Punjab : History and culture : Part -V

The British and the Post Independence Era 

The British ruled Punjab for 200 years like the rest of India . During this period they committed many atrocities on the locals . Many of  the Freedom Fighters of  the Great Indian Freedom Struggle were from Punjab . Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev , Lala Lajpat Rai, Udham Singh were some of the brave sons of  this soil who laid down their life for the country . In addition thousands of unsung heros sacrificed themselves in the "Jalia Wala Bagh" incident.

At last on 15 th August 1947, India became independent . But it came at a heavy price . The Great Indian nation was partitioned on the basis of  religion into two states of  India and Pakistan. Western Punjab was dominated by Muslims and went to Pakistan while Eastern Punjab was dominated by Hindus and Sikhs and remained in India. Hindus and Muslims with people of other religions had lived here for ages . 

Although there were some differences between them , still the common culture and traditions joined them.

Agreement Between the India and Pakistan Leader's 
As agreed by Indian and Pakistani leaders , the minority Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan would be allowed to live there only and the Muslims would be allowed to live in India . The Indian government followed the decision but their Pakistani counterparts did not control the Muslim mobs in their side.

During partition, which witnessed perhaps the biggest migration in recorded history, a scene of trains in East Punjab.

Thousands of  Hindus and Sikhs were mercilessly killed in the Pakistani Punjab.

A convoy of Sikhs migrating to East Punjab in October, 1947. 

Then its repercussions followed in Indian side of  Punjab . What followed after that, had never happened in the civilized history of  human beings . Around 500,000 people were killed from both sides . Another 50 million people had to migrate to other side of the border . Hindus and Sikhs started migrating from Pakistan to India and Muslims from India to Pakistan .

Slowly and surely things started getting to normal. Soon big-hearted and hard working Punjabis made Punjab the jewel in the crown of India .

Punjab was again divided into the states of  present day Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for administrative reasons in 1966 .