The land of five waters gave the world its first cities, its saints and its songs. Broken by every empire that crossed it, it is still ours to remember, and to make whole again.

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Land & Ages

The LandRivers, doabs, Harappa and the first cities, seasons, numbersAgesEight ages of the Punjab, from the Soan to todayTimelineEvery dated event on one lineAtlasEvery place on one map, age by agePlacesCities, ancient sites, temples, mosques and gurdwaras, battlefieldsLanguage & scriptsPunjabi, its dialects, Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi

People & Faiths

PeopleSaints and teachers, poets and singers, rulers, rebels, the people of both PunjabsPeople of the landJats, Rajputs, Arains, Khatris, Dalit communities and more, across every faithFaithsHindu traditions, Islam and the Sufis, Sikhi, and the Punjab's other faiths

Kingdoms & Struggles

Kingdoms & WarsWho ruled the Punjab, the Kingdom of Lahore, and the battles fought over itWho ruled the PunjabEvery ruling power, 518 BCE to todayWars & BattlesFrom the Hydaspes to BasantarStruggles & Partitions1849, 1919, 1947, 1966, 1984, 2020

Culture & Museum

CulturePoets, qisse, songs, music, dance, festivals, foodMuseumSculpture, coins, manuscripts, painting, arms, buildings, and where to see themChronicles & ProphecyThe poetry of the old chroniclesAboutWhat this atlas is, its sources, and every word explainedHelp maintain this siteCorrections, pictures, sources and new entries
Punjab WikiMuseumFrom the world's museums
From the world's museums · 97

Manuscripts and the written word

Gurmukhi and Persian manuscripts, illustrated books and calligraphy.

Explore the collectionA map, a timeline and a web of the people, places and battles the objects show

Sultans and Sufis

1000 – 1469 · 1
This folio from Walters manuscript W.603 depicts Sultan Mahmud of GhazniThis folio from Walters manuscript W.603 depicts Sultan Mahmud of GhazniWalters Art Museum, Baltimore · photo Ferdowsi (Wikimedia Commons) ↗

Gurus and Mughals

1469 – 1708 · 13
Death of Guru Nanak from an Illustrated Janamsakhi ManuscriptDeath of Guru Nanak from an Illustrated Janamsakhi ManuscriptWikimedia Commons ↗Guru Nanak and the cobra, from the Unbound set of Janamsakhi manuscriptsGuru Nanak and the cobra, from the Unbound set of Janamsakhi manuscriptsAsian Art Museum, San Francisco · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Guru Nanak visits his sister Nanaki, from a manuscript ‘Janam Sakhi’ cGuru Nanak visits his sister Nanaki, from a manuscript ‘Janam Sakhi’ cAsian Art Museum, San Francisco · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Guru Nanak's visit to Bhai Lalo the carpenter, from a manuscript of the Janam SakhiGuru Nanak's visit to Bhai Lalo the carpenter, from a manuscript of the Janam SakhiAsian Art Museum, San Francisco · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Guru Nanak and the holy man Sant Ren, from a manuscript of the Unbound collection of…Guru Nanak and the holy man Sant Ren, from a manuscript of the Unbound collection of…Asian Art Museum, San Francisco · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Janamsakhi miniature painting depicting a scene from Guru Nanak's childhoodJanamsakhi miniature painting depicting a scene from Guru Nanak's childhoodWikimedia Commons ↗Baraat of Guru Nanak's wedding to marry SulakhniBaraat of Guru Nanak's wedding to marry SulakhniAsian Art Museum, San Francisco · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗This depiction of Guru Nanak is found at the beginning of the manuscriptThis depiction of Guru Nanak is found at the beginning of the manuscriptBritish Library, London · photo Ms Sarah Welch (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Guru Nanak Subdues KaliyugaGuru Nanak Subdues KaliyugaGovernment Museum, Chandigarh · photo family workshop of Nainsukh of Guler (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Baba Buddha, as a young boy, seeks the blessings of Guru NanakBaba Buddha, as a young boy, seeks the blessings of Guru NanakGovernment Museum, Chandigarh · photo family workship of Nainsukh of Guler (Wikimedia Commons) ↗A selection of text from the Adi GranthA selection of text from the Adi GranthWellcome Collection · CC BY ↗Boek met titel 'Shri Guru Granth Sahib'Creator: SikhsBoek met titel 'Shri Guru Granth Sahib'Creator: SikhsWikimedia Commons · Sikhs (volk) ↗Guru Gobind Singh and Attendants from an Asa Di Var Gutka Manuscript, caGuru Gobind Singh and Attendants from an Asa Di Var Gutka Manuscript, caBritish Library, London · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗

