ਸਿੰਜਾਈ

What does sinjai mean in Punjabi?

Sinjai (ਸਿੰਜਾਈ) means irrigation in Punjabi: the watering of fields and crops when rain alone is not enough for them to grow. Water reaches the field through canals, wells and tubewells, and in a small plot it may be carried and poured by hand. In daily speech, Punjabis also say paani launa, to give water, for the same work.

How sinjai works in Punjab

Punjab is a land of rivers and canals, and sinjai is the link between that water and the crop. Canal water comes by turns, so a farmer watches for his vaari, his allotted time, and opens the channel into his field when it arrives. Where canal water does not reach, the tubewell does the work, lifting groundwater and sending it along the field channels.

Different crops ask for sinjai in different ways. Paddy stands in water for much of its life and needs watering again and again. Wheat needs water at set stages and then must be left dry before harvest. Vegetables in a small khet need smaller, more frequent drinks. Judging when a field is thirsty, by its colour, its cracks and the feel of the soil, is one of the oldest skills of the Punjabi farmer.

Words around sinjai

Sinjai is the noun, the work of watering. The verb is sinjna, to irrigate or to water, and dictionaries also list aabpashi as a more formal word for the same idea. In the village, though, the phrase you will hear most is paani launa: the farmer going out at dawn will simply say he is going to give the field its water.

How do you say irrigation in Punjabi?

Irrigation in Punjabi is sinjai (ਸਿੰਜਾਈ). The related verb is sinjna, and the everyday phrase paani launa means the same act of watering a field.

What is the difference between sinjai and paani launa?

Sinjai is the proper noun for irrigation, used in books, news and talk about farming systems. Paani launa is the everyday spoken phrase for the same work, the words a farmer uses at home and in the field.

How is sinjai used in a sentence?

You can say: ਨਹਿਰ ਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਨਾਲ ਖੇਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਸਿੰਜਾਈ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ, which means the fields are irrigated with canal water. More examples are given below on this page.