ਪੜਨਾਨੀ ਜੀParnanijiMaternal Great-Grandmother
Parnaniji (ਪੜਨਾਨੀ ਜੀ) is your maternal great-grandmother — your mother's grandmother, typically the mother of your Nana. She is the eldest woman of your mother's family line.
How your Parnaniji connects to you
Who is your Parnaniji?
Few relatives feel as storied as a Parnani, because she belongs to the generation of your mother's childhood tales — the grandmother your mother herself grew up visiting. Punjabi families that still have one treat her presence at a wedding or a newborn's first Lohri as a benediction, proof that the nanka line runs long, and her memories often preserve family history recorded nowhere else.
How it's used
She is addressed as Parnani ji; children who cannot manage the mouthful settle happily on Nani ji. Example: "Parnani ji saanu purane pind diyan gallan sunaunde ne" — "Great-grandmother tells us stories of the old village."
Where Parnaniji comes from
Parnani is your nana's mother — the maternal great-grandmother.
Parnaniji vs similar terms
The Parnani is the maternal counterpart of the Pardadi, and one generation above your Nani. Punjabi's four distinct great-grandparent terms — Pardada, Pardadi, Parnana, Parnani — each locate the ancestor on a specific side and step of the tree.
Frequently asked questions
What does Parnaniji mean in Punjabi?
Parnaniji (ਪੜਨਾਨੀ ਜੀ) means maternal great-grandmother — your mother's grandmother, usually understood as your Nana's mother. Adding par- to Nani moves the term back one generation.
What is the difference between Parnani and Nani?
Your Nani is your mother's mother; your Parnani is your mother's grandmother. They are one generation apart on the same maternal line.
What is the difference between Parnani and Pardadi?
Both are great-grandmothers. The Parnani belongs to your mother's family, the Pardadi to your father's — the same maternal-paternal split Punjabi applies to every generation.
Related terms
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