Hindko (هندکو /Hindkoŭ/), also Hindku, Hinko, or Lahnda , لَیہندا) is an ancient Indo-Aryan language spoken in North Western Pakistan, especially in Hazara and Peshawar. The literal meaning of the word "Hindko" is "Mountains of the Indus". The word "Hind" is the Persianised reference to the regions associated with the Indus River immediately to the east of Persia and "Ko" means mountains. The word Hindko has also been interpreted to mean the language of India. The term is also found in Greek references to the mountainous region in eastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan as Καύκασος Ινδικός (Caucasus Indicus). The language is spoken in the areas of the North West Frontier Province (including Hazara), Punjab (including Attock), and Azad Kashmir by an estimated 2.2 to 4 million people.

There is no generic name for these people because they belong to diverse ethnicities (e.g. Jadoons who are ethnic Pushtuns and large number of others who have Punjabi or Kashmiri roots) and tend to identify themselves by the larger families or castes. However the people of the largest group in the districts of Haripur, Abbottabad and Mansehra are sometimes recognised collectively as Hazarawal, named after the defunct Hazara Division that comprised these districts. In Peshawar city they are referred to as "Kharay" meaning City-dwellers or Hindkowans.

History and Origin

During the pre-Buddhist era in present day Pakistan, the language of the masses was refined by the ancient grammarian Pāṇini, who set the rules of a structurally rigorous language called Sanskrit which was used principally for scriptures (analogous to Latin in the Western world). Meanwhile, the vernacular language of the masses, Prakrit developed into many tongues and dialects which spread over the northern parts of South Asia. Hindko is believed to be closely related to Prakrit. Due to the geographic isolation of the regions, it has undergone very little grammatical corruption, but has borrowed considerable vocabulary from its neighbours, in particular Pashto. It shows close affinity to Punjabi and the Lahnda sub-group of Indo-Aryan tongues and can be sub-divided into a northern and southern dialect (the southern dialect spoken in Pakistani Punjab shows some similarity with Siraiki as opposed to Punjabi). This language is very similar to the Mirpuri dialect of Potohari and Hindko and Mirpuri speakers can understand each other very well.

Speakers [Hindkoon Nation]

The largest geographically contiguous group of Hindko speakers [Hindkoon Nation] is concentrated in the districts of state Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Attock, Muzaffarabad and Kaghan valley of Pakistan, while there are a substantial number of geographically isolated speakers of Hindko Language in cities like Peshawar, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan and Kohat. People in Hazara tend to associate themselves with the larger families (or caste as it used to be called), having distinct ethnic roots. The more prominent among them are Abbasi, Awan, Karlal, Jadoon,Tanoli, Tareen, etc. People who speak Hindko are referred to by some academics as Punjabi Pathans probably because of the many Pashtun tribes, for example Jadoons,Tanolis and Tahirkhelis, who settled in places like Hazara, adopted Hindko Language and its Culture as their first language and gained political power in these areas during the British rule, and also because of many ethnic Pushtun people who speak Hinkdo Language as their first language in Peshawar and Kohat. The Hindko speaking people as a whole Hindkoon Nation living in major cities Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan are bilingual in Pashto and Hindko Languages. Similarly a few Pashto speaking people in districts like Mansehra and Battagram have become bilingual in Pashto and Hindko Languages. Hindkoon Nation is very courageous, brave, educated, business oriented and Pro-Pakistani. There are so many Pro-Pakistani Poets, Prose Writers and Researchers attached with Gandhara Hindko Board Pakistan. When in 1999 the Bill of PUKHTOONKHWAH was moved by a few Members of National Awami Party in the N.W.F.P. Assembly, the Poets, Prose Writers and Researchers attached to the Gandhara Hindko Board immediately rushed towards Peshawar Press Club to disclosed the facts before the Press in a Press Conference. In 2008, once again the issue of PUKHTOONKHWAH is like hot cakes in the mouths of Members of the National Awami Party having close relations with Afghanistan and India. Again, Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad, closely attached to GHB is strictly opposing the issue through Press and addressing personal Letters to VVIPs of Pakistan stating that the oldest name of Afghanistan is PUKHTUNKHWAH. In support of his Statement he referred so many centuries old books specially a book titled PUKKHTO OR PUKSHTO LANGUAGE written by Dr. Surgeon HENRY WALTER BELLEW in 1867 stating "More specially as the said [Afghan] Nation, though it has for many centuries occupied its present ground at the point of junction between the India and Iran - in the country known as Afghanistan to strangers, and as PUKHTOONKHWAH to the Afghans...........". Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad also refers an old book titled TAREEKH E PESHAWAR written by MUNSHI GOPAAL DAAS in 1869 in which there is no mention of PUKHTOON or PUSHTOON Nation in North West Frontier Province [at that time the whole of the present North West Frontier Province was only Peshawar]. According to the statement of Munshi Gopaal Daas North West Frontier Province was occupied by the HINDKOON Nation and only a few Afghans speaking Afghani Language [Pukhto ro Pushto was called Afghani Language] were also residing in the villages of NWFP.