Misls and Afghans

1708 – 1799 · 4
This is one page from a manuscript created by Sikh followers in 1733 CE. It is the…This is one page from a manuscript created by Sikh followers in 1733 CE. It is the…British Library, London · photo Ms Sarah Welch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗Illustrated Manuscript in Gurmukhi, 18th century CE, Himachal State Museum, ShimlaIllustrated Manuscript in Gurmukhi, 18th century CE, Himachal State Museum, ShimlaWikimedia Commons · SpeakingArch · CC BY-SA ↗Guru Granth Sahib being illustrated in the 18th CenturyGuru Granth Sahib being illustrated in the 18th CenturyNational Museum, New Delhi · photo Nomu420 (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗Manuscript cover depicting Mahishasuramardini from Mandi, mid 18th centuryManuscript cover depicting Mahishasuramardini from Mandi, mid 18th centuryNational Museum, New Delhi · photo SpeakingArch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗

Colonial Punjab

1849 – 1947 · 12
Guru Nanak with Bebe Nanaki 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…Guru Nanak with Bebe Nanaki 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…National Museum, New Delhi · photo Satdeep Gill (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY ↗Guru Nanak meeting Nirankar 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…Guru Nanak meeting Nirankar 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…National Museum, New Delhi · photo Satdeep Gill (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY ↗Guru Nanak with Bhai Lalo 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…Guru Nanak with Bhai Lalo 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…National Museum, New Delhi · photo Satdeep Gill (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY ↗Ragamala, Persian with occasional notes in Gurmukhi, 19th century ADRagamala, Persian with occasional notes in Gurmukhi, 19th century ADGovernment Museum, Chandigarh · photo UnpetitproleX (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗Print, LahorePrint, Lahore19th century · Lahore© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Illustrated Wooden cover of a manuscript, circa 19th century CE, Chamba styleIllustrated Wooden cover of a manuscript, circa 19th century CE, Chamba styleBhuri Singh Museum, Chamba · photo SpeakingArch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗Guru Nanak with Bebe Nanaki 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…Guru Nanak with Bebe Nanaki 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…National Museum, New Delhi · photo Satdeep Gill (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY ↗Guru Nanak meeting Nirankar 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…Guru Nanak meeting Nirankar 19th century painting about Guru Nanak from the Janam Sakhi…National Museum, New Delhi · photo Satdeep Gill (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY ↗Manuscript from "A year on the Punjab frontier, in 1848-49".Manuscript from "A year on the Punjab frontier, in 1848-49".1851The British Library (via Europeana) ↗Manuscript from "A year on the Punjab frontier, in 1848-49".Manuscript from "A year on the Punjab frontier, in 1848-49".1851The British Library (via Europeana) ↗BuraqBuraqlate 19th century · Lahore© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Vasakasajja Nayika from Gitagovinda Manuscript, Kangra Painting circa 1900 CEVasakasajja Nayika from Gitagovinda Manuscript, Kangra Painting circa 1900 CEGovernment Museum, Chandigarh · photo SpeakingArch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗

Through the ages

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Search the museums' full collections

V&A ↗ · British Museum ↗ · The Met ↗ · Cleveland ↗ · Wellcome Collection ↗ · Wikimedia Commons ↗ · Ashmolean ↗ · Royal Collection ↗ · Pitt Rivers ↗

Shown here are the objects whose pictures museums have released openly. Far more are in their collections, and in museums with no open search, such as the Lahore Museum. Searching for "Gurmukhi".

Pictures from the collections of Art Institute of Chicago, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum (via Europeana), Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba, 65 more, found automatically: public domain or openly licensed, except the V&A's, shown for non-commercial use with the museum's credit. Titles and dates are the museums' own; each card names its museum and any licence. Updated 2026-10-26.

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