GYPSIE - HINDU MALE AND FEMALE SLAVES WHO WERE CAPTURED AND SOLD BY DIFFERENT MUSLIM SULTANS ARE CALLED GYPSIE THEY ARE STILL PRESENT IN MILLION NUMBERS IN ALL OVER WORLD

 HINDU MALE AND FEMALE   SLAVES WHO WERE CAPTURED AND  SOLD BY DIFFERENT MUSLIM SULTANS ARE CALLED GYPSIE THEY ARE STILL PRESENT IN MILLION NUMBERS  IN ALL OVER WORLD

This article is chiefly based on legacy of muslim rule in india by one of the  most respected historian of India    K S LAL

LEGACY OF MUSLIM RULE IN INDIA  BY  K S Lal Page 97 TO 98

It was the practice of the invaders to capture defenceless people and make them slaves for service and sale. We shall deal with this phenomenon by Muslim conquerors and rulers in some detail later on. Here we shall confine to the taking of captives in the early years of Muslim invasions and how it led to rather strange occurrences. Many captives taken by conquerors like Mahmud of Ghazni were sold as slaves in Transoxiana, and the Arab Empire. BUT MANY PEOPLE ALSO FLED THE COUNTRY TO SAVE THEMSELVES FROM ENSLAVEMENT AND CONVERSION. CENTURIES LATER THEY ARE TODAY KNOWN AS ROMANIES OR GYPSIES AND ARE FOUND IN ALMOST ALL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES LIKE TURKEY, YUGOSLAVIA, HUNGARY, ITALY, AUSTRIA, GERMANY, SPAIN AND BRITAIN AND EVEN IN AMERICA. In spite of being treated as aliens in Europe, in spite of persistent persecution (as for example in Germany under Hitler), they are today around 6 millions.81 Their nomenclature is derived from roma or man. They also call themselves Roma chave or sons of Rama, the Indian God. Gypsy legends identifying India as their land of origin, Baro Than (the Great Land), are numerous and carefully preserved.82 RESEARCHES BASED ON THEIR LANGUAGE, CUSTOMS, RITUALS AND PHYSIOGONOMY AFFIRM THAT IT IS HINDUS FROM INDIA WHO FORM THE BULK OF THESE PEOPLE IN EUROPE. They are remarkable for their yellow brown, or rather olive colour, of their skin; the jet-black of their hair and eyes, the extreme whiteness of their teeth, and generally for the symmetry of their limbs.83 It is believed that the first exodus of the Roma out of India took place in the seventh century which coincides with the Arab invasion of Sind. In about 700 C.E. they are found serving as musicians of the Persian court.84 Mahmud Ghazni took them away in every campaign. Their biggest group, according to Jan Kochanowski, left the country and set off across Afghanistan to Europe in the twelfth-thirteenth century after the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan at the hands of Muhammad Ghauri.85 EVEN TODAY A VISIT TO THE NEW COMMUNITY OF ROMANIES (GYPSIES) IN SKOJPE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF YUGOSLAVIA IS LIKE ENTERING A VILLAGE IN RAJASTHAN.86 With regard to their language, a large number of the words in different dialects are of Indian origin as their persons and customs show much of the Hindu character. 87 They are freedom loving and prefer tent life. THEIR MARRIAGES ARE SIMPLE, INDIAN TYPE. There is no courtship before marriage. TAKING PARIKRAMA (ROUNDS) AROUND THE FIRE IS WHOLLY BINDING, JUST AS IN INDIA. Originally they were vegetarians. HOLI AND OTHER HINDU FESTIVALS ARE CELEBRATED IN SERBIA AND SPAIN. MOST OF THEM HAVE CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY BUT MAINTAIN SHIVAS TRISULA (trident) - symbol of Gods three powers of desire, action and wisdom. Gypsies are divided into caste groups who live in separate areas or mohallas. There are 149 sub-castes among the Bulgarian gypsies. Their professions comprise working in wood and iron, making domestic utensils, mats and baskets and practising astrology, telling fortunes and sometimes indulging in tricks. Their talent for music is remarkable.88 Their dance and music is voluptuous, of the Indian domdomni type. A CLASSIC EXAMPLE IS THE GYPSY WOMENS SNAKE DANCE, WHICH IS STILL PERFORMED IN RAJASTHAN. THEIR LANGUAGE HAS MANY INDIAN WORDS. THEY HAVE MANUSH FOR MAN, ZOTT FOR JAT, YAK, DUI, TRIN FOR EK, DO, TIN. THEY HAVE LOVARI FOR LOHARI (SMITH), SINTI FOR SINDHI, SUI FOR NEEDLE, SACHCHI FOR TRUE AND DUUR JA FOR GO AWAY. We may close with the old Gypsy saying: Our caravan is our family, and the world is our family which is a direct adaptation of the Sanskrit saying Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. 89 The Romanies or Gypsies left India or were taken away from here centuries ago. Their history comes down to our own times and is extremely absorbing. But their transplantation cannot now be counted as a legacy of Muslim conquest or rule in India. However, there are other activities of Muslim conquerors and rulers like converting people to Islam or breaking idols and temples which are still continuing and which therefore form part of Muslim heritage. We shall now turn to these.