The NWFP Imperial Gazetteer (1905) refers to the language as Hindko. More than one interpretation has been offered for the term Hindko. Some associate it with Hind or Hindustan (as the word may have been used during the medieval Muslim period in the Indian subcontinent), others with the Indus River which is of course the etymological source of all these terms. Farigh Bukhari and South Asian language expert and historian Christopher Shackle believe that Hindko was a generic term applied to the Indo-Aryan dialect continuum in the north west frontier territories and adjacent district of Attock in the Punjab province to differentiate it from Pashto.

Poets and Writers

There are several researchers, poets and prose writers of the HINDKO LANGUAGE e.g. the prominent and world-wide famous Poet Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad who has written so many Poetry books for example KHORAY SUCH poetry, SUCH DA SEHR poetry, SUCH DAY DEEWAY [poetry] and the fourth poetry [harfian] book which is regarding soofiism namely SEEN - SUCH is underprint], Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad has also written so many prose books and Research Articles his prose books are HINDKO ZUBAAN TAY US DA RASMULKHAT, HINDKO ZUBAAN TAY US DA MAAKHIZ AND MAZLOOM HUSSAIN, and also one Haider Zaman Haider who has written so many books and also translated Holy Quran in Hidko language. Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad belongs to Peshawar, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan and Mr. Haider Zaman Haider belongs to Hazara North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Dr. Syed Mehboob is also a famous writer, researcher and columnist belongs to Hindko speaking area and settled in Karachi. He also wrote many stories and essays in the Hindko language. M/s Raza Hamadani, Farigh Bokhari, Khatir Khaznavi, Jaitindar Billo, Dr. Prof. Zahoor Ahmed Awan, Ashraaf Hussain Ahmed, Prof. Ashraf Bokhari, Ehsaan Rana, Prof. Soofi Abdul Rashid, Mashkoor Sabiri, Abdul Hameed Goraaya. Dr. Prof. Sabir Aafaqi, Sheen Shaukat, Ajab Khan Naqashbandi, Naz Sethi, Prof. Yaya Malak, Hassam Hurr, Aurangzeb Ghaznavi, Muhammad Hussain Zia, Saher Mustafaie, Malak Abdul Ghafoor, Nazeer Hussain Kasailvi, Z.I. Ather, Aslam Tariq and Sajid Sarhadi are also famous Poets, Prose Writers, Research Scholars and Critics. A few amongst them are also Public Awards andGold Medal Holders.

