Punjab Heritage News on www.punjabheritage.org is an initiative of the United Kingdom Punjab Heritage Association (UKPHA). UKPHA was created as a vehicle for disseminating high-quality information to inculcate a shared sense of belonging in the UK Punjabi community by fostering the appreciation of the Punjabi heritage in Britain and preserving endangered items of the Punjab’s material heritage .

The massive panhandle of well-irrigated land draining its eponymous five rivers into the Arabian sea, Punjab is the north-western gateway into the sub-continent of India. Over the centuries it has been the entry point for a myriad of invaders and emigrants. Criss-crossed by the ancient spice and silk routes its fertile plains were inspiration for an explosion of artistic fusions and traditions. The region subsequently developed into a cultural melting pot; an environment within which the fertile and diverse traditions of different communities clashed and spawned a multitude of hybrids. Cultural fusions of musical traditions, religious expression, linguistic oddities, and even culinary styles abound in its fertile plains and inimitably identify the region.

The heritage of this unique region is bound up in the marks of history left on the country, monuments built by invaders, kings and residents and the artistic expression of Punjabis. A powerful combination of robust colour, strong narrative and brutal honesty distinguish Punjabi art in all its forms prompting one 19th century observer to describe the unique colour palette of the Punjab as “warm and rich and fearless”

www.punjabheritage.org has been designed to make the latest news and commentary on the heritage of the Punjab available on the internet. Supported by a massive archive of news stories this website collates the latest news stories and makes them available through the front page and through an RSS/XML feed for users to subscribe to a add to their newsreader. Commentary is provided through editorials and book reviews as well as a web log (Blog) that will articulate the thoughts of practitioners, activists and writers on the state of the State’s heritage giving a much needed voice and advocacy of the preservation community around the world.