Animals have great importance in Punjabi culture, so today’s blog post is equally informative and interesting. Ling App helps you learn about the Punjabi culture along with the Punjabi language. Besides learning the animal names in Punjabi, we will also enlighten you about the role of each animal in Hindu mythology. So let’s get started!
Animals In Indian Culture
Love for animals is inculcated in Indians through their faith that everything has been created to maintain the world’s order. Animals not only act as our aids but also liberate and facilitate us through other means.
According to them, animals are blessed creatures of the lord just like humans, so they praise the righteous act of giving equal value and respect to them.
This belief is materialized by god’s devotees in Hindi and Punjabi languages by giving animals the same Punjabi names as humans e.g., Akaljot (ਅਕਾਲਪ੍ਰੀਤ) i.e., the eternal light, Sadhu (ਸਾਧੂ) i.e., devotee, humble person/ saintly person, Amar Preet (ਅਮਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ) i.e., immortal love of the lord, Akalsharan (ਅਕਾਲਸ਼ਰਨ) i.e., the one taking shelter in god, Harbeer and Brahmvir (ਹਰਬੀਰ) i.e., a Punjabi name meaning brave devotee, warrior of god, etc.
Indian Mythology And Vahanas
Animals were the vehicles of Hindu deities generally termed vahanas. Every deity has a specific corresponding vahana which not only represents the metaphysical force but also the emblem of his or her power.
For example, Durga (mother god) won over Mahishasura (a demon) only with the help of a lion, her vahana.
Animals In Hindu/Punjabi Mythology
Let’s look at some examples of the animals in Hindu/Punjabi mythology along with basic words and phrases related to the Punjabi culture.
Elephants I.E Hāthī (ਹਾਥੀ) And Lions I.E Śēra (ਬੱਬਰ)
The deities of Hindu mythology are connected to elephants. Ganesh (god of fortune) has the body of a human and the white head of an elephant. Similarly, Indra’s vahana was an elephant.
The incarnation of Vishnu (god of preservation) has the head and shoulders of a lion while the torso of a human. Durga has a golden lion as a vehicle and Rahu (planetary guard) rides on a black lion. Kings in ancient times used to own herds of elephants to show power.
Cow I.E Gāṁ (ਗਾਂ) And Bull I.E Balada ਬਲਦ
A cow is a sign of motherhood and righteousness. Lord Krishna was an animal lover as he tended cows during his childhood and treated animals as his friends. They have Kamadhenu meaning heavenly cow and she grants the wishes of his brave devotees.
Many images from the Indian valley civilization show sculptures of bulls. Nandhi is worshiped when he is the vehicle of Rishabhnath (avatars of king Vishnu). He was the gatekeeper of Shiva’s abode on Mount Kailash and his sculpture is a symbol of eternal waiting, surrender, strength, and devotion.
Snake I.E Sapa (ਸੱਪ)
High value is associated with the serpents as they represent death, fear, and infinity. They are considered not evil but divine. It is believed that the snake consumed poison while churning the ocean and possesses it to save the world.
Worshiping snakes helps women conceive and also protect the treasures of the earth.
Dog I.E Kutā (ਕੁੱਤਾ)
Dogs do not have spiritual power, but they are believed to serve as guardians of ancestors during Tihar (festival of lights). It is believed that dogs also guard the door of heaven and hell, so they should not be treated as slaves.
Bhairana ( shiva’s avatar) is believed to have a dog as a vehicle and has himself a face of a dog.
Hindus in Punjab believe that animals have a life and personality just like humans but are also attributed godlike characteristics in their mythology. Loving animals is beyond the matter of one’s dharma and country thus many Hindus and Punjabis living in Pakistan practice the same belief.
They also believe in the concept of reincarnation i.e., one will be held responsible for their behavior with other living creatures. Love for animals is forever absorbed in their belief system that they love pets and other animals the way they live.
List Of Animal Names In Punjabi
Here is a complete list of all the animals in the Punjabi language. You can find the name of almost all the common animals in this list. If we have missed out on any animal name that you would like us to add to the list then feel free to comment down below.
