63-685: The Janjua or Janjhua is a Punjabi Rajput clan found predominantly in the Pothohar Plateau of Pakistani Punjab , but also in the states of Punjab and Haryana in India . The Janjuas had engaged in a long-running struggle for sovereignty over the Salt Range . The history of this region (the Salt Range) from the thirteenth century onward had been a sickening record of wars between Janjua and Gakhars for political ascendancy. In
126-457: A heterogeneous group and were subdivided into a number of clans called biradari (literally meaning "brotherhood") or tribes , with each person bound to a clan. With the passage of time, tribal structures became replaced with a more cohesive and holistic society, as community building and group cohesiveness form the new pillars of Punjabi society. Traditionally, the Punjabi identity
189-416: A common territory, ethnicity and language, they are likely to be followers of one of several religions, most often Islam , Sikhism , Hinduism or Christianity . The term "Punjab" came into currency during the reign of Akbar in the late sixteenth century. Though the name Punjab is of Persian origin, its two parts ( پنج , panj , 'five' and آب , āb , 'water') are cognates of
252-960: A decorative scarf. Over time the phulkari pattern has taken onto embellishments onto suits, dresses, accessories and more. You will see women wearing phulkari during important religious and cultural folk celebrations (i.e.: Vaisakhi, Lohri) and then in wedding celebrations such as the Jago. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2024, February 21). Punjab. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Punjab-state-India Malhotra, A., & Mir, F. (2012). Punjab Reconsidered: History, culture, and Practice. Oxford University Press. Snehi, Y. (2013). Book review: Punjab reconsidered: History, culture and practice. Studies in History, 29(1), 155– 158. https://doi.org/10.1177/0257643013496694 Beas River The Beas River ( Punjabi pronunciation: [be.jäːsᵊ] ; Hindustani pronunciation: [bjɑːs] )
315-459: A descendant of Prakrit. Punjabi emerged as an Apabhraṃśa , a degenerated form of Prakrit, in the 7th century CE and became stable by the 10th century. The earliest writings in Punjabi belong to Nath Yogi era from 9th to 14th century CE. The language of these compositions is morphologically closer to Shauraseni Apbhramsa , though vocabulary and rhythm is surcharged with extreme colloquialism and folklore. The Arabic and modern Persian influence in
378-750: A population of more than 80 million, they are the largest ethnic group in Pakistan and the world's third-largest Islam-adhering ethnicity after Arabs and Bengalis . The majority of Punjabi Muslims are adherents of Sunni Islam , while a minority adhere to Shia Islam and other sects , including the Ahmadiyya community which originated in Punjab during the British Raj . In the Indian state of Punjab , Punjabi Hindus make up approximately 38.5% of
441-408: A result of the population exchanges during partition, both parts of Punjab are now relatively homogeneous, as far as religion is concerned. Today the majority of Pakistani Punjabis follow Islam with a small Christian minority, and less Sikh and Hindu populations, while the majority of Indian Punjabis are either Sikhs or Hindus with a Muslim minority. Punjab is also the birthplace of Sikhism and
504-644: A system of tunnels and channels to the 990 MW Dehar Power Station on the Sutlej River , connecting both rivers. The Shahnehar canal takes off from the Shahnehar barrage/headwork which is located just downstream of Pong dam to supply water for irrigation needs and four cascading power houses at the canal drops before releasing water further downstream in the Beas river. These power stations, named Mukerian hydel (12 units), has 207 MW total generating capacity. At
567-488: Is the fifth- largest religion in the world . The Sikhs form a majority of close to 58% in the modern day Punjab, India . Gurmukhi is the writing script used by Sikhs and for scriptures of Sikhism . It is used in official documents in parts of India and elsewhere. The tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh (1666 – 1708) established the Khalsa Brotherhood, and set for them a code of conduct. Most of
630-585: Is 110 million as noted in the 2017 Pakistan census, ethnic Punjabis comprise approximately 44.7% of the national population. With an estimated national population of 252 million in 2024, ethnic Punjabis thus number approximately 112.8 million in Pakistan; this makes Punjabis the largest ethnic group in Pakistan by population. Religious homogeneity remains elusive as a predominant Sunni population with Shia , Ahmadiyya and Christian minorities. The Punjabi-speaking people make up 2.74% of India's population as of 2011. The total number of Indian Punjabis
