Hindki

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Hindki
हिन्दकी ہِندکی


caption =
poptime = 300,000cite web|url = http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/PAS_PER/HINDKI.html| title = Hindki|publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|accessdate = 2007-09-14]
regions = flagcountry|AFG
langs = Pashtu, Hindi, Kandhari, Kabuli, Sindhi, Punjabicite web|url = http://www.afghanhindu.info/| title = Introduction|publisher = Afghan Hindus and Sikhs|accessdate = 2007-09-15] cite web|url = http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1994/4/1994-4-02.shtml|title = Hindus Abandon Afghanistan|publisher = Hinduism Today|accessdate = 2007-09-15]
rels = Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhismcite web|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3138282.stm| title = Sikhs struggle in Afghanistan|publisher = British Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate = 2007-09-15]
related = other Indo-Aryan peoples

Hindki (Hindi: हिन्दकी, Pashtu: ہِندکی) is the name given to the Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists who inhabit Afghanistan. They are of the Khatri,cite web|url = http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=113631&rog3=AF| title = Khatri, Sikh of Afghanistan|publisher = Joshua Project|accessdate = 2007-09-14] Arora,cite web|url = http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=111360&rog3=AF| title = Arora, Hindu of Afghanistan|publisher = Joshua Project|accessdate = 2007-09-15] and Brahman classes,cite web|url = http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=111696&rog3=AF| title = Brahman of Afghanistan|publisher = Joshua Project|accessdate = 2007-09-15] and are found all over the country.cite web|url = http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/PAS_PER/HINDKI.html| title = Hindki|publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|accessdate = 2007-09-14] H. W. Bellew, in his "Races of Afghanistan", estimated their number at about 300,000.cite web|url = http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/PAS_PER/HINDKI.html| title = Hindki|publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|accessdate = 2007-09-14] The name Hindki is also loosely used by Pathans on the upper Indus, in Dir, Bajour, &c., to denote the speakers of Punjabi or any of its dialects.cite web|url = http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/PAS_PER/HINDKI.html| title = Hindki|publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|accessdate = 2007-09-14] cite web|url = http://www.khyber.org/publications/036-040/leadingfamilies.shtml| title = Castes, Tribes, and Leading Families - Excerpts from the Gazetteer of the Kohat District|publisher = Khyber Gateway|accessdate = 2007-09-15] It is sometimes applied in a historical sense to the Buddhist inhabitants of the Peshawar Valley north of the Kabul River, who were driven thence about the 5th or 6th century A.D. and settled in the neighbourhood of Kandahar.cite web|url = http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/PAS_PER/HINDKI.html| title = Hindki|publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|accessdate = 2007-09-14]

Origins

British anthropologist HA Rose suggests:

However, another explanation has little to do with Hinduism, as Britishers believed. That is, Hindko is likely derived from the Persian words for most mountainous regions along the Indus and Kabul rivers, as they tumble down towards the plains of Punjab and Sindh. While many Hindkos are assumed to have been Hindu at some point, a point of debate amongst Hindkos themselves, other groups of Hindus that converted to Islam are not referred to by their past religious affiliations, as this would be contrary to the interpretation of Islam in the region. In fact, other groups which have accepted Islam in the region, are now called only Nuristanis (people from the Land of Light), as opposed to Kafirstanis (infidel peoples) - suggesting that the Muslim community of Northern Pakistan does not use terminology suggestive of previous religious affiliations to describe any Muslim group in a mainstream manner. Some Pashtuns, in particular, do refer to Punjabis as Hindus as an insult to their perceived lax interpretation of Islam, but such terminology is not widespread, and the slur is not used to refer to Punjabis outside of an insulting context in general. Furthermore, such insults are used almost exclusively in reference to Punjabis, and not other ethnic groups such as Sindhis and Kashmiris, who are also descendants of converts to Islam, and in many ways maintain stronger Hindu influences than Punjabis.

Hindki in Peshawar

Peshawar has historically had a significant population of Hindkos. James Douis records the population of Peshawar in 1916 :cquote|Half of the people are Pathans , the rest are known generally as Hindkis . The principal Hindki tribe is that of the Awans [The Punajab North West Frontier Provience and Kashmir by Sir James Douie Low price publications page 299]

ee also

*Hindko language
*Hinduism in Afghanistan
*Buddhism in Afghanistan
*Awan

References

External links

* [http://www.afghanhindu.info/ Afghan Hindus and Sikhs]
* [http://www.afghanhindu.com/ Afghan Hindu Association]
* [http://www.joshuaproject.net/profiles/maps/m111696.gifJoshua Project: Distribution Map of Brahmans in South Asia]