A-B
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Aardvark | ਆਰਡਵਰਕ | Āraḍavaraka |
| African Elephant | ਅਫਰੀਕਨ ਹਾਥੀ | apharīkana hāthī |
| Alligator | ਮਗਰਮੱਛ | magaramacha |
| Alpine Goat | ਅਲਪਾਈਨ ਬੱਕਰੀ | alapā’īna bakarī |
| Antelope | ਹਿਰਨ | hirana |
| Arctic wolf | ਆਰਕਟਿਕ ਬਘਿਆੜ | ārakaṭika baghi’āṛa |
| Armadillo | ਆਰਮਾਡੀਲੋ | āramāḍīlō |
| Asiatic Lion | ਏਸ਼ੀਆਈ ਸ਼ੇਰ | ēśī’ā’ī śēra |
| Baboon | ਬਾਬੂਨ | bābūna |
| Badger | ਬੈਜਰ | baijara |
| Bat | ਬੱਲਾ | balā |
| Bear | ਰਿੱਛ | richa |
| Bearded Dragon | ਦਾੜ੍ਹੀ ਵਾਲਾ ਡਰੈਗਨ | dāṛhī vālā ḍaraigana |
| Beaver | ਬੀਵਰ | bīvara |
| Bison | ਬਾਈਸਨ | bā’īsana |
| Bobcat | ਬੌਬਕੈਟ | baubakaiṭa |
| Bulbul | ਬੁਲਬੁਲ | bulabula |
| Bull | ਬਲਦ | balada |
| Bull shark | ਬਲਦ ਸ਼ਾਰਕ | balada śāraka |
C-F
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Camel | ਊਠ | Ūṭha |
| Caracal | ਕੈਰਾਕਲ | kairākala |
| Chameleon | ਗਿਰਗਿਟ | giragiṭa |
| Cheetah | ਚੀਤਾ | cītā |
| Chihuahua | ਚਿਹੁਆਹੁਆ | cihu’āhu’ā |
| Chimpanzee | ਚਿੰਪੈਂਜ਼ੀ | cipain̄zī |
| Chinchillas | ਚਿਨਚਿਲਸ | cinacilasa |
| Chipmunk | ਚਿਪਮੰਕ | cipamaka |
| Comodo dragon | ਕੋਮੋਡੋ ਅਜਗਰ | kōmōḍō ajagara |
| Coyote | ਕੋਯੋਟ | kōyōṭa |
| Crocodile | ਮਗਰਮੱਛ | magaramacha |
| Deer | ਹਿਰਨ | hirana |
| Dinosaur | ਡਾਇਨਾਸੌਰ | ḍā’ināsaura |
| Eagle | ਇੱਲ | ila |
| Eel | ਬਾਮਮਛਲੀ | bāmamachalī |
| Elephant | ਹਾਥੀ | hāthī |
| Elk | ਐਲਕ | ailaka |
| Emperor Penguin | ਸਮਰਾਟ ਪੈਂਗੁਇਨ | samarāṭa paiṅgu’ina |
| Emu | ਇਮੂ | imū |
| Falcon | ਫਾਲਕਨ | phālakana |
| Flying Squirrel | ਉੱਡਦੀ ਗਿਲਹਰੀ | uḍadī gilaharī |
G-K
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Giant Panda | ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ ਪਾਂਡਾ | Viśāla pāṇḍā |
| Giraffe | ਜਿਰਾਫ | jirāpha |
| Goose | ਹੰਸ | hasa |
| Gorilla | ਗੋਰਿਲਾ | gōrilā |
| Guinea pig | ਗੁਇਨੀਆ ਸੂਰ | gu’inī’ā sūra |
| Hare | ਖਰਗੋਸ਼ | kharagōśa |
| Hawk | ਬਾਜ਼ | bāza |
| Hedgehog | ਹੇਜਹੌਗ | hējahauga |
| Hippopotamus | ਹਿਪੋਪੋਟੇਮਸ | hipōpōṭēmasa |
| Hyena | ਹਾਇਨਾ | hā’inā |
| Ibex | Ibex | Ibex |
| Ibis | Ibis | Ibis |
| Iguana | ਇਗੁਆਨਾ | igu’ānā |
| Jackal | ਗਿੱਦੜ | gidaṛa |
| Jaguar | ਜਗੁਆਰ | jagu’āra |
| Jellyfish | ਜੈਲੀਫਿਸ਼ | jailīphiśa |
| Kangaroo | ਕੰਗਾਰੂ | kagārū |
| King Cobra | ਕਿੰਗ ਕੋਬਰਾ | kiga kōbarā |
| Koala bear | ਕੋਆਲਾ ਰਿੱਛ | kō’ālā richa |
L-O
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Leopard | ਚੀਤਾ | Cītā |
| Lion | ਸ਼ੇਰ | śēra |