On the one hand Mohtarama Riffat Akbar of Mansehra is called Madre Hindko a title given to her against by Hindkoon Nation for her valuable services rendered for promoting Hindkoon language. Riffat Akbar is an MPA from Mansehra and well known among Hindkoon Nation not only in Hazara Division but also in Peshawar, Kohat, D.I.Khan and other cities of Pakistan. On the other hand in a huge public and literary gathering a prominent and well known Poet and Prose Writer of Hindko Language and so many Public Awards holder Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad was titled as Sitara e Hindko [the Star of the Hindkoon Nation] by all of the Literary Societies, Promotors and Groups of the Hindko Language e.g. Hindko Literary Society Peshawar, Idara e Faroagh e Hindko [Regd] Peshawar Pakistan, Bazm e Bahar e Adab [Regd] Peshawar Pakistan, Gandhara Hindko Board Peshawar Paksitan, Bazm e Yaaran e Sukhan, Peshawar Pakistan and all Members of the Pakistan Writers Guild. Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad was awarded GOLD MEDALS in 1992 and 1997 for his two Poetry Books. So many Governmental Awards and Certificates of Merit were also honoured to him by the Government of Pakistan during his service and especially during India-Pak War-1965 he was awarded TAMGHA E JANG for recognizing his performance.

Demographics

The Hindkoon Nation [speakers of Hindko Language] live primarily in six districts: Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Nowshera and Kohat in NWFP, Attock and Rawalpindi in Punjab and parts of Azad Kashmir including Muzaffarabad; Jonathan Addleton states that "Hindko is the linguistic majority in the NWFP, represented in nearly one-fifth of the province's total households." (NWFP referring to North-West Frontier Province.) In Abbottabad District 98 per cent of households reported speaking Hindko, in Mansehra District 77 per cent, in Peshawar District 27 per cent, and in Kohat District 10 per cent (1986). Testing of inherent intelligibility among Hindko dialects through the use of recorded tests has shown that there is a northern (Hazara) dialect group and a southern group. The southern dialects are more widely understood throughout the dialect network than are the northern dialects. The dialects of rural Peshawar and Talagang are the most widely understood of the dialects tested. The dialect of Balakot is the least widely understood.

In most Hindko-speaking areas, speakers of Pashto live in the same or neighbouring communities (although this is less true in Abbottabad and Kaghan Valley than elsewhere). In the mixed areas, many people speak both languages. The relationship between Hindko and Pashto is not one of stable bilingualism. In the northeast, Hindko is the dominant language both in terms of domain of usage and in terms of the number of speakers, whereas in the southwest, Pashto seems to be advancing in those same areas.

Idara e Farogh e Hindko is working as an N.G.O. without any public/ governmental help for the last fourteen years to promote the Hindko Language and the culture of the Hindkoon Nation. A monthly Magazine FAROGH is also being published since last fourteen regularly and fifteen books of Hindko Poetry and Prose had been published by this N.G.O. The N.G.O. have a strong Supreme Council headed by Haji Muhammad Haleem Jan with seven honourable Chair Holders. An Advisory Committee headed by Urdu Poet Mohsin Ehsan with ten Honourable Members is also working with this N.G.O. A Lawyers Penal comprising of three Advocates and a National Unity Committee headed by Rifat Akbar Swati with five Executive Members is also working with this N.G.O. A Farogh Virsa Academy [Folk Heritage Academy] with one Director and five Members are also working there. All these honourable chair-holders are working honourary without any benefit. Thus Idara e Farogh e Hindko is one of the strongest N.G.Os. who is working to promote the Hindkoon Nation, its culture and Language without Governmental or public help.

