Editing Punjabi language (section)

===Medieval period ===
*[[Fariduddin Ganjshakar]] (1179–1266) is generally recognised as the first major poet of the Punjabi language.<ref>[http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/arts/shiv%20batalvi/Shiv%20batalvi.htm Shiv Kumar Batalvi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030410071639/http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/arts/shiv%20batalvi/Shiv%20batalvi.htm |date=10 April 2003 }} sikh-heritage.co.uk.</ref> Roughly from the 12th century to the 19th century, many great Sufi saints and poets preached in the Punjabi language, the most prominent being [[Bulleh Shah]]. Punjabi Sufi poetry also developed under [[Shah Hussain]] (1538–1599), [[Sultan Bahu]] (1630–1691), [[Shah Sharaf]] (1640–1724),  Ali Haider (1690–1785), [[Waris Shah]] (1722–1798), [[Saleh Muhammad Safoori]] (1747–1826), [[Mian Muhammad Bakhsh|Mian Muhammad Baksh]] (1830–1907) and [[Khwaja Ghulam Farid]] (1845–1901).
*The [[Sikh]] religion originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region and Punjabi is the predominant language spoken by Sikhs.<ref>{{Cite book |editor1=Melvin Ember |editor2=Carol R. Ember |editor3=Ian A. Skoggard |title=Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediadias00embe |url-access=limited |publisher=Springer |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-306-48321-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediadias00embe/page/n1100 1077]}}</ref> Most portions of the [[Guru Granth Sahib]] use the Punjabi language written in [[Gurmukhī alphabet|Gurmukhi]], though Punjabi is not the only language used in [[Sikh scriptures]].
[[File:Varan Gyan Ratnavali.jpg|thumb|[[Varan Bhai Gurdas|Varan Gyan Ratnavali]] by 16th-century historian [[Bhai Gurdas]].]]

The ''[[Janamsakhis]]'', stories on the life and legend of [[Guru Nanak]] (1469–1539), are early examples of Punjabi prose literature.

*The Punjabi language is famous for its rich literature of [[Punjabi Qisse|''qisse'']], most of which are about love, passion, betrayal, sacrifice, social values and a common man's revolt against a larger system. The qissa of [[Heer Ranjha]] by [[Waris Shah]] (1706–1798) is among the most popular of Punjabi qissas. Other popular stories include ''[[Sohni Mahiwal]]'' by Fazal Shah, ''[[Mirza Sahiban]]'' by Hafiz Barkhudar (1658–1707), ''[[Sassui Punnhun]]'' by Hashim Shah (c. 1735–c. 1843), and ''Qissa Puran Bhagat'' by [[Qadaryar]] (1802–1892).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unc.edu/depts/cdeisi/abstracts.html|title=Representations of Piety and Community in Late-nineteenth-century Punjabi Qisse|first=Farina|last=Mir|publisher=[[Columbia University]]|access-date=4 July 2008|archive-date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106223100/http://www.unc.edu/depts/cdeisi/abstracts.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Heroic ballads known as ''[[Vaar]]'' enjoy a rich oral tradition in Punjabi. Famous ''Vaars'' are ''Chandi di Var'' (1666–1708), ''Nadir Shah Di Vaar'' by Najabat and the ''Jangnama'' of [[Shah Mohammad]] (1780–1862).<ref>The Encyclopaedia of [[Indian Literature]] (Volume One – A to Devo). Volume 1. Amaresh Datta, ed. Sahitya Akademi: 2006, 352.</ref>