History of the Punjab
The first known use of the word Punjab is in the book Tarikh-e-Sher Shah Suri (1580), which mentions the construction of a fort by "Sher Khan of Punjab". The first mentioning of the Sanskrit equivalent of 'Punjab', however, occurs in the great epic, the Mahabharata (pancha-nada 'country of five rivers'). The name is mentioned again in Ain-e-Akbari, written by Abul Fazal, who also mentions that the territory of Punjab was divided into two provinces, Lahore and Multan. Similarly in the second volume of Ain-e-Akbari, the title of a chapter includes the word Punjab in it. The Mughal King Jahangir also mentions the word Punjab in Tuzk-i-Janhageeri.Punjab in Persian literally means "five" (panj) "waters" (āb), i.e. the Land of Five Rivers, referring to the five rivers which go through it. It was because of this that it was made the granary of British India. Today, 3 of the rivers run exclusively in Pakistani Panjab with the tributaries of the other 2 eventually draining there as well. Indian panjab has the headwaters of the remaining 2 rivers which eventually drain over into Pakistan.
The first known use of the word Punjab is in the book Tarikh-e-Sher Shah Suri (1580), which mentions the construction of a fort by "Sher Khan of Punjab". The first mentioning of the Sanskrit equivalent of 'Punjab', however, occurs in the great epic, the Mahabharata (pancha-nada 'country of five rivers'). The name is mentioned again in Ain-e-Akbari, written by Abul Fazal, who also mentions that the territory of Punjab was divided into two provinces, Lahore and Multan. Similarly in the second volume of Ain-e-Akbari, the title of a chapter includes the word Punjab in it. The Mughal King Jahangir also mentions the word Punjab in Tuzk-i-Janhageeri.Punjab in Persian literally means "five" (panj) "waters" (āb), i.e. the Land of Five Rivers, referring to the five rivers which go through it. It was because of this that it was made the granary of British India. Today, 3 of the rivers run exclusively in Pakistani Panjab with the tributaries of the other 2 eventually draining there as well. Indian panjab has the headwaters of the remaining 2 rivers which eventually drain over into Pakistan.
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