Basically Punjabi is the official
language of the Indian state of Punjab, and is also spoken in
neighboring areas such as
Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh and
Delhi.
Punjabi is also spoken as a minority language in several other
countries, including Afghanistan, as well as many nations where
Punjabis have emigrated in large numbers, such as Britain,
Canada, and the United States.
The period between 1600-1850 covers the entire Middle Punjabi literature. Hindu and Sikh writers wrote in Punjabi, but it were Muslims were the most creative in producing rich literature in Punjabi. The best-known Hindu Punjabi scholar and Persian poet of the 17th century was Chandar Bhan of Lahore