Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni Language in Classic Age

 History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 89

          (Asian Classical Age History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand))

                          (Asian History (600-750 AD)

(This article is dedicated to Shri Tara Chand Tripathi a learned cultural history scholar, a Kumaoni language history writer)

                                                       By: Bhishma Kukreti

         Recently, Tara Chandra Tripathi has been publishing a long article ‘Kumaonik Udhbhav aur Vikas” in Shailvani a weekly of Kotdwara, Garhwal (June-July, 2013, issues).

          Tara Chandra Tripathi states that there are similarities between Prakrit Kumaoni of first century before Christ and Kumaoni of today in many aspects languaguge structure. By providing examples of inscriptions of Kashipur Tripathi proves that there was difference between Prakrit Kumaoni of Hills and Prakrit Kumaoni of Bawar (plains of Kumaon).

  Tripathi observes that in Gupta and after Gupta period, many new inhabitants came to Kumaon and they added newer vocabulary to Kumaoni of that time. Tara Chand opinionates that due to new Brahmanvad in Gupta era brought Sanskrit as court language and Sanskrit affected Prakrit Kumaoni.  Due to incoming of new people from central India in Uttarakhand, the Central Indian Prakrit language affected Prakrit Kumaoni and Garhwali as today, Hindi is influencing Garhwali and Kumaoni languages by words and sentence structure.   

   Tripathi suggests  that due to Ushmikaran and Dwijtva (new Brahmanvad) affected Garhwali and Kumaoni languages and their dialects.  He provides the example of village names of Taleshwar inscription (Paurava kings of Parvatakar of 6-7^th century).

तालेश्वर अभिलेखों में ग्राम नाम और वर्तमान कुमाउनी ग्राम नाम 

अभिलेखीय नाम -------------वर्तमान ग्राम नाम -------------संस्कृत नाम

डूढबा -----------------------------ड्वाब ----------------------------दर्भा
दुण्णा---------------------------दूण -------------------------------दुण्र्ण
गोगग्पल्लिका ---------------गगाली -----------------------गोग्रिष्टपल्लिका
समज्जा ---------------------सैंज ---------------------------समस्था

सन्दर्भ - ताराचंद्र त्रिपाठी , २०१३,  कुमांउनीक उद्भव और विकास, शैलवाणी, कोटद्वार , अंक २o , २१ औरक्रमश:  

  Reference; Tara Chandra Tripathi, 2013, Kumaoni Bhasha ka Udhbhav aur Vikas, Shailvani, Kotdwara (issue- 20 and following issues)    

  Prakrit Kumaoni and Garhwali started taking words and sentence structures from Dwijbhasha Sanskrit.

                   Conclusion is that by sixth and seventh century, the Prakrit Kumaoni or Prakrit Garhwali languages added various words and grammatical constructions, structures from Pali, Central Indian languages and dialects and Sanskrit language. There are not chronological records available that could show chronological development of Kumaoni and Garhwali in Pre Aryan, Post Aryan, Maurya era, post Maurya era, Gupta age and post Gupta age. However, it is certain that in this age of various ups and downs in Garhwal, Kumaon and other parts of India; old Kumaoni and Old Garhwali changed drastically at least in taking words from other territories. Definitely, New Brahmanvad might have influenced the inhabitants forgetting many words those were spoken frequently before fist century in the region.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 1/7//2013

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -90

      

References:

1-Jayswal, K.P., Andhkaryugin Bharat

2-Shiv Prasad Dabra, ‘Charan’, 1968, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Bhag –1 and 3

3-Rahul Sankrityayan , Garhwal

4-Dinesh Saklani, 1998, Ancient Communities of the Himalayas

7-Arun Kumar Mishra, 1992, The Trading Communities in Ancient India:

8- Indian Archeology Review, 1968-69

12-Thapliyal, K.K, 1984, Inscriptions of Maukharis, Late Guptas, Pushyabhutis and Yashovarman of Kanauj

13-Uma Prasad Thapliyal, 2005, Uttaranchal: Historical and Cultural Prospective (Page 29, about Authority of Maukharis on Uttarakhand and Haridwar) 

14-.Tripathi, R.S., History of Kanauj

15-Encyclopedia of Ancient Indian Geography Kashi-Z, Volume-2; Edited by Subodh Kapoor, 2002, page 459-460

16-Prem Hari Har Lal, 1993, Doon Valley down the Ages, page 33

17-Kamboj, B.P., 2003, Early Wall Painting of Garhwal, page 20

18- Archeological Survey 1968-69 A Review, page-51

19-Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy, 1974 page -9

20-Kiran Kumar Thapliyal, Studies in Ancient Seals, 1972,

21-Tara Chand Tripathi, Preceding of Indian History Congress, 1982, Identification of Beahmpur in the Light of Taleshwar copper Grant

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Notes on Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Bawar; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Udham Singh Nagar; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Nainital; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Almora; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Champawat; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Bageshwar; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Dwarhat; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Pithoragarh; Historical Developmental Stages of Kumaoni language in Classic Age in Ranikhet