693-462: Is a river in north India . The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh , India, and flows for some 470 kilometres (290 mi) to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab . Its total length is 470 kilometres (290 mi) and its drainage basin is 20,303 square kilometres (7,839 sq mi) large. As of 2017, the river is home to a tiny isolated population of
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#1732773148817756-533: Is primarily linguistic, geographical and cultural. Its identity is independent of historical origin or religion and refers to those who reside in the Punjab region or associate with its population and those who consider the Punjabi language their mother tongue. Integration and assimilation are important parts of Punjabi culture, since Punjabi identity is not based solely on tribal connections. While Punjabis share
819-1114: Is spoken among a significant overseas diaspora , particularly in Canada , the United States, and the United Kingdom . In Pakistan, Punjabi is written using the Shahmukhi alphabet , based on the Perso-Arabic script ; in India, it is written using the Gurmukhi alphabet , based on the Indic scripts . Punjabi is unusual among the Indo-Aryan languages and the broader Indo-European language family in its usage of lexical tone . Punjabi developed from Prakrit languages and later Apabhraṃśa ( Sanskrit : अपभ्रंश , 'deviated' or 'non-grammatical speech') From 600 BCE, Sanskrit
882-468: Is unknown due to the fact that ethnicity is not recorded in the Census of India . Sikhs are largely concentrated in the modern-day state of Punjab forming 57.7% of the population with Hindus forming 38.5%. Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 40% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly Hindi -speaking Punjabi Hindus . The Indian censuses record the native languages, but not
945-599: The British Raj . The vast majority were converted from the Hindu Chura communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Mazhabi Sikhs ; under the influence of enthusiastic army officers and Christian missionaries. Large numbers of Mazhabi Sikhs were also converted in the Moradabad district and the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh . Rohilkhand saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into
1008-663: The Chenab River at Uch near Bahawalpur to form the Panjnad River ; the latter in turn joins the Indus River at Mithankot . The water of the Beas river is allocated to India under the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan . The mean annual flow is 14.203 million acre feet (MAF). On 8 June 2014, 24 engineering students and one tour operator drowned when the flood gates of
1071-562: The Indian subcontinent , comprising areas of eastern Pakistan and northwestern India . The boundaries of the region are ill-defined and focus on historical accounts. The geographical definition of the term "Punjab" has changed over time. In the 16th century Mughal Empire it referred to a relatively smaller area between the Indus and the Sutlej rivers. While the total population of Punjab
1134-476: The Indus dolphin . Rig-veda calls the river Vipāś , which means unfettered, in later Sanskrit texts it's been called Vipāśā विपाशा, Yāska identifies it with Argrikiya. According to legends, Veda Vyasa , the author of the Indian epic Mahabharata , is the eponym of the river Beas; he is said to have created it from its source lake, the Beas Kund. According to other legends, before Veda Vyasa,
1197-476: The Larji dam were opened. During 2023 monsoon , flooding in Beas caused substantial damages in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Damage to the state is estimated to be $ 1B, the loss of life is over 400, and little government relief is available to assist with social costs and recovery. On May 17, 2018, countless number of fishes and other aquatic animals were found dead in Beas river due to release of molasses from
1260-573: The Methodist Church . Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among high caste Sikh families, and as a result, they responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions. Punjabi culture grew out of the settlements along the five rivers, which served as an important route to the Near East as early as the ancient Indus Valley civilisation , dating back to 3000 BCE. Agriculture has been
