Punjabi survival kit

About this kit

Punjabi is spoken by around 150 million people in Indian Punjab, Pakistani Punjab and large diasporas in Canada, the UK and the United States. With this kit, you have the bare minimum to get by in Amritsar, Lahore or Chandigarh.

Punjabi (Panjabi) is the language of around 150 million speakers, mainly split between Indian Punjab (31 million) and Pakistani Punjab (89 million), with significant diasporas in Canada, the UK, the US and Australia. It is an Indo-Aryan language known for a rare feature within the family: its three-level tonal system (low, neutral, high). This characteristic sets it apart from Hindi and Urdu. As for writing, Punjabi uses two scripts depending on the country: Gurmukhi (created by Guru Angad in the 16th century, derived from Brahmi) in India, and Shahmukhi (an Arabic-Persian variant) in Pakistan. For French-speaking travelers, Punjabi opens the door to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the colorful markets of Lahore and the roadside dhabas serving the best parathas in the region. Punjabi culture is famous for its warm hospitality, its bhangra and giddha dances, its rich wheat-and-dairy cuisine (sarson da saag, makki di roti, lassi). Matching your greeting to the community (Sat Sri Akal for Sikhs, As-salam alaikum for Muslims, Namaste ji for Hindus) is the first sign of respect. This kit gathers the bare essentials to handle an arrival in Amritsar or Lahore, a taxi ride, a gurdwara visit, a meal in a dhaba, a medical emergency and a smooth departure. With these phrases in hand, you will be warmly welcomed throughout Punjab.