SV: interesting experience/Urdu/hindi

[Yashwant Malaiya]

Samar Abbas <abbas at IOPB.RES.IN> wrote:

> I can accept this Prakrit origin theory of Urdu, but then would be forced
>by logic to accept the Dravidian origin of these same Prakrits, thereby
>leading to the conclusion that Urdu is derived from Old Tamil. So, to
>conclude this discussion, I will only accept either of two logically
>self-consistent theories for the origin of Urdu: 1. It is derived from
>Tamil, 2. It is derived from Ghaznavid Persian.

Have you seen samples of old Urdu? Can you derive an Urdu verb
(find one) from Persian?

>> Also consider the fact that with the huge influx of Indian slaves
>> (more women and children then men) in Afghani and Iranian markets,
>> some degree of linguistic, musical, sartorial and culinary impact must
>> have taken place in the Ottoman Empire and its sorroundings.

The Gypsies of Europe are the decendants of those slaves.

>- The Kalila wa Dimnah (based on the Pancatantra) was popular in
>  the Ottoman Empire. Of course there are chess and Al-Beruni.

Tasbih or bead-string came from India too. Arabic numerals too.

>- Gujarati businessmen dominated the Kabul market in the 18th century.

Where is this information from? The Khatris (from Punjab) dominated
the Kabul (and other cities in central Asia) markets until recently.

>- Mahmud-e-Ghazni was impressed with Indian architecture, and modelled
>  palaces/mosques on it. None survive, however.

If he was impressed by Indian architecture, he had a way of expressing
it by plunder and destruction, as Al Biruni writes.

I think Indians (including Muslims in the subcontinent) should not
not forgive him. One must give him credit that he had in his court
Al Beruni and Ferdowsi (one a student of Hindu sciences, other a
recorder of Pre-Islamic history of Persia), although unhappily.
Certianly no hero to Hindus, he shouldn't be one to Indian
Muslims either.

Yashwant