1323-493: The Phulkari . The phulkari is folk embroidery that was typically inclusive of work in floral patterns but has taken on a larger aspect of including geometrical shapes, symbols and motifs relevant to the culture. This pattern has been worn by women for hundreds of years in very vibrant colours. The pattern is typically stitched with woven silk and colourful thread. The phulkari pattern is adorned onto dupattas/chunis, better known as
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#17327731488171386-488: The Punjab region , comprising areas of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan . They generally speak Standard Punjabi or various Punjabi dialects on both sides. Majority of the overall Punjabi population adheres to Islam with significant minorities practicing Sikhism and Hinduism and smaller minorities practicing Christianity . However, the religious demographics significantly vary when viewed from Pakistani and Indian sides, respectively, with over 95 percent of
1449-582: The Sanskrit words, पञ्च , pañca , 'five' and अप् , áp , 'water', of the same meaning. The word pañjāb thus means 'The Land of Five Waters', referring to the rivers Jhelum , Chenab , Ravi , Sutlej , and Beas . All are tributaries of the Indus River , the Sutlej being the largest. References to a land of five rivers may be found in the Mahabharata , which calls one of
1512-603: The Yamuna and Ganges rivers. An ancient Indian law book called the Manusmriti , developed by Brahmin Hindu priests, shaped Punjabi religious life from 200 BC onward. Later, the spread of Buddhisim and Jainism in the Indian subcontinent saw the growth of Buddhism and Jainism in the Punjab. Islam was introduced via southern Punjab in the 8th century, becoming the majority by the 16th century, via local conversion. There
1575-476: The colonial period of India became Christians, with all of these religions characterising the religious diversity now found in the Punjab region. Due to religious tensions, emigration between Punjabi people started far before the partition and dependable records. Shortly prior to the Partition of India , Punjab Province (British India) had a slight majority Muslim population at about 53.2% in 1941, which
1638-849: The 16th century, the Mughal Emperor Humayun was usurped by the Pashtun king Sher Shah Suri , who constructed the Rohtas Fort in Punjab to check Humayun's entry into Hindustan , and also to keep a check on the local tribes including Gakhars as well as Janjuas. The expansion of the Sikh Empire , spearheaded by Ranjit Singh , was met with a rebellion by the Janjua Sultan of Watli, Sultan Fateh Muhammad Khan. A six-month siege of Kusuk Fort in Watli followed and this
1701-486: The 1947 partition, millions of Punjabi Hindus (including Hindkowan Hindus and Saraiki Hindus ) migrated from West Punjab and North-West Frontier Province , of which many ultimately settled in Delhi. Determined from 1991 and 2015 estimates, Punjabi Hindus form approximately 24 to 35 per cent of Delhi's population; based on 2011 official census counts, this amounts to between 4,029,106 and 5,875,779 people. Following
1764-663: The Beas is crossed by numerous ferries, many of which consist of inflated skins (darais). Near Reh in Kangra District it divides into three channels, which reunite after passing Mirthal, 300 metres (980 ft) above sea-level. On meeting the Sivalik Hills in Hoshiarpur , the river sweeps sharply northward, forming the boundary with Kangra District. Then bending round the base of the Sivalik Hills, it takes
1827-635: The British saw in them, with their traditional and historical enmity against the Sikhs, an effective counterpoise against the latter." The Janjua rebellion against the Sikh Empire was a political rebellion, as the Janjua were initially keen allies to the Sukerchakia Misl . During the nineteenth century, they were listed as a martial race . During this period, due to their high aristocratic status,
1890-659: The Chamar and are traditionally linked to leather-related occupations. Proto- Hinduism is the oldest of the religions practised by the Punjabi people. The historical Vedic religion constituted the religious ideas and practices in the Punjab during the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE), centered primarily in the worship of Indra . The bulk of the Rigveda was composed in the Punjab region between circa 1500 and 1200 BC, while later Vedic scriptures were composed more eastwards, between
1953-497: The Janjuas refused to serve in any regiment that was not commanded by either a Janjua or another commander of equal social standing. This preference was honoured by the British when selecting regiments for them. Punjabis Europe North America Oceania The Punjabis ( Punjabi : پنجابی ( Shahmukhi ) ; ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ( Gurmukhi ) ; romanised as Panjābī ) are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with
