Not to be confused with Bagar tract, another region of Punjab that sometimes goes by the same name.
The Bar Region, or the Bars (Bār)(Punjabi: بار(Shahmukhi); Punjabi pronunciation:[bäːɾə̆]), also known as Jatka Waseb (Shahmukhi: جٹکا وسیب; Punjabi pronunciation:[d͡ʒɐʈə̆käːʋəsiːbə̆]),[1] is an area in Punjab, now part of the Punjab Province of Pakistan. The area consists of agricultural land that was cleared in the nineteenth century for the then 'new' canal irrigation system that the British were developing at the time.[2] The soil of the Bar Region is fertile.[3] The plains of fertile land have been created by the stream deposits driven by the many rivers flowing from the Himalayas. The nomadic tribes who originally inhabited the Bar spoke Jatki, a dialect of Western Punjabi, and the same dialect is still spoken throughout the Bar region today.[4]
The term "Bāṛ" is commonly linked to the Sanskrit root "Vri," meaning "to cover" or "to enclose," which relates to terms like "Bár (fence)," "Bári (garden)," and "Bir (forest)."[5] These terms are associated with boundaries, enclosures, or spaces that separate cultivated land from natural areas.
Some have suggested an Arabic origin from the word "Barr," meaning barren or uncultivated land, but this connection is considered uncertain.[6]
Overall, "Bāṛ" refers to a boundary or enclosed space, often separating human settlements from wilderness or uncultivated land.
History
The Bar Region, located in present-day Punjab Province of Pakistan, has a history that dates back to the time of the Harappan Civilization, with its earliest settlements dating to around 2600 BC. Over time, the area evolved through various cultural and agricultural phases, and today remains an important part of Punjab, known for its fertile lands and historical significance.[7][8]
Sub-regions of the Bar Region
Kirana Bar (Kɪrāṇā Bār; Punjabi: کرانہ بار(Shahmukhi); Punjabi pronunciation:[kɪɾɑːnɑːbɑːɾ]) or Gondal Bar (Gōndal Bār; Punjabi: گوندل بار(Shahmukhi); Punjabi pronunciation:[ɡəndəlbɑːɾ]) is located between the Jhelum River and the Chenab River. It includes the central and southern parts of Chaj Doab and includes the modern-day districts of Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Gujrat (southern parts), and the western parts of Chiniot (such as Lalian), along with parts of Jhang District.
The region is named after the Kirana Hills, a mountain range located in the area,[9] and is also referred to as Gondal Bar after the Gondal Punjabi Jat clan that dominated the region.[10] The land is known for its agricultural richness, particularly after the introduction of canal irrigation.
Ganji Bar (Gaṅjī Bār; Punjabi: گنجی بار(Shahmukhi); Punjabi pronunciation:[ɡənʤībɑːɾ]) is located between the Ravi and the old bed of the Beas River. This region includes the modern-day districts of Khanewal, Sahiwal, and the cities of Okara (Renala Khurd and Okara, including parts of the Dipalpur tehsil of Okara District).
The area is known for its fertile soil, which became suitable for agriculture after the introduction of irrigation systems.
Districts of the Bar Region in Punjab
The indigenous people of the Bar region speak the Jatki dialect of Punjabi, which includes sub-dialects such as Jhangvi, Shahpuri, and Dhani. While Dhani is not spoken in the natural Bar region, areas outside its boundaries that speak the Dhani and Shahpuri sub-dialects are still considered part of the Bar due to cultural and linguistic ties.
^Grierson, George A. (1916). Linguistic Survey of India. Vol. IX Indo-Aryan family. Central group, Part 1, Specimens of western Hindi and Pañjābī. Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India. p. 607.
^Sir William Wilson Hunter. Imperial Gazetteer of India. Clarendon Press. p. 128. Retrieved 14 November 2024. The language of the nomadic tribes who originally inhabited the Bar is called Jangli, a form of Western Punjabi.
^Kaul Pandit Harikishan (1912). Census Of India 1911 Vol XIV Punjab Part - I. p. 353. Bar, which is said to be derived from Barr meaning land (particularly barren land). On the other hand, we have terms like Bár (fence), Bári (garden), Bárá (enclosure), and Bir (forest), all connected with forest growth, ordinarily derived from Sanskrit Vri to cover; and Bár meaning stack. The Arabic derivation is therefore doubtful.
