Punjabi Hindu Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Punjabi Hindu families come from Punjab in India, and some trace their roots to western Punjab, now in Pakistan, from which their families moved during partition in 1947. Many came to Birmingham in the 1950s and 1960s, and others via East Africa.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 1,145 residents whose main language is Punjabi gave their religion as Hindu.

Working for Birmingham

Punjabi Hindus work as doctors, pharmacists, accountants, lawyers, teachers and engineers, and many run businesses in retail, wholesale and property. The community is known for its enterprise and its commitment to education.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The Punjabi Hindu community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

Diwali, Holi and Navratri are joyful celebrations, and Hindu temples in the city are at the heart of community life. Punjabi Hindu families share a language, music and food with Punjabi Sikhs and Muslims, and bhangra and Punjabi weddings bring everyone together. Karva Chauth, when married women fast for their husbands' wellbeing, and Lohri, the midwinter bonfire festival, are also treasured Punjabi traditions.

Like so many of the communities that make up modern Birmingham, the Punjabi Hindu community shows how a city can be home to many cultures at once. Its members are proud of where they come from, and just as proud to be Brummies.