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2016-749: The New York and New Jersey region). In the 1970s, a large wave of emigration of Punjabis (predominately from Pakistan) began to the Middle East, in places such as the UAE , Saudi Arabia and Kuwait . There are also large communities in East Africa including the countries of Kenya , Uganda and Tanzania . Punjabis have also emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia including Malaysia , Philippines , Thailand , Singapore and Hong Kong. Of recent times many Punjabis have also moved to Italy. Among
2079-411: The Punjab is also a region that over the centuries has experienced many foreign invasions and consequently has a long-standing history of warfare, as the Punjab is situated on the principal route of invasions through the northwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent, which promoted to adopt a lifestyle that entailed engaging in warfare to protect the land. Warrior culture typically elevates the value of
2142-463: The Punjabi population from Pakistan being Muslim , with a small minority of Christians and Hindus and an even smaller minority of Sikhs . Over 57 percent of the population of the Indian state of Punjab is Sikh and over 38 percent Hindu with a small minority of Muslims and Christians. The ethnonym is derived from the term Punjab (Five rivers) in Persian to describe the geographic region of
2205-925: The SCs nationally, official data show. Of more than 35 designated Scheduled Castes in the state, the Mazhabis, the Ravidasias/Ramdasias, the Ad Dharmis, the Valmikis, and the Bazigars together make up around 87 per cent of East Punjab's total Scheduled Caste population. The Ravidasia Hindus/Ad-Dharmi and the Ramdasia Sikhs together constitute 34.93 per cent of East Punjab's total Scheduled Caste population and 11.15 per cent of Punjab Population. Ramdasia , Ad-Dharmi and Ravidassias are subgroups of
2268-482: The Vipasa river was known as Saraswati . Rishi Vashishta , the great grandfather of Vyasa tried to jump into this river from an overlooking hillock, to sacrifice his soul. He tied himself with several cords to drown himself . However, the river altered form to become a sandbed, saving him. And in this course, the cords got broken, so Vashishta named the river Vipasa, which means cord-breaker. On account of this incident,
2331-408: The community's honour ( izzat ), which is highly esteemed by Punjabis. Punjabi, sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan language natively spoken by the Punjabi people. Punjabi is the most popular first language in Pakistan, with 80.5 million native speakers as per the 2017 census , and the 11th most popular in India, with 31.1 million native speakers, as per the 2011 census . The language
2394-622: The confluence with the Sutlej river, Harike barrage was constructed to divert the combined water flows of both rivers to irrigation canals to serve Rajasthan and Punjab areas. The river rises 4,361 metres (14,308 ft) above sea-level on the southern face of Rohtang Pass in Kullu . It traverses the Mandi District and enters the Kangra District at Sandhol, 590 metres (1,940 ft) above sea-level. During its lower course
2457-534: The descent of the citizens. Thus, there is no concrete official data on the ethnic makeup of Delhi and other Indian states. Indian Punjab is also home to small groups of Muslims and Christians. Most of the East Punjab 's Muslims left for West Punjab in 1947. However, a small community still exists today, mainly in Qadian , and Malerkotla . The Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers to many parts of
2520-403: The great Rishi opted to settle near the river, and made it a residence for some years. Thereby, it became known as Vashisht (after Vashishta). We can find Vashishta Brahmarishi Temple in this village. Ancient Greeks called it Hyphasis ( Greek : Ύφασης ), Plinius called it Hypasis, an approximation to the vedic Vipāś . Other classical names are Hynais, Bipasis, Bibasis. In modern times,
2583-518: The historical Punjab region began with the late first millennium Muslim conquests on the Indian subcontinent . Many Persian and Arabic words were incorporated in Punjabi. So Punjabi relies heavily on Persian and Arabic words which are used with a liberal approach to language. After the fall of the Sikh empire, Urdu was made the official language of Punjab (in Pakistani Punjab, it is still
