Hindko Language
Muhammad Zia-Ud-Din
The Gandhara civilization can also be referred to as the Hindko civilization because language serves as the custodian of a civilization, culture, and traditions. Hindko has been spoken in this region since ancient times, even before the Vedic era, which is why it can be called the Hindko civilization. Researchers consider this region the cradle of Hindko civilization. Like every region in the world, the administrative and political boundaries of this area i.e., the Hindko civilization have changed over time, but the significance of geographical references cannot be denied. Hindko belongs to the Indo-Aryan family of languages, which also includes several languages spoken in Pakistan, such as Punjabi, Sindhi, Saraiki, Gujari, Pahari, Kohistani, and others.
The detailed classification of these languages has been extensively documented by George Abraham Grierson in his book Linguistic Survey of India. The Indo-Aryan languages share a deep connection, and their speakers can easily understand one another without the need for an intermediary, translator, or interpreter. According to the last census, Hindko has been declared the sixth-largest language in Pakistan and the second-largest in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The word Hindko is derived from two words: Hind and Ko. The term Hind relates to all the geographical and cultural aspects of this region, such as the Indian subcontinent, the Hindu-Kush Mountains, the Indian Ocean, the Indus River, and so on. The second part, Ko, is used in the sense of speaking. Similar words include Kaweta and Kehna, which also mean “to speak”. Based on this, Hindko means “the language spoken in the land of Hind”. Those who speak Hindko are referred to as Hindkowans. The history of the Hindko-speaking people is as ancient as the word Hindko itself. When the inscriptions found in the ruins of Taxila, written in the ancient Kharosthi script, were deciphered, their phonetic sounds resembled Hindko. In ancient times, Kharosthi script was used to write Hindko. However, in the modern era, Hindko is written in the Arabic and Persian script, just like other Indo-Aryan languages spoken in Pakistan.
Hindko speakers can easily understand and communicate with speakers of other Indo-Aryan languages without feeling unfamiliar or disconnected. Hindko is the mother tongue of millions of people in Pakistan. Its speakers are found not only in Pakistan but also in Azad Kashmir and Indian-administered Kashmir. Hindko has had a profound influence on the civilization, culture, and traditions of its speakers. The language has flourished both in everyday speech and in written form. Hundreds of books, magazines, and newspapers are being published in the Hindko language, and these writings appear in various dialects of Hindko as well. In the national census, data has also been collected regarding the status and population of Hindko speakers.
To promote knowledge and literature in the Hindko language, the Gandhara Hindko Academy Peshawar has been established, under which a BS Hindko curriculum has been developed and introduced in universities. This language is being taught as a subject in educational institutions across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Poets, writers, and other Hindko speakers have contributed to the promotion of Hindko literature through their own efforts. In addition, both provincial and federal government institutions have also worked towards the development of this language and its literature. Books on Hindko grammar, dictionaries, and various literary genres are readily available. Hindko has gained recognition not only at the national level but also internationally. A dedicated shelf for Hindko books has even been established in the Library of Congress in the United States.
Keeping in view the demands of the modern era, the Hindko language has also been preserved through digital mechanisms. It is now among the languages that are being protected through advanced digital applications. In classical poetry and literature, Hindko Sufi poets such as Ahmed Ali Saaien, Saaien Ghulam Din Hazarvi, and Saaien Ghulam Faqir have significantly expanded the literary and intellectual depth of the language through their mystical poetry. Research in various fields has been expanded, with hundreds of research papers published, and M-Phil and PhD programs conducted at different universities. Experts in social sciences agree that the Gandhara Hindko Board Peshawar has played a vital role in promoting Hindko language, literature, and culture in the modern age. Research has proven that this language has been spoken in this region for thousands of years. The speakers of this language, being the Sons of the Soil, have deep historical roots here. The inscriptions and coins discovered from ancient times provide strong evidence that the ancestors of the Hindkowans have been settled in this region for centuries and millennia.
