Majha



Majha (Punjabi: ਮਾਝਾ (Gurmukhi), (Shahmukhi) also known as Standard Punjabi or simply Punjabi; Mājhā; ; meaning "heartland ) is a region located in the central parts of the historical Punjab region, currently split between the republics of India and Pakistan. It extends north from the right banks of the river Beas, and reaches as far north as the river Jhelum. People of the Majha region are given the demonym "Mājhī" or "Majhail". Most inhabitants of the region speak the Majhi dialect, which is the basis of the standard register of the Punjabi language. The most populous city in the area is Lahore on the Pakistani side, and Amritsar on the Indian side of the border.

During the partition of India in 1947, the Majha region of Punjab was split between India and Pakistan when the Indian Punjab and Pakistani Punjab were formed. The Majha region of Indian State of Punjab covers the area between Beas and Ravi rivers, including the area on the north of Sutlej, after the confluence of Beas and Sutlej at Harike in Tarn Taran district, extending up to the City Makhu In Ferozpur District, which is all part of the Majha region in India. This region contains eighteen districts of the Pakistani province of Punjab, including the cities of Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Sialkot. It includes four districts of Indian state of Punjab – Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot.

The people of the Majha region have been historically known for their warrior-like nature. 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. 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". Majha is also the birthplace of Sikhism.

History
The word "Mājhā" means the "central" or the "heartland". The Majha region is geographically located in the middle (or central part) of the historic Punjab region, hence giving it the name Majha. It includes a considerable portion of the Bari Doab (the region between the rivers Beas and Ravi) and the Rechna Doab (the region between the rivers Ravi and Chenab), and a smaller portion of the Jech Doab region (the region between the rivers Jhelum and Chenab).

The Majha region of historical Punjab region spans northward from the right banks of river Beas, and extends up to river Jhelum at its northmost, making it the largest regions of historic Punjab.

The Indian state of Punjab has continued to recognize the Majha region through maintaining the districts that have historically belonged to the Majha region. In Pakistan, the Majha city of Lahore was selected as its provincial capital, which the remaining Majha districts were either maintained, or their borders blurred as the boundaries were divided between districts Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, and Rawalpindi, Sahiwal and Sargodha.

Districts of Majha
The following districts are classified as Majha.

India

 * The Golden Temple, Amritsar
 * Gurudwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib, Amritsar
 * Baba Atal Sahib, Amritsar
 * Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, Amritsar
 * Company Bagh, Amritsar
 * Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib, Tarntaran
 * Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
 * Punjab State War Heroes' Memorial & Museum, Amritsar
 * Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal, Amritsar
 * Haveli, Amritsar
 * Gurudwara Bir Baba Budha Sahib
 * Gurudwara Goindwal Sahib, Tarntaran
 * Ram Bagh Palace, Amritsar
 * Partition Museum, Amritsar
 * Harike Pattan bird sanctuary, Tarn Taran
 * Durgiana Temple, Amritsar
 * Walled City of Amritsar
 * Gobindgarh Fort, Amritsar
 * Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple, Pathankot
 * Ranjit Sagar Dam, Pathankot
 * Shahpur Kandi Fort, Pathankot
 * Nurpur Fort, Pathankot
 * Gurdwara Kandh Sahib, Batala
 * Shamsher Khan's tomb, Batala
 * Pul Kanjri, Amritsar
 * Wagah-Attari border ceremony, Attari border between Amritsar India and Lahore Pakistan.