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2646-414: The large scale exodus that took place during the 1947 partition, there remains a small Punjabi Hindu community in Pakistan today. According to the 2017 Census , there are about 200,000 Hindus in Punjab province, forming approximately 0.2% of the total population. Much of the community resides in the primarily rural South Punjab districts of Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur where they form 3.12% and 1.12% of
2709-587: The limit and glory of his expedition. According to the Kavyamimansa of Rajasekhara , the kingdom-territories of the Gurjara-Pratihara monarch Mahipala I extended as far as the upper course of the river Beas in the north-west. In the 20th century, the river was developed under the Beas Project for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation purposes. The second-phase Pong Dam
2772-530: The major castes and tribes of West Punjab (Pakistan) are the Jats , Rajputs , Arains , Gujjars and Awans . Prior to the partition in 1947 , major communities of West Punjab also included the Khatris , Aroras and Brahmins . While in East Punjab (India), Jats are almost 20 per cent of East Punjab's population. The Scheduled Castes constitute almost 32 per cent of its total population and 4.3 per cent of
2835-482: The major economic feature of the Punjab and has therefore formed the foundation of Punjabi culture, with one's social status being determined by landownership. The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following the Green Revolution during the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, has been described as the "breadbasket of both India and Pakistan". Besides being known for agriculture and trade,
2898-540: The modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule; initially, conversions to Christianity came from the "upper levels of Punjab society, from the privileged and prestigious", including "high caste" Hindu families, as well as Muslim families. However, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from the Chuhra group. The Churas were largely converted to Christianity in North India during
2961-411: The movement Ahmadiyya . Punjabi Muslims are found almost exclusively in Pakistan with 97% of Punjabis who live in Pakistan following Islam, in contrast to Punjabi Sikhs and Punjabi Hindus who predominantly live in India. Forming the majority of the Punjabi ethnicity in the greater Punjab region , Punjabi Muslims write the Punjabi language under the Perso-Arabic script known as Shahmukhi . With
3024-413: The northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, where five rivers Beas , Chenab , Jhelum , Ravi , and Sutlej merge into the Indus River , in addition of the now-vanished Ghaggar . The coalescence of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the Punjab region into a broader common "Punjabi" identity initiated from the onset of the 18th century CE. Historically, the Punjabi people were
3087-467: The population respectively, while the rest are concentrated in urban centres such as Lahore . Punjabi Hindus in India use Nāgarī script to write the Hindi and Punjabi languages. Sikhism from Sikh , meaning a "disciple", or a "learner", is a monotheistic religion originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent during the 15th century. The fundamental beliefs of Sikhism, articulated in
3150-525: The primary official language), and influenced the language as well. Punjabis also speak several languages and dialects related to Punjabi, such as the Pothwari spoken in the Pothohar region of Northern Pakistani Punjab Kaintha The Kaintha, a traditional necklace which is usually made out of gold or steel, is an integral element of Punjabi clothing. It is adorned with a pendant that stands out from
3213-434: The region at the time. According to historical demographer Tim Dyson , in the eastern regions of Punjab that ultimately became Indian Punjab following independence, districts that were 66% Hindu in 1941 became 80% Hindu in 1951; those that were 20% Sikh became 50% Sikh in 1951. Conversely, in the western regions of Punjab that ultimately became Pakistani Punjab , all districts became almost exclusively Muslim by 1951. As
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#17327731488173276-403: The regions in ancient Bharat Panchanada ( Sanskrit : पञ्चनद , romanized : pañca-nada , lit. 'five rivers'). The ancient Greeks referred to the region as Pentapotamía ( Greek : Πενταποταμία ), which has the same meaning as the Persian word. Punjab is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia , specifically in the northern part of
3339-442: The rest of the necklace, which is accompanied by matching color schemes as well as yarn in the back to hold the piece together. It is worn with the Shalwar Kameez alongside a shawl, chunni, or vest. Men and women alike traditionally wear the Kaintha to the Mayian and Jaggo ceremonies. It is also commonly worn while performing the traditional Bhangra and Giddha dances Phulkari A traditional element of Punjabi clothing has been
