The first known use of the word Punjab is in the book Tarikh-e-Sher Shah Suri (1580), which mentions the construction of a fort by "Sher Khan of Punjab". The first mentioning of the Sanskrit equivalent of 'Punjab', however, occurs in the great epic, the Mahabharata (pancha-nada 'country of five rivers'). The name is mentioned again in Ain-e-Akbari (part 1), written by Abul Fazal, who also mentions that the territory of Punjab was divided into two provinces, Lahore and Multan. Similarly in the second volume of Ain-e-Akbari, the title of a chapter includes the word Punjab in it. The Mughal King Jahangir also mentions the word Punjab in Tuzk-i-Janhageeri. Punjab in Persian literally means "five" (panj) "waters" (āb), i.e., the Land of Five Rivers, referring to the five rivers which go through it. It was because of this that it was made the granary of British India. Today, three of the rivers run exclusively in Pakistani Panjab with the tributaries of the other two eventually draining there as well. Indian Panjab has the headwaters of the remaining two rivers which eventually drain over into Pakistan.

Places of Interest

Gurdaspur: which is a border district of the state, has played a significant role in the defense of the country. Batala and Dhariwal are important industrial centers known respectively for the manufacture of machine tools and woolen products. Dera Baba Nanak and Sri Hagobindpur have great religious sanctity and Pathankot - a great tourist transit center has a number of picnic spots nearby.

Jalandhar: A town of great antiquity is situated at a distance of about 84 kms. from Amritsar on the G.T road going to Calcutta. Jalandhar is known for its sportsmen as well as its sports industry, its steel and iron re-rolling mills, rubber goods, electric goods, automobile parts, and sewing machine factories and handloom products

Ludhiana: It is the principal town and headquarters of the district of same name. Ludhiana is industrial metropolis of the Punjab industry. Its machine tools and motor parts are widely exported. It is the biggest center of hosiery, both cotton and woolen in the country. There are a number of gurudwaras associated with the life and visits of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Among them the gurudwaras of Charan Kanwal and Manji Sahib are important.

Amritsar: Amritsar, literally meaning the tank of nectar, is steeped in glorious religious and national traditions. Its temples - Hari Mandir and the Durgiana Mandir are places of pilgrimage for the devout Hindus and the Sikhs, its Jallianwala Bagh is the mecca of freedom-lovers and its busy markets are the haunts of many a trader from India and abroad.

Kapurthala: Named after its founder Nawab Kapur Singh, this capital town of an erstwhile princely state is situated towards the west of Jalandhar City at a distance of 19 kms. It is now the headquarters of the district in Punjab with the same territory.

Sangrur: Sangrur, the splendid capital of the erstwhile Jind State is situated at a distance of nearly 80 Kms. from Patiala.