Diachronic Development of SINDHI

Diachronic Development of SINDHI

Ancient Era 

The petroglyphs of pre-history discovered from the bed of Seeta river in the mountainous range of Khirthar in Sindh (Pirzado: 2002) have opened up new windows through which can be seen the people of Sindh engaged, in the time immemorial, writing something on the rocky pages of some 

prehistoric book.  

In the homes of the inhabitants of Mohen-jo-daro (2500-1500 B.C.) and in its crowded bazaars, the language spoken was most probably an ancient form of Sindhi, the available script of which is not deciphered so far. It however provides evidence to the effect that literature was also produced in that ancient (Sindhi) language. But no extensive excavations have so far been conducted at the World Heritage Site of Mohen-jo-daro, wherefrom the discovery of a library could be possible that could provide a sort of clue like the Rosetta-Stone, to give us a real key into decipherment of the Indus Script.   “Even the period of Proto-SINDHI or Primary Sindhi Prakrit was earlier than that of Panini, Patangali and Kalidas, and even the composition of Ramayana and Mahabharta.  “Tirthanker of Jainism (Anshanath the 11th) was born in Sindh where he preached in Sindhi language of the times and carried his propaganda right up to Bengal where he died.   “According to the present knowledge of the science of languages, Bharat Muni was the first Sanskrit writer in whose great work Nataya Shastra of 2nd century A.D., are given some references of the language of the people of Sindhu Sauvira (Sindh).   

“In 7th century A.D., a Chinese pilgrim recorded that the language of the  people of Sindh differed slightly from that of mid-India, comprising North Gujrat, Rajastan, Malwa and Western U.P. In the 8th century the language of the then Sindhis figured among the 18 important languages of Bharat Varsha and the poetry of the people of Sindh is mentioned as ‘Graceful, Sweet, Softtoned and Patriotic in sentiment’.   “An unknown Sindhi scholar, more than 1,000 years ago, wrote in Sindhi language a prose version of Mahabharta, differing though in some particulars from the Mahabharta as known today. 

This work was translated into Arabic, sometimes in 10th century A.D., by the evidence recorded in the writings of AlBeruni and Abu Saleh; the said Mahabharta may be regarded as the earliest work of Sindhi Prose of 3rd century B.C.” (Khilnani: 1959)   However, there are missing links in the history of Sindh during which various invaders burned down libraries, looted, plundered and erased every sign of academic life of Sindh while the indigenous population under siege had no respite to re-write their history.