Indian words for Europeans

[S Krishna]

>
>Greetings all,
>
>Does anyone know when Indians began using derivatives of the
>word "gaur" = "yellow" to refer to Europeans?
>
>Regards
>Paul Kekai Manansala


I am no authority on Hindi literature, but I know that the word "gOrA"
for Britisher IS used in a  poetic form( Avadhi more than contemporary
Hindi) called "aalhA". An "aalhA" (from what I know) is a
poem praising the deeds and valor of Indians who fell fighting the
Britishers in the 1857 war. However, I remember hearing about a poem(
which was apparently written by some courtier of his though I don't know
the name of the gentleman) that describes the way in which Wajid Ali
Shah, the last Nawab of Avadh was armtwisted into surrendering his
kingdom which also uses the word "gOrA" in a very deregatory way. If
this gentleman was indeed a contemporary of Wajid Ali Shah, the date I
think the concerned date would be pushed back into the late 18th
century.

REgards,
Krishna



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