| Markhor | ਮਾਰਖੋਰ | mārakhōra |
| Marten | ਮਾਰਟਨ | māraṭana |
| Meerkat | ਮੀਰਕਟ | mīrakaṭa |
| Mole | ਮੋਲ | mōla |
| Mole | ਮੋਲ | mōla |
| Mongoose | ਮੂੰਗੀ | mūgī |
| Monitor lizard | ਕਿਰਲੀ ਦੀ ਨਿਗਰਾਨੀ ਕਰੋ | kiralī dī nigarānī karō |
| Monkey | ਬਾਂਦਰ | bāndara |
| Moose | ਮੂਸ | mūsa |
| Okapi | ਓਕਾਪੀ | ōkāpī |
| Okapi | ਓਕਾਪੀ | ōkāpī |
| Orangutan | ਓਰੰਗੁਟਾਨ | ōraguṭāna |
| Oryx | ਓਰੀਕਸ | ōrīkasa |
| Otter | ਓਟਰ | ōṭara |
| Owl | ਉੱਲੂ | ulū |
P-Z
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Panda | ਪਾਂਡਾ | Pāṇḍā |
| Pangolin | ਪੈਂਗੋਲਿਨ | paiṅgōlina |
| Panther | ਪੈਂਥਰ | painthara |
| Porcupine | ਪੋਰਕੁਪਾਈਨ | pōrakupā’īna |
| Possum | ਪੋਸਮ | pōsama |
| Puma | ਪੁਮਾ | pumā |
| Rabbit | ਖ਼ਰਗੋਸ਼ | ḵẖaragōśa |
| Raccoon | ਰੈਕੂਨ | raikūna |
| Reindeer | ਰੇਨਡੀਅਰ | rēnaḍī’ara |
| Rhinoceros | ਗੈਂਡਾ | gaiṇḍā |
| Royal Bengal Tiger | ਰਾਇਲ ਬੰਗਾਲ ਟਾਈਗਰ | rā’ila bagāla ṭā’īgara |
| Seal | ਸੀਲ | sīla |
| Skink | ਸਕਿੰਕ | sakika |
| Squirrel | ਗਿਲੜੀ | gilaṛī |
| Squirrel | ਗਿਲੜੀ | gilaṛī |
| Squirrel monkey | ਬਾਂਦਰ ਬਾਂਦਰ | bāndara bāndara |
| Tiger | ਟਾਈਗਰ | ṭā’īgara |
| Walrus | ਵਾਲਰਸ | vālarasa |
| Wild boar | ਜੰਗਲੀ ਸੂਰ | jagalī sūra |
| Wild cat | ਜੰਗਲੀ ਬਿੱਲੀ | jagalī bilī |
| Wolf | ਬਘਿਆੜ | baghi’āṛa |
| Wombat | ਵੋਮਬੈਟ | vōmabaiṭa |
| Yak | ਯਾਕ | yāka |
| Zebra | ਜ਼ੈਬਰਾ | zaibarā |
Insects
We just learned about the animals but we cannot leave the insects out. Here is a quick list of insects in the Punjabi language.
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Ant | ਕੀੜੀ | Kīṛī |
| Bedbug | ਪਲੰਘ ਦਾ ਖਟਮਲ | palagha dā khaṭamala |
| Bee | ਬੀ | bī |
| Beetle | ਬੀਟਲ | bīṭala |
| Bug | ਬੱਗ | baga |
| Bumblebee | ਭੰਬਲਬੀ | bhabalabī |
| Caterpillar | ਕੈਟਰਪਿਲਰ | kaiṭarapilara |
| Centipede | ਸੈਂਟੀਪੀਡ | saiṇṭīpīḍa |
| Cockroach | ਕਾਕਰੋਚ | kākarōca |
| Fly | ਉੱਡਣਾ | uḍaṇā |
| Fruitfly | ਫਲ ਫਲਾਈ | phala phalā’ī |
| Leaf Insect | ਪੱਤਾ ਕੀੜੇ | patā kīṛē |
| Locust | ਟਿੱਡੀ | ṭiḍī |
| Mosquito | ਮੱਛਰ | machara |
| Moth | ਕੀੜਾ | kīṛā |
| Silkworm | ਰੇਸ਼ਮ ਦਾ ਕੀੜਾ | rēśama dā kīṛā |
| Spider | ਮੱਕੜੀ | makaṛī |
| Termite | ਦੀਮਕ | dīmaka |
| Wasp | ਤੰਦੂਰ | tadūra |
| Worm | ਕੀੜਾ | kīṛā |
List Of Birds
Signing off with the list of birds in Punjabi which will complete your animal-related Punjabi vocab section. If you learn this section successfully, then consider yourself a level above your previous level. Cheers!
