Lahnda

Lahnda is a term used in historical and contemporary linguistic work to designate the western group of Punjabi dialects in the northwestern Indian subcontinent. It is not a single language but a dialect cluster that includes Saraiki, Hindko, and several Western Punjabi varieties spoken across Pakistan’s Punjab and adjoining regions. The label was popularized by George Grierson in his Linguistic Survey of India in the early 20th century; since then, scholars have debated its use, with some preferring to treat Saraiki, Hindko, and related varieties as distinct languages rather than mere dialects of Punjabi.

Geographic distribution and varieties form the core of the Lahnda grouping. Saraiki, the largest component, is concentrated in the southern Punjab belt around Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, and surrounding districts. Hindko is spoken in the Hazara region of northern Punjab and into parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Other western Punjabi varieties occupy western parts of the Punjab and adjacent areas. The Lahnda grouping thus covers a broad geographic area and represents a dialect continuum rather than a single standardized variety.

Writing systems and sociolinguistic status vary by community. In Pakistan, languages associated with Lahnda—such as Saraiki and Hindko as well as many Western Punjabi varieties—are commonly written in the Shahmukhi script (Perso-Arabic). The term Lahnda is increasingly treated as an umbrella label rather than a formal language category, with Saraiki and Hindko often promoted as separate languages in linguistic and cultural contexts. In India, the related Punjabi languages are generally written in different scripts and are considered part of the broader Punjabi language family.