Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name: Part -5

 History of Garhwal (1223- 1804 AD) –part -12

 History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -257

                       By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Student)

  There are following concepts for origin of Garhwal and Garhwali names.

               From Girryali to Garhwal

         Dr. Gupte (Epigraphia Indica, Vol13, pages 115-117 available on web) suggests that there Girryavali is synonym of Parvatakar Kingdom of Paurav Kings. Garhwal word is derived from Girryavali. However there is no history record of Girryavali word in Paurav Kingdom period.

                 Gar word of Tibetan Language  

              Many scholars conceptualized that Garhwal or Gadhwar words came from ‘Gar’ word of Tibetan language. There are names in Tibetan languages as Garbyang, Gar-Gunsa, Gyagar Khampa. There are words of Tibetan languages in Garhwali and other middle Himalayan languages. However, no specific proof is there that Gadh or Garhwal words are derived from Tibetan language word ‘Gar’.

               From Baghad to Gadh or Garhwal

             In old age, there was a Baghad tribe in Himachal Pradesh. The land of that tribe is still called Baghal or Baghat.  It is proposed that Baghad tribe extended its territory from Himachal towards east in Yamuna –Ganga valley. In later stage the territory was called Baghadwal. In later stage, the word Baghadwal changed into Ghadhwal or Gadhwal.

  

                             Ghad region of Saharanpur district

  When the earth is bumpy and uneven and such place is called Ubad –Khabad and Ghad.

There is region Ghad in Shivalik foothills of Saharanpur district which is bumpy and uneven. In Garhwal region, such uneven region is called Ghad. In Himachal, bumpy region is called Changhad or Changhaad. It is also believed that Changhad, Ghad words were transformed into Ghadhwal and then into Gadhwal.

                       Gadhi to Garhwal

  Folk sayings sate that Ajayapal won over fifty two or sixty four Gadhis of Garhwal and established his Kingdom from Yamuna to Nanda Devi and such region was called Gadhwal due to abundances of Gadhi.

             Gadh word for whole region

              Perhaps Gadh des word was common for western part (today’s Garhwal) of Ashokchalla kingdom. Still we call Garhwal as Gadh des too.  

               Court poet Maularam used Gadhwal and Gadh des for Garhwal kingdom.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com3/2//2014

                                      References

1-Dr. Shiv Prasad Dabral, 1971, Uttarakhand ka Itihas Bhag-4, Veer Gatha Press, Dogadda, Pauri Garhwal, India 

2-Harikrishna Raturi, Garhwal ka Itihas

3-Dr. Patiram, Garhwal Ancient and Modern

4-Rahul Sankrityayan, Garhwal

5- Oakley and Gairola, Himalayan Folklore

6- Bhakt Darshan, Garhwal ki Divangit Vibhutiyan

7-Foster, Early Travels in India William Finch

8-Upadhyaya, Shri Shankaracharya

9-Shering, Western Tibet and British

10-H.G. Walton, Gazetteer of British Garhwal

11-B.P.Kamboj, Early Wall Paintings of Garhwal

12-H.g Walton, Gazetteer of Dehradun

13- Vimal Chandra, Prachin Bharat ka Itihas

14-Meera Seth, Wall Paintings of Western Himalayas 

15-Furar, Monumental Antiquities

16-Haudiwala, Studies in Indo-Muslim History

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

History of Garhwal from 1223-1804 to be continued in next chapter          

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -258  

Xx

Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name; Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name (including Pauri Garhwal); Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name (including Chamoli Garhwal); Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name (including Rudraprayag Garhwal); Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name (including Tehri Garhwal); Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name (including Dehradun Garhwal); Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name (including Uttarkashi Garhwal); Himalayan History of Origin of Garhwal Name (including Haridwar Garhwal);