Why are the majority of Punjabis Muslim ?
shrivatsa...@my-dejanews.com
that majority of Punjabis and Benglis are muslims. Where as every one in the
middle and south managed to hang on to their cultures.
For Bengalis, there is very good reason. Most of the Bengalis are Shudras (
they are the sons of the soils) and were Buddhist before being converted to
Hindu religion. The Hindu religion has not taken deep roots before the muslim
invaders showed up. Thus the conversion to yet another religion which was not
much differant from Buddhism was easier than a traditional Hindu of the
Gangetic plains.
Punjabis had a vibrant Hindu culture for a long time. Even during the time of
Alexander the great they were Hindus. But beyond the borders of Punjab
Buddhism has taken great roots. Buddhist Bactrian Kings also were good at
spreading their religions.
So foreign religions including Zorostraniasm, Manicheasm, Nestorian
Christianity must have been making inroads in Punjab when the Muslims showed
up.
Another reason could be the proximity to completely Islamized Iran and
Afghanistan which must have presented problems to the unconverted due to
constant raids. Being Muslims could have minimized such raids.
Further the vanguard of Hindu resistance (like the Rajputs) has moved on to
Rajasthan hence the local people might have been vulknerable to attacks by
unified muslim armies.
I think you should read more about in Libraries than post the question in
here. I dont think many people who know about it would take their time to
answer your questions.
I really appreciate that as a Muslim Punjabi that you would even think that
Punjabis existed as a race before conversion to Islam. Most of the culture
completely eraze their identities after converting religions like Islam and
Catholizism.
In article <367A8B06...@doc.ic.ac.uk>,
Saqib <s...@doc.ic.ac.uk> wrote:
> Hi !
>
> Anyone got any information as to how Punjab came to have a Muslim
> majority. Please provide historical evidences
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Sandeep Singh Bajwa
shrivatsa...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> Very good question I have wondered about it my self. What is interesting is
> that majority of Punjabis and Benglis are muslims. Where as every one in the
> middle and south managed to hang on to their cultures.
Majority of Punjabis and Bengalis are the most dynamic and open minded people of
the subcontinent.
They are open to all kind of ideas!!
That is why on one hand you have founder of Hindu movments Mukkerji from Bengal
as well as many influential
muslims.
Ditto In Punjab, Punjabi muslims, Hindus and Sikhs are essentially the same
people!! with same problems and
same ideas and same mentality!!!!
Other reason is that Punjab was invaded by all the invaders from centuries!! and
thus have mixtures of cultures!
for example
Punjabi Brahmins like Agnihotri, Bhardwaj, etc. (many Brahmins when converted to
Islam became Sayyid or from the
tribe
of Mohammad, founder of Islam)
Punjabi Hindu and Muslim Khatris like Kapoor, Khanna, Tandon, Upal, etc,etc.
Punjabi Jatt Both Muslim and Sikhs like Bajwa, Virk, waraich, mann, sandhu,
sidhu, etc.
Punjabi baniya like goel, Mahajan, jain (not sure)
Most of the Brahmins are the one's who were scholars or who worked in temples
(when converted to Islam became mufti or qazi), when converted
to Sikhism became martyrs to protect their religion like Bhai Mati Dass and
Bhai Sati Dass ( there is no such thing as PRIEST CLASS
in Sikhism).
>
>
> For Bengalis, there is very good reason. Most of the Bengalis are Shudras (
> they are the sons of the soils) and were Buddhist before being converted to
> Hindu religion. The Hindu religion has not taken deep roots before the muslim
> invaders showed up. Thus the conversion to yet another religion which was not
> much differant from Buddhism was easier than a traditional Hindu of the
> Gangetic plains.
That only tells your bigoted mind!! I will say
"Most of the Bengalis are Shudra yet winner of most noble prizes in subcontinent"
"Only Bengalis and Punjabis participated in independence struggle through violent
means, others like Gandhi resisted them and called them terrorists"
>
>
> Punjabis had a vibrant Hindu culture for a long time. Even during the time of
> Alexander the great they were Hindus. But beyond the borders of Punjab
> Buddhism has taken great roots. Buddhist Bactrian Kings also were good at
> spreading their religions.
What is a Hindu culture? If you are talking about Vedic culture! then Punjab is
the founder of Vedic culture! All Vedas and Upnishads were
written in Punjab on the banks of river Indus (Sindhu). btw... I am talking about
before Budhism!!
At one time almost all Punjabis were Budhists!! then Manuvadis declared Budha
another deity! made him an avataar of Vishnu! and thus
all Budhists became Hindus again!! :)
Hindu culture in India has always absorbed other cultures and has not let them
flourished!! That is the biggest threat to a modern religion
like Sikhism!!! That is the reason Akali Party always wins in Punjab.
>
>
> So foreign religions including Zorostraniasm, Manicheasm, Nestorian
> Christianity must have been making inroads in Punjab when the Muslims showed
> up.
NOPES!!!! Christianity in Punjab came after Ranjit singh! Even other Sikh
kingdoms who had treaties with British did not allowedany missionaries.
>
>
> Another reason could be the proximity to completely Islamized Iran and
> Afghanistan which must have presented problems to the unconverted due to
> constant raids. Being Muslims could have minimized such raids.
There were more and more such raids! and muslims were the most affected one's!
because Sikhs and Hindus always emptied their
houses and went to hills or rajasthan's desert! while Muslims thinking that their
"brothers from west" are coming were looted by
Ghaznavi, Abdali, Babar, etc.
>
>
> Further the vanguard of Hindu resistance (like the Rajputs) has moved on to
> Rajasthan hence the local people might have been vulknerable to attacks by
> unified muslim armies.
Rajputs actually started from Rajasthan and moved to other places!! All the
Rajputs in Punjab and KAshmir (Dogras), Pakistan,and Jutts in Haryana and Punjab
are Rajputs who moved into their respective areas many many years ago!
Sandeep Singh Bajwa
>
>
> I think you should read more about in Libraries than post the question in
> here. I dont think many people who know about it would take their time to
> answer your questions.
>
> I really appreciate that as a Muslim Punjabi that you would even think that
> Punjabis existed as a race before conversion to Islam. Most of the culture
> completely eraze their identities after converting religions like Islam and
> Catholizism.
>
> In article <367A8B06...@doc.ic.ac.uk>,
> Saqib <s...@doc.ic.ac.uk> wrote:
> > Hi !
> >
> > Anyone got any information as to how Punjab came to have a Muslim
> > majority. Please provide historical evidences
>
> -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
> http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
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Prodosh
Is this really so important?
I don't know where you got the item about most Bengalis being Shudras from -
Bengal like most other states in India is made up of big mix of castes - not that
this matters or should matter anymore today.
Prodosh
shrivatsa...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> Very good question I have wondered about it my self. What is interesting is
> that majority of Punjabis and Benglis are muslims. Where as every one in the
> middle and south managed to hang on to their cultures.
>
> For Bengalis, there is very good reason. Most of the Bengalis are Shudras (
> they are the sons of the soils) and were Buddhist before being converted to
> Hindu religion. The Hindu religion has not taken deep roots before the muslim
> invaders showed up. Thus the conversion to yet another religion which was not
> much differant from Buddhism was easier than a traditional Hindu of the
> Gangetic plains.
> Punjabis had a vibrant Hindu culture for a long time. Even during the time of