Though the Hindko Language is the Language of North West Frontier Province spoken by the majority of the people but unfortunately this language has never been taken in the hands of the Governmental Officials nor this won the official patronage due to the various political reasons. A few Language Activists from Peshawar were forced by this unjustice, so in about 1992 they put the foundation of Gandhara Hindko Board, Pakistan [Regd.], an Non-Governmental Organization [N.G.O.] purely literary, cultural and social welfare registered organization to preserve and promote the Language and Culture of the Hindkoon Nation. Soon more than 2000 friends registered their names as Members of the Gandhara Hindko Board. G.H.B. runs on self-help basis with a very little contribution from the Hindko Language Lovers. The Board also launches the fund raising compaigns on the eve of mega events. The Board has three office, the main Office is near Rampura Gate, Peshawar City which is well equipped with all official necessities, branch-office is at Chowk Yadgar Peshawar and a research complex comprising at four rooms is in Govt. High School No.1, Peshawar City. The Founder Patron of the Board is Syed Muhammad Ameer Shah Qadri Gillani known as Maulvi Gee Sarkar and the patron of the Board is Syed Noor ul Hassnain Gillani. Chief Organiser of the Board is Haji Mohammad Haleem Jan. The Board is headed by Dr. Zahoor Ahmed Awan as Chairman and Dr. Adnan Gul as Vice-Chairman. Secretary General of the Board is Muhammad Zia ud Din and Members of the Executive Committee are Dr. Anwaar Fazil Chishti, Dr. Salah ud Din, Dr. Shabir Ahmed Awan, Khalid Sultan Khuwaja, Sharif Farooq [Tamgha-e-Imtiaz], Khwaja Yawer Naseer, Aftab Ahmed, Ahmed Nadeem Awan, Zaffar Naveed Jani, Waseem Shahid, Sadiq Saba, Sikandar Hayat Sikandar and Muhammad Rafeeq Kamran. Secretary and Press Secretary of the Adabi Akath is Sabir Hussain Imdaad and Muhammad Nawaz Bazmi respectively. The Board has published about 20 books of the Poetry and Prose of the Hindko Language which includes Dictionary of the Hindko Language. About 30 books of the Hindko Language are ready to be printed in the very near future. The Holy Quran translated in the Hindko Language [Poetry] is also ready for print and the second Dictionary having about 700 pages is also going to be published soon by the Gandhara Hindko Board. As a regular publications, the Board brings out a Quarterly Magazine namely HINDKOWAN and a monthly news letter titled as THE GANDHARA VOICE.

The Gandhara Hindko Board also holds literary sessions once a week on Tuesday and the number of such sittings have crossed 550s figure. These sessions are being coordinated by a senior prominent Poet and Prose Writer of the Hindko Language Mr. Sabir Hussain Imdaad. The Gandhara Hindko Board also holds open-air Hindko Mushairas [sessions of the Poetry recital] to mark different occasions such as Pakistan-Day, Defence Day, Mother Language Day, International Women Day 27th of the Holy Month of Ramazan.

From each corner of the Pakistan the following VVIPs of the literary circles are the close friends and lovers of the Gandhara Hindko Board : Dr. Prof. Shahbaz Malak Lahore, Dr. Amjad Hussain USA, Shafqat Tanveer Mirza Lahore, Aagha Anwar Gul Balouchistan, Dr. Sabir Aafaqi Azad Kashmir, Dr. Inayat ullah Faizi Chitral, Haider Zaman Haider Abbottabad, Muhammad Jan Aatif Kohat, Willayat Hussain Azhar Karachi, Dr. Prof. Fehmida Hussain Sind, Farooq Jan Babar Dera Ismail Khan, Dr. Prof. Illahi Bakhsh Akhtar Awan London UK, Sabir Hussain Imdaad Peshawar, Khatir Ghaznavi Peshawar, Mukhtar Ali Nayyer Peshawar, Raja Risaloo, Lahore, Prof. Mehrab Khawar Rawalpindi, Dr. Mian Karim Ullah Qureshi Azad Kashmir, Prof Ghulam Muhammad Shad Peshawar, Malak Safdar Awan Multan, Inaam Ullah Behrain, Mashkoor Sabiri Multan, Muhammad Aslam Jan Akora Khattak and Sultan Muhammad Shaheen Islamabad, Parved Khan Abbottabad, Syed Masoom Shah Kohat, Hassan Sawal Akora Khattak, Rani Bano Peshawar, Prof Sabeeh Ahmed, Prof Liaqat Ahmed, Qudsia Qudsi and Ifat Siddiqui Peshawar, Col. Sikandar Zia Hazara and P.Pilot Rashid Qureshi Hazara.

