Punjab

Breadbasket of India, Homeland of the Sikhs, the Sword Arm of India-all these describe the prosperous state of Punjab.

The history of Punjab is riddled with conflict and conquerors. King Darius of Persia ruled this part of North India in the 5th century B.C., though he was neither the first nor the last to bring war to the area. In 1700 B.C., Aryans from the north settled here. In 326 B.C., Alexander the Great extended his kingdom into the region. Beginning in the 11th century, Punjab was ruled in turn by Muslims, Mughals and then the British.

In 1949, two years after India gained independence from Great Britain, Punjab was split in half. Muslims hurried west into the new country of Pakistan while Hindus and Sikhs moved east into India. Nearly 10 million people changed sides and, as they passed, tens of thousands were killed. Now the five rivers from which Punjab derives its name (literally "Land of Five Rivers") lie across the border in Pakistan.

In 1966, Punjab was divided again, this time along linguistic lines. The south became the state of Haryana with a Hindi-speaking majority, while the Punjabi speakers concentrated in the north. The two states still share the same capital, Chandigarh.

With 86 percent of the land under cultivation, Punjab provides a large proportion of India's rice, dairy, and wheat. Most of its 24 million people are involved in agriculture and have the highest per capita income in the country.

Punjab is the birthplace of the Sikh religion and the only state of India with a Sikh majority (63%). Hindus comprise 34 percent of the population, with Christians and Muslims each at one percent.

Christianity first came to Punjab in the 19th century when low-caste people responded to the witness of European missionaries. Only two of the state's 96 people groups are known to have any Christians in their communities.

Gospel for Asia in Punjab:
Work began in 1994
Personal evangelism
Church planting
Bible schools
Film ministry
Slum ministry
Ministry in leper colonies
Ministry to children
Gospel literature and Bible distribution
Radio broadcasts in Punjabi and Hindi

Phone: 07 4632 4131   Address: PO Box 3587 Village Fair, Toowoomba QLD 4350 Australia   
Registered in Australia -  ABN Number:77 238 537 422   GFA Trust Fund ABN: 14 595 344 396   Charity Number: CH1471

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