The Punjab State is divided into three primary regions: Majha, Malwa, and Doaba. Punjab is divided mostly by the rivers Satluj, Beas, and Ravi, which flow across the land.
Because it was difficult to cross rivers in the past, the places split by rivers were considered different regions. Various rulers or kings ruled over the various territories. There was little interaction between the people who lived in these geographically distant communities.
As a result, the inhabitants of these places speak different languages and have different cultures.
Note that the regions Malwa, Majha, and Doaba span sections of the historic Punjab region, which encompasses today’s Punjab (India), Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab (Pakistan), however, this article will primarily focus on topics pertinent to today’s state of Punjab in India.
The following table gives a summary of the Majha, Malwa, and Doaba areas in Punjab:
| Area of Punjab | Location | Language | Demonym |
| Majha | Between Ravi and Beas | Majhi | Majhi or Majhel |
| Malwa | South of Sutlej | Malwai | Malwai |
| Doaba | Between Sutlej and Beas | Doabi | Doabia |
Malwa Area in Punjab
Malwa is the Punjabi region on the left bank of the Sutlej River. Malwa stretches from Punjab state’s borders to Haryana’s Ambala district. This region encompasses roughly 60-70 percent of Punjab’s land area.
The name ‘Malwai’ is given to the people of this region. The Malwai dialect of Punjabi is the region’s primary language. Malwai Punjabi is thought to be extremely similar to written Punjabi.
Quick Facts about Malwa Region in Punjab
- Punjab is divided into three geographical regions Majha, Malwa, and Doaba.
- The region towards the south of the Satluj river is known as Malwa.
- ‘Malwai’ dialect of Punjabi is spoken in this region.
- The people of this region are given the demonym ‘Malwai’.
- Out of 23 districts of Punjab, 15 districts lie in this region.
The districts in Malwa region Punjab are:
- Barnala
- Bathinda
- Fatehgarh Sahib
- Faridkot
- Fazilka
- Firozpur
- Ludhiana
- Malerkotla
- Mansa
- Moga
- Mohali
- Muktsar
- Patiala
- Ropar
- Sangrur
NOTE: In the central section of India, there is a Malwa Plateau region that includes parts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. When we talk about India, the word Malwa refers to that region and has nothing to do with the Punjabi Malwa region.
Majha Area in Punjab
The Majha region is primarily comprised of the land between the Beas and Ravi rivers. The Majha region includes the territory north of the Sutlej after the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej at Harike in the Tarn Taran district and up to the Ravi river.
Majha literally means ‘in the middle’ or ‘in the centre.’ The name Majha was given to this location since it located in the centre (or central) of the old Punjab region.
The Majhi dialect of Punjabi is the primary language spoken in this area. The name ‘Majhi’ or ‘Majhel’ is given to the people of this region.
This area encompasses a large portion of Pakistan’s Punjab province, extending up to the Jehlum River, and we will focus on the territory within India’s Punjab state.
Bari Doab refers to the area between the Beas and Ravi rivers.
Quick facts about Majha Region of Punjab
- Punjab is divided into three geographical regions Majha, Malwa, and Doaba.
- The region between Ravi and Beas rivers is known as Majha.
- This region is also known as Bari Doab.
- The literal meaning of Majha is ‘in the middle’ or ‘at the center’. This area was in the middle of the erstwalie Punjab region.
- ‘Majhi’ dialect of Punjabi is spoken in this region.
- The people of this region are given the demonym ‘Majhel’.
- Out of 23 districts of Punjab, 4 districts lie in this region.
- This area is also known as ‘cradle of Sikhism’.
A list of districts of the Majha region of Punjab are:
- Amritsar
- Gurdaspur
- Pathankot
- Tarn Taran
Doaba Area in Punjab
Doaba refers to the territory between the rivers Satluj and Beas. Bist Doab or Jalandhar Doab are two other names for the area (also spelled as Jullundhar Doab). Doaba is made up of two words: ‘Do’ which means two and ‘Aab’ which means water or river, hence the literal meaning of the word Doaba is the place between two rivers. In this section of Punjab, the Doabi dialect of Punjabi is the major language spoken. The people of this region are referred to as ‘Doabia.’ Because a huge number of people from this region have settled in foreign countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Dubai, and Europe, it is sometimes referred to as Punjab’s NRI hub.
Quick Facts about Doaba region of Punjab
- Punjab is divided into three geographical regions Majha, Malwa, and Doaba.
- The region between Beas and Satluj rivers is known as Doaba.
- This region is also known as Bist Doab or Jalandhar Doab.
- The literal meaning of Doaba is the area between two rivers.
- ‘Doabi’ dialect of Punjabi is spoken in this region.
- The people of this region are given the demonym ‘Doabia’.
- Out of 23 districts of Punjab, 4 districts lie in this region.
- The land of this area is one of the most fertile lands in the world.
- Due to a large number of people of this region settled abroad, the area is sometimes referred to as the NRI hub of Punjab.
The districts of the Doaba region in Punjab are:
- Jalandhar
- Kapurthala
- Hoshiarpur
- Nawanshahr (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar)
Powadh Area in Punjab
Powadh (sometimes spelled Poadh or Puadh) is another important Punjabi area. This region speaks the Powadhi Punjabi dialect, which is a blend of Malwai Punjabi and Haryanvi Punjabi.
Powadh is sometimes not regarded a separate region, and it is sometimes lumped together with Punjab’s Malwa region. The Powadh region includes the Punjabi-speaking area surrounding the Ghaggar river, which is largely contiguous to Chandigarh.
Parts of Punjab’s Patiala, Mohali, and Ropar districts, as well as Haryana’s Panchkula and Ambala districts, are included.
