History and Geography are co-related. The course of human history in a country or a region is largely influenced and shaped by its physical and geographical features and a study of history of the Punjab clearly brings out the truth of this stament.The physical features of the Punjab, its normal conditions, climate, soil, hills, rivers, borders, etc., have influenced the course of its history and have helped in moulding the character and lives of its people through the ages.

Social and Cultural Impact 

1.Impact on the Punjabi Character : The physical features of the Punjab have greatly influenced the life and character of its people.From the early times, the Punjab being the north-western gateway of India, had to suffer due to political upheavals.The brave and the virile Punjabis had always to bear the first fury of the foreign invasions.This rightly gives this land the name “Sword Arm of India”.Brought up under the shadow of swords, the Punjabis became alert and strenuous, hard and heroic,enduring and adjustable.They cannot afford to be dreamers, visionaries and lotus eaters.They have been the sentinels number of the armed forces in India are even now recruited from this region.

2.Emergence of composite and mixed culture : During the past ages, hordes of foreign and invaders continued to come to settle in this land.The blood, language and culture of many races continued to mix in the society of Punjab.This kind of blending contributed to the development of a composite culture, an amalgam and foreign elements.

3.Impact on Caste System : As the people of different communities freely mixed with the another in the Punjab, the caste system could not retain its rigidity here as compared to the other parts of India. Mostly, the invaders settled in Punjab.As they were not allowed to mix with the society due to caste system, they gave birth to new castes and sub-castes.

4.Liberal view of Punjabis : Another trait of the Punjabis is that they are liberal in spending.The people were so much and so frequently plundered by the invaders from the North-West that they lost all incentive for saving.They became thriftless, for they knew that they could not be able to retain the fruits of their labour.They spent what they had and enjoyed good food, fine dresses, kept nice horses and lavishly squandered away money on marriages.A couplet prevalent in the Punjab upto the present aptly shows their attitude towards their holdings, “Khada Pita Lahe Da Te Baki Ahmed Shahe da.” What we actually eat and drink is ours, the rest is all Ahmed Shah’s.”

5.Setback to Art and Literature : Due to the recurring invasions of the Punjab by the foreigners who came through the north-west frontier passes, the conditions in the Punjab were never peaceful throughout the ages.As the atmosphere was not congenial for the development of art and literature, the Punjab lagged behind the other regions of India in this respect.The Muhammadian invaders from the North-West destroyed ancient monuments of Hindu faith in the plains of the Punjab.Some small buildings in the remoter parts of the hills escaped destruction.The forces of nature or the violence of man have wiped out all the monuments of the numerous Buddhist monasteries which the Chinese pilgrims found in the Punjab in the ancient period.

6.Land of ancient civilization : Owing to its geographical situation, Punjab became the cradle of civilizations.The Harrapan and Aryan civilization flourished here.The Greeks, Sakas, Kushanas and Hunas left their impact in Punjab.

7.Cultural development : The Himalayas and the rivers of Punjab played an important role in the development of art and literature even in the disturbed conditions here.The Vedas, the Gita, the Epics and the Adigranth were composed in Punjab.Taxila and Gandhar School of Art gave new identity in ancient period to Punjab in the field of education and art.

Economic Impact

1.The rich physical features gave economic prosperity to Punjab: The hills,plains,rivers,forests,climate,mineral and agricultural products made Punjab rich and prosperous.The land of Punjab was fertile and irrigated that became a base of economic development of the state.Due to its location, Punjab became a trade route to Central Asia and Europe which strengthened the financial of the Punjab.

2.Agricultural the main occupation of Punjab : A large number of Punjab’s territory was plains which became more fertile with the silt brought by the rivers from the mountains.The rivers flowed throughout the years that gave water for irrigation.The hardworking Punjabis adopted the profession of agriculture easily and developed it further.

3.Trade and Commerce : The trade flourished in the region of Punjab as it was on the trade route between India and Central Asia.New towns like Lahore, Multan, Sirhind and Peshawar developed with the passage of time which became commercially significant. Foreign trade was there since the Harappan Culture.

4.Industry: Household Industry was there in Punjab which made the local people, self sufficient.Small-scale industry developed but not the industry in real sense as there was no peace or law and order in Punjab which was necessary for the development of Industry.Compared to other parts of India, Punjab remained backward in Industry due to its location and easy approach for the invaders.

Thus we find that among the various factors which influenced the history of the Punjab and the growth of its civilization, the geographical features were the most prominent. The physical features of the Punjab played a significant role in determining the course of its history. Being the gateway of India it was an arena of decisive battles of Indian history.The continous foreign onslaughts throughouts the ages made the people of this region brave, tolerant liberal and warlike.The fertile land and rich resources made Punjab prosperous.Due to the absence of peaceful conditions in the Punjab, art and literature could not develop.The origin and evolution of Sikhism and its character of Miri-Piri or Saint-soldier was the outcome of physical features of the Punjab.It is rightly said that “Geography and chronology are the sun and moon,the right eye and the left eye of all history.”This is true of the history of Punjab also.