A-E
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Avocet | ਐਵੋਕੇਟ | Aivōkēṭa |
| Bat | ਬੱਲਾ | balā |
| Blue jay | ਬਲੂ ਜੈ | balū jai |
| Bluebird | ਬਲੂਬਰਡ | balūbaraḍa |
| Chick | ਚਿਕ | cika |
| Chukar | ਚੁਕਰ | cukara |
| Cock | ਕੁੱਕੜ | kukaṛa |
| Cockatoo | ਕਾਕਾਟੂ | kākāṭū |
| Cormorants | ਕਾਰਮੋਰੈਂਟਸ | kāramōraiṇṭasa |
| Crane | ਕਰੇਨ | karēna |
| Crow | ਕਾਂ | kāṁ |
| Cuckoo | ਕੋਇਲ | kō’ila |
| Cygnet | ਸਿਗਨੇਟ | siganēṭa |
| Dove | ਘੁੱਗੀ | ghugī |
| Drake | ਡਰੇਕ | ḍarēka |
| Duck | ਬਤਖ਼ | bataḵẖa |
| Duckling | ਡਕਲਿੰਗ | ḍakaliga |
| Eagle | ਇੱਲ | ila |
| Egyptian Vulture | ਮਿਸਰੀ ਗਿਰਝ | misarī girajha |
| Eider | ਈਡਰ | īḍara |
| Eurasian Hobby | ਯੂਰੇਸ਼ੀਅਨ ਸ਼ੌਕ | yūrēśī’ana śauka |
F-N
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Falcon | ਫਾਲਕਨ | phālakana |
| Flamingo | ਫਲੇਮਿੰਗੋ | phalēmigō |
| Gander | ਗੈਂਡਰ | gaiṇḍara |
| Goose | ਹੰਸ | hasa |
| Great Egret | ਮਹਾਨ Egret | mahāna Egret |
| Grebe | ਗ੍ਰੀਬੇ | grībē |
| Gull | ਗੁੱਲ | gula |
| Hawk-Cuckoo, Brain fever | ਬਾਜ਼-ਕੋਇਲ, ਦਿਮਾਗੀ ਬੁਖਾਰ | bāza-kō’ila, dimāgī bukhāra |
| Hen | ਮੁਰਗੀ | muragī |
| Heron | ਬਗਲਾ | bagalā |
| Hoopoe | ਹੂਪੋ | hūpō |
| Hornbill | ਹੌਰਨਬਿਲ | hauranabila |
| Hummingbird | ਹਮਿੰਗਬਰਡ | hamigabaraḍa |
| Kingfisher | ਕਿੰਗਫਿਸ਼ਰ | kigaphiśara |
| Kite | ਪਤੰਗ | pataga |
| Kiwi | ਕੀਵੀ | kīvī |
| Lark | ਲਾਰਕ | lāraka |
| Male Falcon | ਨਰ ਫਾਲਕਨ | nara phālakana |
| Mynah | ਮਾਈਨਾਹ | mā’īnāha |
| Nightingale | ਨਾਈਟਿੰਗੇਲ | nā’īṭigēla |
O-Z
| English Words | Punjabi Words | Romanized Punjabi |
| Osprey | ਓਸਪ੍ਰੇ | ōsaprē |
| Ostrich | ਸ਼ੁਤਰਮੁਰਗ | śutaramuraga |
| Owl | ਉੱਲੂ | ulū |
| Parrot | ਤੋਤਾ | tōtā |
| Partridge | ਤਿੱਤਰ | titara |
| Peacock | ਮੋਰ | mōra |
| Pelican | ਪੈਲੀਕਨ | pailīkana |
| Penguin | ਪੈਂਗੁਇਨ | paiṅgu’ina |
| Peregrine Falcon | ਪੈਰੇਗ੍ਰੀਨ ਫਾਲਕਨ | pairēgrīna phālakana |
| Pewit | ਪੀਵਿਟ | pīviṭa |
| Pigeon | ਕਬੂਤਰ | kabūtara |
| Quail | ਬਟੇਰ | baṭēra |
| Raven | ਰੇਵਨ | rēvana |
| Robin | ਰੌਬਿਨ | raubina |
| Rooster | ਕੁੱਕੜ | kukaṛa |
| Sandpipe | ਰੇਤ ਦੀ ਪਾਈਪ | rēta dī pā’īpa |
| Seagull | ਸੀਗਲ | sīgala |
| Skylark | ਸਕਾਈਲਾਰਕ | sakā’īlāraka |
| Sparrow | ਚਿੜੀ | ciṛī |
| Stork | ਸਟੌਰਕ | saṭauraka |
| Swallow | ਨਿਗਲ | nigala |
| Swan | ਹੰਸ | hasa |
| Tailorbird | ਟੇਲਰਬਰਡ | ṭēlarabaraḍa |
| Turkey | ਟਰਕੀ | ṭarakī |
| Vulture | ਗਿਰਝ | girajha |
| Wagtail | ਵਾਗਟੇਲ | vāgaṭēla |
| Weaver | ਜੁਲਾਹੇ | julāhē |
| Woodpecker | ਵੁੱਡਪੇਕਰ | vuḍapēkara |
Wrapping Up
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