The Punjabi language is the mother tongue of Punjab. It has a rich history. Before partition of India in 1947, there were two groups of Punjabi speakers: Punjabis living in western Punjabi (which is now part of Pakistan), and Sikhs living in East Punjab (which is now part of India). The Punjabi language first developed in the 10th century and gained prominence. The Punjabi language was adversely affected by the arrival of the British in 1849, because they emphasized the development of their own language, English, instead of the Punjabi language. After partition, the Punjabi language had not much importance, but in 1966, was given official language status in Punjab. 

Historical Development
The Gurmukhi script, created in the 10th century by Sikhs gurus to write the sacred text, started to be used in writing around the tenth century marking the beginning of its written form. From the 12th to the 20th century, Punjabi language became an important part of life; it was used by many writers in poetry and novels.

The thirty-five character alphabet of the  Punjabi language is called Painti. 

Modern alphabet of Gurmukhi Script. Wikimedia Commons: MS Sakib

Uses of Punjabi Language: 
Many poets, saints, and authors have used this language to write stories, novels, literature, and other documents. Today, its use increases day by day in my home country of India. Since 1966, it is also the primary language of the Punjab region. All children learn this language and their parents are the first language teachers. Its pronunciation is very easy and convenient and it's written and read in a pattern starting from left to right horizontally; every line is deemed complete after punctuation like periods, commas, question marks, and exclamation marks.

It can be melodious with a rhythmic flow and full stop depending on the structure of sentences. All alphabets have their own sound like uurrraaa, eeerraa, etc.

In my country of India, Punjabi language is one language which is used by everyone, including for official work.

Amandeep Kaur Khosa is from Punjab, India, and is enrolled in General art and science at Canadore College. She likes to listen to Punjabi music, read books, and loves to explore the beauty of nature.