Our homeland now known as Punjab has been called by various names in its long history. Its earliest mention is found in Rig-Veda where it’s called Saptasindua (the land of seven rivers–sapt means seven and sindhu means river) which, scholars believe, comprised large swathes of Punjab and Sindh.

A similar statement we find in the Zind Avesta: “... Mazda created the fifteenth country. It is Hapthindu which is spread over seven rivers.” S sound changed to H sound in the Avestian language. Meanings of the phrase are the same. The seven rivers are Sindhu, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sultlej and Saraswati or Hakra. Another name of our homeland has been Vahik. This name was first used by famous grammarian and linguist Panini (6th century BC). He has given the following meanings of the word: a region free of religious bigotry. Mahabharata is polar opposite when it comes to Vahik. It said that in proximity of the river Beas two demons inhabited whose offspring was called Vahik. The authors of Mahabharata conveniently forgot how their elders glorified this land in Rig-Veda. After they firmly established the caste system in the Genetic plains, the land this side of Karukshetra known as Vakik became no-go area for the up-holders of caste rules. Mahabharata says: “Where these five rivers Satadru ( Sutlej), Vipasha (Beas), Iravati (Ravi), Chandra-bhaga (Chenab) and Vitasta (Vehit/ Jehlum) flow and where there are Pilu-forests and (where) Sindhu is the sixth to flow out, this country is called Aratta.”. Another verse says: “The region where these five rivers, emerging from the mountains flow, this Aratta (country) is called Balhika where the Arya should not stay even for two days.” The reason was that the Aryan social structure based on Varuna/ caste was not strictly observed in our land. That’s why the religion of the people of our area was described as Nashtadharma (destroyed religion).

Meluha was yet another name of the region recorded in the Sumerian texts of Mesopotamia. In Mahabharata another name ‘Panjnada’ (the land of five rivers) is also used for our region. It tells us that one of the famous protagonists of the Mahabharata epic, Arjun, was robbed by some men of the Abheer clan when he was in exile in the Panjnada region.

Ramayana which is an ancient document also uses the name Panchanada for this land. It described that the monkey army after having searched Sita ji in the Pehalvi country combed every nook and cranny of Panchanada. ‘Charaka Samhita’ is believed to be the oldest book on Ayurvedic literature. Its author Charak is believed to have lived in the sixth century BC. One of its early commentators /editors Dararhbal wrote that he was the son of Kapil Bali, and belonged to Panjnada country.

And now the brief history of the current name Punjab! First let us share some selected verses about Punjab. “Baraamad harf Punjab az zabanum / zaban shud mauj e kausar dar dahanum (My tongue uttered the word Punjab / the tongue tasted the heavenly sweet water,” says Maulana Grami.

Poet Ghanimat Kunjahi wrote: “ Cheh Punjab intekhaab e haft kishwar / qasam khurda bakhakash aab e kausar (What a country this Punjab is! / The best of seven realms / the heavenly water swears on its dust.” The fallacy is common that the word Punjab was first used by Emperor Akbar’s administration in the sixteenth century which is a literal translation of Panjnada in Persian/ Punjabi. Somadev, a Kashmiri pandit, composed his Katha Saritsagara in the eleventh century. In his story/ legend number 12 he used the word Punchab for Punjab. Saint Shah Niamutullah Wali (born in 1330, Aleppo, Syria and died in Iran) made his famous prophecies/predictions in the fourteenth century. One of his prophecies said that fire would rise from the heart of Punjab / Muslims would occupy Punjab, the city of Lahore, Bannu and Kashmir. The word Punjab is clearly mentioned.

King Shahabuddin Ghauri (born 1144) who was assassinated by Khokhars of Potohar, Punjab, in 1206, wrote a letter to Indian kings which says: “Ba shumaa suleh kunem ke Sirhind, Punjab, and Multan ba maa o baqi mumalik e Hindustan ba shumaa (I make peace with you on the condition that I take Sirhind, Punjab and Multan and rest of the countries in India would be yours.)”

Historian Farishta quoted this letter. Historians report Yaldoz fought Sultan Qutubuddin Aibak in the territories of Punjab and Sindh. Ibne Batuta visited India and lived in its different regions from 1333 to 1342. “We reached the River Sindhu on September 12, 1333. This area is also called Punjab,” he wrote in his travelogue.

Jamaluddin Agarvi has used the phrase ‘Suba Punjab’ in his book titled ‘Tazkara e Qutabia’. The author of the book ‘Tareekh e Sher Shahi’ Abbas Khan (died in 1586) wrote that Sher Shah built a road and a carvanserai in Punjab. He also wrote that the king appointed Haibat Khan Niazi the head of a country called Punjab. Ahmed Yadgar who was associated with the last king of Bengal (1572-1576) in his book ‘Tareekh e Shahi mentioned Punjab at several places.

He wrote: “Behlol Lodhi after spending two years hunting and partying in Punjab returned to Delhi.” That Akbar’s officials used the word Punjab frequently is well-known. The emperor himself spent 14 years in Lahore in two stints.

Bhai Gurdas (1559-1634) was a highly celebrated poet of Punjabi language. He composed about forty Vars ( epic poems/ lays). In his eleventh Var he used the word Punjab; “Punjabe gur di vadyai ( Guru’s glory in Punjab). Natiq Kashmiri (died 1647) composed a quartet ( a four liner) on the appointment of Qazi Muhammad Afzal as governor of Punjab: “Afzal arbab e danash suba e Punjab yaaft (Afzal, the wise, got the province of Punjab).” To reiterate, Punjab is the Persian/ Punjabi translation of its old name ‘Panchanada’. Punj in Persian and Punjabi means five and Aab in Persian means water. Aab also seems to have common roots with the Sanskrit word ‘Apas’ which means water. Anyway this land of ours has been known by several names in its long history. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” says Shakespeare. — soofi01@hotmail.com

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2025