As stated above the Gandhara Hindko Board has also published the first dictionary of the language language and its launching ceremony was held on March 16, 2003. According to a press release, Sultan Sakoon, a prominent Hindku poet, has compiled the dictionary.

Literature and writers

Idara e Faroghe Hindko [Regd.] Peshawar Pakistan is rendering valuable services to promote the Hindko Language. Riffat Sawatti and Aurangzeb Ghaznavi are the heart and soul of this Organization. A monthly Magazine name Faroogh is also published regularly from Peshawar under supervision of Aurangzeb Ghaznavi. In Karachi Dr.Syed Mehboob is also working for the promotion of Hundko language.

References

8. 1974: Phonlogy of Verbal Phrase in Hindko,Dr Elahi Bkahsh Akhtar Awan published by Idara-e-Farogh-e-Hindko Peshawar in 1992. 9. 2004: Hindko Sautiyat,Dr E.B.A. Awan, published by Gandhara Hindko Board Peshawar in 2004. 10. 2005: Hindko Land a thesis presented by Dr E.B.A. Awan at the World Hindko Conference at Peshawar in 2005. 11. *1980: "Hindko in Kohat and Peshawar." Bulletin of SOAS, 1980, 482-510 12. *1978: "Rival linguistic identities in Pakistan Panjab." Rule, protest, identity: aspects of modern South Asia (ed. P. Robb & D. Taylor), 213-34. London: Curzon 13. *1986: Addleton, Jonathan S., "The Importance of Regional Languages in Pakistan," al'Mushir, Vol. 28, No. 2 (1986), pp. 55-80. 14. * 2000: According to the last census held in 2000(prob) by the Govt. of Paksitan, the total population of the Hindkoon Nation(Hindko speakers)of the country (from Peshawar to Karachi) was declared to be 49.50 %. 16. * "PUKKHTO OR PUSHTO LANGUAGE" [1867] by Henry Walter Bellew 17. * "Tareekh e Peshawar" [1869] by Munshi Gopaal Daas 18. * Gazetteer of N.W.F.P. 1905 19. * Gazetteer of N.W.F.P. 1930 20. * "Pakistani Adab Men Zubaan ka Masla" by Dr. Abo ul Lais Siddiqui 21. * "Muaaraf e Saraiki" by Syed Noor Ali Zamin Hussaini 22. * "Hindustani Lisaaniat" by Dr. Syed Muhyyuddin Qadri 23. * "Aariaie Zubaanen" by Prof. SudheshVar Verma 24. * "Al-Ateeq Al-Ateeq" by Abdul Hamid Ateeq Fikri 25. * "Hindko Da Muqadma" by Muhammad Zia ud Din 26. * "Military and Politics in Pakistan" by Hasan Askari Rizvi 27. * "Punjabi Zuban o Adab Ki Tareekh" by Inaam ul Haq Javed 28. * "Deeni Adab" by Syeda Kulsoom Akhtar 29. * "Lisaaniat" by Prof Aashiq Raheel 30. * "Ashab ul Ras" by Syed Noor Ali Zamin Hussaini 31. * Gazetteer of Multan 1902 32. * "Hindko Zuban o Adab Ka Tareekhi Jaeza" by Sheen Shaukat 33. * "Urdu Zuban ka Maakhiz - Hindko" by Khatir Ghaznavi 34. * "Agar ab bhi no Jagay to---" by Maulana Shams Naveed Usmani 34. * "Arab Hind Taalaqaat" by Syed Sulman Nadvi 35. * So many Magazines of Quarterly WARIS Multan, PUNJABI ADAB Lahore, Monthly LEHRAN Lahore. 36. * so many brouchures, articles and other literature

References

External links

• Hindko Page