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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PUNJAB WIKIਪੰਜਾਬپنجابMuseum
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Englishਪੰਜਾਬੀپنجابی

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 museumsLahore, Multan and the Punjab
Lahore, Multan and the Punjab · 43

Misls and Afghans

1708 – 1799

Bahadur Shah IBahadur Shah Ica. 1710 · Mughal Empire© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Nadir Shah, Victoria & AlbertNadir Shah, Victoria & AlbertV&A, London · photo Muhammad Pana (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Nadir Shah at the sack of Delhi - Battle scene with Nader Shah on horsebackNadir Shah at the sack of Delhi - Battle scene with Nader Shah on horsebackMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston · photo possibly by Muhammad Ali ibn Abd al-Bayg ibn Ali Quli Jabbad (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Nadir Shah on the Peacock Throne after his defeat of Muhammad ShahNadir Shah on the Peacock Throne after his defeat of Muhammad ShahWikimedia Commons ↗Painting, portrait of Nadir Shah seated on a carpet, oil on canvas, probably TehranPainting, portrait of Nadir Shah seated on a carpet, oil on canvas, probably TehranV&A, London · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Portrait of Nadir Shah, bust to left, with tall jewelled hat and double pearl necklacesPortrait of Nadir Shah, bust to left, with tall jewelled hat and double pearl necklacesBritish Museum, London · photo Charles Heath (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY ↗Portrait of Nadir ShahPortrait of Nadir ShahWikimedia Commons · Bahram ↗This painting depicts a bearded ruler, probably Nadir Shah of Persia (rThis painting depicts a bearded ruler, probably Nadir Shah of Persia (rWikimedia Commons ↗Painting, MankotPainting, Mankotca. 1730 · Mankot© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Raja Ajmat DevRaja Ajmat Devca. 1730 · Mankot© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Nadir Shah Receiving an Ottoman Envoy, Possibly Muhammad Rashid Khan, Iran, 1730s-1740sNadir Shah Receiving an Ottoman Envoy, Possibly Muhammad Rashid Khan, Iran, 1730s-1740sWikimedia Commons · Possibly Muhammad Rashid Khan ↗Radha and KrishnaRadha and Krishnaca. 1730-1735 · Basohli© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗The mosque was probably constructed in 1735 by the Mughal Governor Abdul Samad KhanThe mosque was probably constructed in 1735 by the Mughal Governor Abdul Samad KhanBritish Library, London · photo William Baker (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Painting of Nader Shah, he was Shah of Iran from 1736 to 1747Painting of Nader Shah, he was Shah of Iran from 1736 to 1747Wikimedia Commons · Abolhassan Mostofi Ghaffari ↗Tahmas Kuli Chan (Nadir Shah), Christopherus Volf, 1736, GermanyTahmas Kuli Chan (Nadir Shah), Christopherus Volf, 1736, GermanyBritish Museum, London · photo Christopherus Volf (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Nadir ShahNadir Shahc. 1740 · Mughal Empire© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Mian Mukund DevMian Mukund Devca. 1740 - ca. 1745 · Jasrota© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Painting of Ahmad Shah Abdali (also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani) kept in the Lahore…Painting of Ahmad Shah Abdali (also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani) kept in the Lahore…Lahore Museum · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Painting of Jai Singh Kanhaiya receiving Raja Raj Singh and other hill princesPainting of Jai Singh Kanhaiya receiving Raja Raj Singh and other hill princesWikimedia Commons ↗RumalRumal18th century · Punjab Hills© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Raja Balwant SinghRaja Balwant Singhca. 1750 · Jasrota© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Painting of Guru Gobind Singh on-horseback, Patiala, Punjab, circa late-18th centuryPainting of Guru Gobind Singh on-horseback, Patiala, Punjab, circa late-18th centuryWikimedia Commons ↗Gilded equestrian painting of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Punjab PlainsGilded equestrian painting of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Punjab PlainsMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston · photo Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Painting, Punjab PlainsPainting, Punjab Plainsfirst quarter 18th century · Punjab Plains© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗RumalRumal18th century · Himachal Pradesh© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Lady with a red Ball, Guler School of Art, 1750-1760, Lahore Museum (1)Lady with a red Ball, Guler School of Art, 1750-1760, Lahore Museum (1)Lahore Museum · photo SpeakingArch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗Abhisarika NayikaAbhisarika Nayikaca. 1760 · Guler© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Indischer Maler um 1760 001Indischer Maler um 1760 001Indian Museum, Kolkata · photo Indischer Maler um 1760 (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Princess smoking a hookahPrincess smoking a hookahc. 1760 · Northern India, Pahari kingdomsCleveland Museum of Art ↗Penance of Kardama, 1765 CE, Basholi School, Lahore Museum (1)Penance of Kardama, 1765 CE, Basholi School, Lahore Museum (1)Lahore Museum · photo SpeakingArch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗King Muchukunda Enters the Realm of Mount Gandhamadana to Attain SalvationKing Muchukunda Enters the Realm of Mount Gandhamadana to Attain Salvationc. 1760–70 · Northern India, Pahari kingdomsCleveland Museum of Art ↗Raja Shamsher Sen and Dhurchatia SenRaja Shamsher Sen and Dhurchatia Senca. 1765 - ca. 1780 · Mandi© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Painting, GulerPainting, Gulerca. 1775 · Guler© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Lady Tempting Peacock, 1780 CE, Guler School of Art Lahore Museum (1)Lady Tempting Peacock, 1780 CE, Guler School of Art Lahore Museum (1)Lahore Museum · photo SpeakingArch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗Raja Sansar Chand attacking Kangra FortRaja Sansar Chand attacking Kangra Fortafter 1782 · Northern India, Pahari kingdom of KangraCleveland Museum of Art ↗Huqqa baseHuqqa baselate 18th century · Punjab (India)© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗RumalRumallate 18th century · Nurpur© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Portrait of Nadir ShahPortrait of Nadir Shah1780-1800 · Tehran© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗Scuola di pahadi, laila e majnu, 1790 caScuola di pahadi, laila e majnu, 1790 caSalar Jung Museum, Hyderabad · photo Sailko (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY ↗Krishna Decapitates Sisupala, Kulu School, 1794 Lahore MuseumKrishna Decapitates Sisupala, Kulu School, 1794 Lahore MuseumLahore Museum · photo SpeakingArch (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA ↗The Qudsia Bagh, Delhi: eastern viewThe Qudsia Bagh, Delhi: eastern viewMarch 1795 · London (Historic Gallery Pall Mall)Wellcome Collection ↗A Sketch of Sardarni Sada Kaur, by the Court Artist of Maharaja Ranjit SinghA Sketch of Sardarni Sada Kaur, by the Court Artist of Maharaja Ranjit SinghCentral Sikh Museum, Amritsar · photo Kehar Singh, court artist of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Wikimedia Commons) ↗Sada Kaur was the wife of Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya, the heir of Jai Singh KanheyaSada Kaur was the wife of Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya, the heir of Jai Singh KanheyaWikimedia Commons · Sikh Heritage Museum.(Unknown authorUnknown author) ↗

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 "Punjab".

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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