Punjabis

The Punjabis (Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Gurmukhi) / پنجابی (Shahmukhi), romanized: Pañjābī) are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with the Punjab region, comprising areas of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan, who generally speak any of the several Punjabi dialects. The coalescence of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the Punjab region into a broader common "Punjabi" identity initiated from the onset of the 18th century CE. Historically, the Punjabi people were a heterogeneous group and were subdivided into a number of clans called biradari (literally "brotherhood") or tribes, with each person bound to a clan. With the passage of time, tribal structures became replaced with a more cohesive and holistic society, as community building and group cohesiveness form the new pillars of Punjabi society. Integration and assimilation are important parts of Punjabi culture, since Punjabi identity is not based solely on tribal connections. Punjabi people follow one of several religions, mainly Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism or Christianity. A majority of them adheres to Islam, with the rest mainly practising Sikhism and Hinduism and a smaller minority following Christianity. Regionally, Punjabi Muslims mainly live in Punjab, Pakistan with Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs primarily inhabiting Punjab, India; Punjabi Christians live on the both sides.