Friends,
For a long time now I have been wanting to write something about Indian languages other than English…bhojpuri, hindi, bengalee, marathi, awadhi, braj, haryanavi, panjabi, maithili, angika, magadhi, paharia, santhali, birhor, ardha-magadhi, pali, latin, Sanskrit…the list of Indian languages (according to) G.A. Grierson. 1904. Linguistic survey of India….which is no doubt, now obfuscated, even if it is, for that period, a good record.
How is it…..how is it….how is it, that India, as a country, manages with such linguistic, diversity? The Brits, in the Colonial Period, almost broke, all records, of trying to document, each and every, language, and language family, and just so, the very much known dialects, of, India to understand this problem
However, as an archaeologist, with proper academic degrees, would let, u, know, easily, that a survey of a universe (of data) is only possible, through, a sample of it! the sample simulates the universe, but is not it.
As, no sample; although, in practical life we but test but one or two grain of rice, to adjudge, if all rice is cooked; and that, to all intents, and, purposes works…yet, we tend to think of the British, and British period surveys, like the Linguistic Survey, referred to above, that Sir George A. Grierson, could not, even, remotely, have pulled-up a perfect sample, of the total languages, and dialects of India in 1904! What, of, linguistic, developments, of over a hundred years, after-that? Think about that.
Complex web, this business, of Indian toungues, and a good question, here, would be, as to why, as an archaeologist, I am delving into it! A relevant book with this language issue at hand, that, comes to mind, is A.C. Renfrew's "The Puzzle of Indo-European Origins". Now AC Renfrew, more popularly known as Colin, to his students, is no Orientalist, but a contemporary archaeologist, with a subject-grasp, that spans the archaeology of the mediterranean, peer-polity relations, models and simulations in archaeology, cognitive archaeology, marxist archaeology, and more lately, his interest in Indo-European Languages, and their origin. I Was but a graduate student at cambridge, when, Colin, in his immaculate, elegant, very manegerial pinstriped suit, probably Seville Row, at that, would breeze through our department; chatting here, grabbing a student chip there, a coffee here; a chat with Nigel Holman, there. a perfect and true leader, and that is how all students regard all their teachers, anyway, so why not I?
There was once, a great debate, in our department, after which, quite as usual, we adjourned for beer at the Eagle Pub, where, for instance, the great Charles darwin, discovered his theory of the Origin of Species. But, we, did, not, make any such mistakes. we jus made jolly.
Now Colin, more than others, did not wear his erudition, on his, or any other cuff, at all, and, this is a fact.
His lectures packed a unique punch, so that, as his M.Phil Student, and the sole member, in my time, of the CUBC (Cambridge University Boxing Club), he made my head swim more than once, for asking useless questions.
A humbleman, he bycyled to the department, even as he was at the same time, Master of jesus College, Head of Department, and in the House of Lords.
That did not detract, at all, and that perchance was the message his pinstriped suit was meant to convey.
He was my Director of Studies. In one encounter, in his Disney professorial Office; I saw a very old and humble prof. Glynn Daniell, entering his office, with a very wet and dripping umbrella.
On another, i was summoned by him, to discuss with him, my plans for fieldwork, in the Santhal Parganas. Colin, everyday, worked, not lees than until eight in the evening, by which time, the night-guards, the librarians, the cleaning-staff, had all-but departed. Now that is working.
This late in the evening, with a Cambridge Professor is daunting enough for a student, more so an indian Student, however, particularly, so, if the first question fired by Colin, at me was, what is the type of religious belief of the Paharias?
I remeber it very clearly, yes, as you don't get to meet the Head of a Cambridge Deppt, all that often, or without an prior appointment, done by a very british and uppity secreatry, even if you are God!!!!
So, as fate would have it Sir Colin asked me this question, and i blurted, 'Why, Sir, they practice an anthropomorphic religion". "What is anthropomorphic".
And the story shall go on!
What wonderful Mysteries await its furthernb questioning
U shall get ur answerz as aaaeeeiii du!
Consider this;
Raj ki bitiya, Bhaat ki bitiya;
duno jani hatiya main haat peet kareli;
raja ke raani bhaili, mahant ke mahatin bhaili;
inko saat poot, unko saat-poot,
inkar saab jiyat rahal, unkar saah mar kahr gaeil;
"kaho tora bhaini ho roe ke nahaye ke sardha baa;
haan ho mora bhahinee ho roye ke nahaye ke sardha baaa;
Chaal chaal ja, tundar dhan pasariha;
larikwan aihen, giree bichchilainhe;
gari, pakee, phuti, mari-hari jahihen,
roe ke nahaye ke sardha pooree;
chal chal jayalee, tundare dhaan pasarelee;
laraikwan awailen,
khelelan kudelen;
Kahu mora bhainee ho naa kehu marelaa na kehu kharelaaa
charoo kudelaa phanelaa,
netua nachela, nagargeet gawela,
bhaat barmawela,
patoh soh kajar sendur karelee!
Pratap, Singh,
BHU
India.
