By S.Sarwar.Malik
Treasure-house of photographs, the bound album proved for, Michaela Appel- the grand daughter, of the German miner cum Industrialist cum hotelier, namely Otto Honigmam; that she recently passed it on to US, graciously, in the form of a book, KASHMIR – LADAKH -BALTISTAN 1911/1912; that was printed & published in German (as well as English edition) in 2018. It was listed by The German National Library and, as acknowledged, two other guys, Frembgen and Richtsfeld, have also made their contribution in this specific book but kudos go to Michaela. My personal thanks to the cherishable Christian Friend of mine, who added it to my source-material-bank; that this humble penman accesses for my writeups.
Before embarking on my today’s writeup, full throttle, for preparatory warm up, dear readers, I mention four big names for those readers who have missed my previous four consecutive articles, under this very column.
Following the tracks of a number of European travellers, like, the Frenchman Francis Bernier (1664-65); the British explorer Alexander Cunningham(1847); The Morovian missionary August Hermann Francke (1896) who travelled to Kashmir & Ladakh or for that matter Arthur Neve (-author of Tourist Guide to Kashmir, Ladakh and Skardu-1899) and the one that fascinates me nowadays- Edward Frederick Knight ( who toured Kashmir, Ladakh and Baltistaan in 1891) the expedition- lover- grand father of Michaela, namely Otto Honigmann visited Kashmir, Ladakh and Baltistaan in 1911-12. Here he clicked about 200 photographs that he, on returning home in May 1912, got mounted in a bound album. This is the treasure that Michaela’s book offers to interested readers, like me.
On page 16 of this book she writes: “Hermann Francke- one of the best- known European Tibetologists, describes how during the building of the new bridge, in 1909, at Khalatse (khalsi) “….THE ANCIENT INDIAN INSCRIPTIONS IN ‘KAROSHTHI’ (and Brahmi) SCRIPT…. WERE ALMOST BLASTED….”
From other sources we know some edicts of king Ashoka (272-231 BC) were in kharosthi Script; including the major Rock Edicts at Mansehra and Shahbazgarhi. [-Former is a city in Hazara; on Karakoram & The ancient Silk-route While the latter is in Mardan district…Both in Khyber Pakhtun Wala, (Pakistan-Afghanistan region); Once-Thriving- Buddhist Cities. Both.]
Hold on, dear readers! Experts say: ‘THESE ROCK EDICTS APPEAR TO BE THE FIRST EXAMPLES OF WRITING IN SOUTH ASIA.’
Kharosthi script? Wait, please ! First note,it. I prefer the romanized version of this word.
Ghandhari, which appears on coins, inscriptions & Buddhist texts was the official language of the Kushan Empire; that was used by various people from North west of the Indian subcontinent i:e present Day Pakistan, Central Asia & Afghanistan. This Gandhari is also known as kharosthi Script. It is an early Middle Indo-Aryan language- a prakrit. Some experts of Linguistics have found evidence linking Ghandhari with the Dardic language and this Script was heavily used by the former Buddhist cultures of Central Asia & Eastern China. It is said The Birch-Bark Scrolls consisting of parts of the Dharma-Pada etc have been discovered in the recent past, in 1994 AD, in Eastern Afghanistan and Western Pakistan, in Hadda- west of Khyber Pass. Modern day experts claim that some manuscripts; including that of Mahayana Buddhism’s Pure-Land-Sutras, that are in Kharosthi were brought from Gandhara to China as early AD 147AD AND the Kushan Monk, namely Lokaksema, used for translating it into Chinese. Experts say this Kharosthi Script was alive from 4th century BC to 3rd Century AD.
One more interesting angle is the divergent Etymology of the word Qandahar/ Kandahar. We know it is a district of present day Afghanistan AND that it is believed to be ‘one of the oldest known human settlements, according to some experts in the field.As History tells us during 6th Century BC it became an important outpost of the Achaemenid (Persian) Empire and in 4th Century BC, around 330 BC Alexander the great is said to have done much for its southern flank. We may also recall that Texila- that is 20 miles north of Islamabad (Pakistan), was also annexed by Alexander in, though Muriyas conquered it soon.
In the local Pashto language the name Alexander is rendered as Iskander; that over a period of time is believed to have transformed to Kandahar/ Qandahar because of being a ‘Tract Of Sweet Fruits’ (like grapes, apricots etc). Kandahar enjoyed strategic location too; it being along the old trade routes of southern, central and Western Asia. Much later in time, as recent as around 1747 AD, the founder of Durrani dynasty, king Ahmed Shah Durrani, even made Qandahar the capital of his Afghan- empire.
Other equally strong groups of exponents assert that etymologically the word Gandhara (of the script) transformed, with passage of time, to Kandahar/ Qandahar.
Equally interesting is the claim of scholars who say the very word Kharosthi may have been derived from the Hebrew word Kharosheth, meaning writing.
As per the English Archaeologist Sir John Marshall, [–1876-1958; who was Director General of the Archeological Survey 0f India from 1902 to 1928 AD, and who is known for his monumental work The Buddhist Art Of Gandhara ], kharosthi Script had relations with a form of Aramaic; that was used in the administrative work during the reign of Darius The Great (550 BC -486 BC); the Super-King whose great Achaemenid; empire(-of Iran) included much of Western Asia, Central Asia, The Indus valley, North-East Africa and even Greek Macedonia. Aramaic was the co-official language of this Achaemenid empire, along with Persian. Readers surely must be knowing that his religion/ faith is called Zoroastrianism (–Indo-Iranian-Religion);wherein Chief God is called Ahura Mazda (wise Lord); wherein figured concepts like Good & Evil as Light and Darkness, Reward etc but not Temples & Statues, just Fire-alter.
Hope this much will suffice in today’s column. More when health and time permits.
Adieu.
Poet/Penman/ Columnist, the author has been contributing non-political write-ups, from over two decades, to English Dailies of Kashmir, including Kashmir Observer
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