3402-444: The river has also been called Bias or Bejah. The Beas River marks the easternmost border of Alexander the Great 's conquests in 326 BC. It was one of the rivers which created problems in Alexander's invasion of India. His troops mutinied here in 326 BC, refusing to go any further. Alexander shut himself in his tent for three days, but when his men did not change their desires he gave in, raising twelve colossal altars to mark
3465-422: The sacred scripture Guru Granth Sahib , include faith and meditation on the name of the one creator, unity and equality of all humankind, engaging in selfless service , striving for social justice for the benefit and prosperity of all , and honest conduct and livelihood while living a householder's life. Being one of the youngest amongst the major world religions, with 25-28 million adherents worldwide, Sikhism
3528-479: The southerly direction, separating the districts of Gurdaspur and Hoshiapur. After touching the Jalandhar district for a short distance, the river forms the boundary between Amritsar and Kapurthala . Finally the Beas joins the river Sutlej at the south-western boundary of Kapurthala district of Punjab after a total course of 470 kilometres (290 mi). The chief tributaries are Bain, Banganga, Luni and Uhal. The Sutlej continues into Pakistani Punjab and joins
3591-399: The state's population; numbering 10.7 million and are a majority in the Doaba region. Punjabi Hindus form a majority in five districts of Punjab, namely, Pathankot , Jalandhar , Hoshiarpur , Fazilka and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar districts. Punjabi Hindus also form around 32 percent of Indian State Haryana 's population and are very much influential in the state politics. During
3654-458: The world. In the early 20th century, many Punjabis began settling in the United States , including independence activists who formed the Ghadar Party . The United Kingdom has a significant number of Punjabis from both Pakistan and India. The most populous areas being London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. In Canada (specifically Vancouver , Toronto , and Calgary ) and the United States, (specifically California's Central Valley as well as
3717-419: Was a small Jain community left in Punjab by the 16th century, while the Buddhist community had largely disappeared by the turn of the 10th century. The region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of the Punjab region. The rise of Sikhism in the 1700s saw some Punjabis, both Hindu and Muslim, accepting the new Sikh faith. A number of Punjabis during
3780-446: Was advocated as official language and Prakrit gave birth to many regional languages in different parts of India. All these languages are called Prakrit (Sanskrit: प्राकृत , prākṛta ) collectively. Paishachi , Shauraseni and Gandhari were Prakrit languages, which were spoken in north and north-western India and Punjabi developed from one of these Prakrits. Later in northern India, these Prakrits gave rise to their own Apabhraṃśa ,
3843-413: Was an increase from the previous years. Due to the partition of 1947 , a rapid shift towards religious homogeneity occurred in all districts across the Punjab region owing to the new international border that cut through the province. This rapid demographic shift was primarily due to mass migration and population exchange but also caused by large-scale religious cleansing riots that occurred across
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#17327731488173906-416: Was completed in 1974 followed by the first-phase 140 kilometres (87 mi) upstream, Pandoh Dam in 1977. The Pong Dam served initially to primarily provide irrigation below Talwara but was soon developed as well for power generation; its power station with six turbines has now been upgraded to 396 MW installed capacity. Initially, the installed capacity was 360 MW . The Pandoh Dam diverts the river through
3969-503: Was ended when the inhabitants ran short of water. The Kala Khan branch of Rawalpindi Janjuas fortunes were also eclipsed by the rise of the Sikh Empire. By the time the British Raj took an interest in conquering the Sikhs in 1848–49, they were joined by opportunistic tribes such as the Janjua, Gakhars who had lost control of their centuries-old ancestral kingdoms to the imperial Sikh Empire and sought revenge. Tan Tai Yong says that "Besides being impressed with their track record,
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