Commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army, the army of the Sikh Empire.
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Bhai Bidhi Chand (1640), Sikh warrior and religious preacher at the time of Guru Hargobind.
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Akali Phula Singh Ji (1761 – 1823), Akali Nihang Sikh general and Jathedar of the Khalsa Panth.
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Sham Singh Atariwala (1790 - 1846), the general of the Sikh Empire.
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Allama Iqbal, Pakistan's national poet.
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Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Urdu poet.
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Sohail Ahmed, Pakistani Comedian
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Captain Arun Singh Jasrotia, Indian military officer.
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Musarrat Nazir, Pakistani Punjabi folk singer of Kashmiri descent.
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Saifuddin Kitchlew, Indian freedom fighter of Kashmiri descent.
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Baba Baghel Singh, who occupied Delhi
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Akshay Kumar
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Baba Gurdit Singh, SS Komagata Maru
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Satyavati Devi (born 1905)
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Raza Saqib Mustafai, Islamic Scholar
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Bhai Maha Singh
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Kapil Sharma
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Sunanda Sharma, Famous Female-Punjabi Singer
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Dara Singh wrestler
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Gurdial Singh Dhillon, ex-speaker of Lok Sabha, India
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Jagbir Singh Chhina, freedom fighter.
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Gurpreet Singh (shooter), winner of two medals in Commonwealth Games, Delhi
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M. S. Gill, former chief Election Commissioner of India and former sports Minister of India
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Mai Bhago
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Pratap Singh Kairon, ex-Chief Minister of Punjab
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Surender Mohan Pathak, Novelist
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Teja Singh Samundri, founder of SGPC
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Bharti Singh
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Amrinder Gill
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Baj Singh, Sikh general and governor.
[Singh, Raj Pal (1998). Banda Bahadur and His Times p. 22. Harman Pub. House, 1 Aug 1998.]
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Sardar Chhajja Singh Dhillon, Sikh warrior of the early 18th century.
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Prem Dhillon
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Jordan Sandhu
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AP Dhillon
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Gurinder Gill
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Nimrat Khaira
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Ravi Thakur
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Bhagat Singh, (September 1907 – 23 March 1931)
==Photo gallery==
See also
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Doaba, cultural region in Punjab, India
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Bar Region, cultural region in Punjab, Pakistan
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Pothohar Plateau, cultural region in Punjab, Pakistan
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Malwa, cultural region in Punjab, India
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Poadh, cultural region in India
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The Punjab Doabs, geographic regions in Punjab
Notes