Pakistan

 * Akbari Sarai, Lahore
 * Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Lahore
 * Anarkali Bazaar, Lahore
 * Badshahi Mosque, Lahore
 * Bagh-e-Jinnah (Lawrence Gardens), Lahore
 * Begum Shahi Mosque, Lahore
 * Chauburji, Lahore
 * Faisalabad Clock Tower, Faisalabad
 * Data Darbar, Lahore
 * Fakir Khana, Lahore
 * Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Kartarpur
 * Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore
 * Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib
 * Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das, Lahore
 * Haveli of Nau Nihal Singh, Lahore
 * Hazuri Bagh, Lahore
 * Hiran Minar, Sheikhupura
 * Lahore Fort (Shahi Qila), Lahore
 * Lahore Museum, Lahore
 * Lahore Zoo, Lahore
 * Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore
 * Moti Masjid, Lahore
 * Neevin Mosque, Lahore
 * Omar Hayat Mahal, Chiniot
 * Oonchi Mosque, Lahore
 * Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore
 * Samadhi of Ranjit Singh, Lahore
 * Shahi Hammam, Lahore
 * Shalimar Gardens, Lahore
 * Sheesh Mahal, Lahore
 * Sunehri Mosque, Lahore
 * Tomb of Asif Khan, Lahore
 * Tomb of Jahangir, Lahore
 * Tomb of Allama Iqbal, Lahore
 * Tomb of Nur Jahan, Lahore
 * Wagah-Attari border ceremony, Attari border between Amritsar India and Lahore Pakistan.
 * Walled City of Lahore, Lahore
 * Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore
 * Zamzama, Lahore

Notable residents Of Majha
Noor Jahan, Singer, real Name Allah Rakhi, Kasur
 * Baba Deep Singh Ji (1682–1757).
 * Raja Aziz Bhatti (1928-1965) Got highest military award of Pakistan for his bravery
 * Lala Achint Ram - Noted freedom Fighter, Member of the Constitutional Assembly, Later Parliamentarian.
 * Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab (1780–1839), the founder of the Sikh Empire.
 * Premchand Degra Bodybuilder from Gurdaspur.
 * Zubair Jhara Pehalwan (1990-1991) Famous Wrestler from Lahore
 * Krishan Kant - Former Vice President of India
 * Hari Singh Nalwa (1791–1837), renowned warrior and Commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army, the army of the Sikh Empire.
 * Haq Nawaz Jhangvi (1952-1990) Chief, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan
 * Bhai Bidhi Chand (1640), the greatest Sikh warrior and religious preacher at the time of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji.
 * Akali Phula Singh Ji (1761 – 1823), highly respected Akali Nihang Sikh general and Jathedar of the Khalsa Panth.
 * Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal, (1785-1857) He led rebellion against British army in Punjab
 * Sham Singh Atariwala (1790 - 1846), the general of the Sikh Empire.
 * Allama Iqbal, Pakistan's national poet.
 * Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Urdu poet.
 * Sohail Ahmed, Pakistani Comedian
 * Captain Arun Singh Jasrotia, India military officer.
 * Musarrat Nazir, Pakistani Punjabi folk singer of Kashmiri descent.
 * Saifuddin Kitchlew, Indian freedom fighter of Kashmiri descent.
 * Baba Baghel Singh, who occupied Delhi
 * Akshay Kumar
 * Dulla Bhatti (1549-1599) Led revolt against Mughal Emperor
 * Baba Gurdit Singh, SS Komagata Maru
 * Satyavati Devi (born 1905)
 * Raza Saqib Mustafai, Islamic Scholar
 * Bhai Maha Singh
 * Kapil Sharma
 * Sunanda Sharma, Famous Female-Punjabi Singer
 * Dara Singh wrestler
 * Gurdial Singh Dhillon, ex-speaker of Lok Sabha, India
 * Jagbir Singh Chhina, freedom fighter.
 * Gurpreet Singh (shooter), winner of two medals in Commonwealth Games, Delhi
 * M. S. Gill, former chief Election Commissioner of India and former sports Minister of India
 * Mai Bhago
 * Pratap Singh Kairon, ex-Chief Minister of Punjab
 * Surender Mohan Pathak, Novelist
 * Teja Singh Samundri, founder of SGPC
 * Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, Founder and President of Gadar party
 * Bharti Singh
 * Amrinder Gill
 * Dr. Jagir Singh Noor, from Batala, Writer, known for his contribution to culture, criticism and research on folk dances
 * Sardar Baj Singh, Sikh general and governor.
 * Bhai Bhag Singh Bhikhiwind, leader of the Ghadar Party (1914)
 * Sardar Chhajja Singh Dhillon, a renowned Sikh warrior of the early 18th century.
 * Prem Dhillon
 * Jordan Sandhu
 * AP Dhillon
 * Gurinder Gill
 * Nimrat Khaira
 * Ravi Thakur
 * Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Faisalabad
 * Bhagat Singh, (September 1907 – 23 March 1931)