Heritage of Punjab & Sindh

17/10/2026

RAI BAHADUR SARDAR BASANT SINGH of QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN

Basant Singh, Sardar, Rai Bahadur, Assistant Engineer, born, 3rd March 1858 ; educated at Lahore Government School and College ; entered Government service as Overseer in the Military Works services at Quetta in 1878, and rose to the rank of Assistant Engineer. He passed 29 of his 34 years' Government service on the Frontier, and was the recipient of numerous sanads from Government; his work has been throughout marked by great economy in the expenditure of Government money, and by diligence and faithfulness in the discharge of his duties.

He was a native of Batala, Amritsar District, and is the son of. Sardar Jawahir Singh Kolha, who distinguished himself by his services to Government during the Mutiny. He was the holder of landed property in Amritsar. At the Coronation Durbar his previous title of Rai Saheb was raised to that of Rai Bahadur, and he received a medal at the hands of his Majesty. His son, Sardar Sardool Singh, followed the footsteps of his lather, and devoted his energies to the service of Government. Address: Quetta, Baluchistan.

Reference: Who's Who in India Supplement 1 (1912) page 171

Photo courtesy: Panjab Digital Library

15/10/2026

SIKHI IN SINDHI COMMUNITY - PRESENT & PAST

Definitely the most comprehensive book written on Sikh overlap amongst the Sindhu Hindu community. The book is in Punjabi running close to 700 pages. The book was released last year but I got it just recently.

30/09/2026

MUSLIMS IN PUNJAB - 1931

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Ds2UZmFSR/

26/09/2026

JAIN COMMUNITY IN PUNJAB, INDIA

According to the 2011 Census of India, the Jain population in Punjab was 45,040, accounting for approximately 0.16% of the state's total population of 27,743,338.

The Jain community in Punjab is almost entirely urban, residing mostly in major commercial hubs and cities such as Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Hoshiarpur.

Courtesy Devil Maps

25/09/2026

BUDDHIST IN PUNJAB, INDIA – 2011 CENSUS

According to the 2011 Census, the total Buddhist population in Punjab, India was 33,237, accounting for approximately 0.12% of the state's total population.

This marked a decrease from the 2001 Census, which recorded 41,487 Buddhists in Punjab. The population is heavily concentrated in urban areas (around 82.4%) and clustered within a few specific districts, largely driven by modern socio-religious movements like the Navayana Buddhist movement.

The following four districts accounted for more than 70% of the entire state's Buddhist

-Jalandhar District: 11,385 Buddhists (0.52% of the district's total population)
-Kapurthala District: 6,662 Buddhists (0.82% of the district's total population, primarily concentrated around the Phagwara sub-division)
-Hoshiarpur District: 3,476 Buddhists (0.22% of the district's total population)
-Ludhiana District: 2,007 Buddhists (0.06% of the district's total population)

Courtesy Devil Maps

23/09/2026

PUNJABI SIKH COMMUNITY in QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN

This video was taken last year in Quetta at the Guru Hari Rai Sahib Gurdwara in Quetta Cantt. The Gurdwara was first built in 1820, enlarged and renovated a few times. This Sangat is Punjabi Sikh that did not leave Quetta in 1947. They had to hide their identity and remove their turbans and Kesh (long hair). In the mid eighties and 1990s few Sikhs became Keshdhari and took Khande Di Pahul. Today there are 500 Keshdhari Sikh families in Quetta. The majority of them live in and around the Cantonment area.

A saroop of Guru Granth Sahib was brought from Amritsar, India for the first time since 1947 to replace the old larhiwar bir of Guru Granth Sahib.

16/09/2026

CONSTRUCTION OF SHOPPING PLAZA STOPPED AT ST. GABRIEL SCHOOL SITE FORMERLY GURDWARA SIRI GURU SINGH SABHA, ARCHER ROAD, QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN

Office of the Commissioner Quetta division, Quetta on 16 September stopped the construction of a commercial plaza at the site where Saint Gabriel Primary School formerly Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha existed.

The Commissioner also instructed ETPB to convene a meeting with Sikhs community of Quetta to come up with a viable solution to the land issue and submit it to the Commissioner's Office.

Better late than never. The Sikhs of Quetta and Balochistan are thankful to the Commissioner, Government of Balochistan, local Consumer Forum and all communities who supported us in this venture. May Wahe Guru bless you all.

16/09/2026

KAMBOJ COMMUNITY ACROSS THREE RELIGIONS IN PUNJAB

This is based on the 1931 Census of Punjab.

Courtesy: Devil Maps

11/09/2026

DIFFERENT SUB CASTE AMONGST BRAHMINS IN GREATER PUNJAB

Courtesy Devil Maps

06/09/2026

PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH S. JASBIR SINGH FROM QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN REGARDING THE RECENT DEMOLITION OF THE GURDWARA BUILDING IN QUETTA.

The interview will be an eye opener for many Sikhs. Sardar Jasbir Singh speaks in chaste Punjabi and his ancestors came from Punjab about 200 years ago.

He gives the history of the Siri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara at Archer Road which became Saint Gabriel Primary School in 1953 which was demolished in the last week of June 2026.

...