01-22-2004, 06:45 AM
I am only speculating from my knowledge of Sikh history and Sikh sources.
Guru Nanak Dev in his Babarvani writes about atrocities of Babar when he attacked India in 1520s. At that time Muslims in that part of India (Lahore, Sheikhupura) were in a minority judging from the fact that earlier in Guru Nanak dev's village Talwandii, that is now called Nankana Sahib there was only one muslim family Rai Bular (who owned the village) and from close by villages there was another muslim (low caste ministrel mirasi) who later became a Sikh named Mardana.
Simple facts like Khokhars, Chatthas, Virks, Chauhan and other Rajput/Jutts who were in Punjab were always hindus before Aurungzeb and it was due to money, land, women that these guys were converted. Khokhars who were valiant Rajputs that all muslim invaders dreaded are almost all converted to Islam now.
Punjab was softened by the concept of Punj Peers by the sufi saints and then when there was no difference between Hindus and Muslims, Hindus became Muslims for such flimsy reason as "meat is allowed to eat","I can marry four times", etc. It was slow before Akbar but after Jehangir (when Naqashbandi Islam took over that was precursor to Deobandi sect) it passed all limits. Till 1947 Punjab was divided into Hindu/sikh villages and Muslim villages and cities had separate Muslim Mohallas. Lahore even today have Gawalmandi (gawala mandi for milk sellers) that had huge temples and shivalas (not any more).
Earlier (1200 A.D.) Muslim sufi saint Baba Sheikh Farid Shakarganj wrote in a mixture of Sanskrit/Punjabi and not using Arabic and/or Persian., though he migrated from Iran. Here is a sample of what he wrote 800 years ago
From Guru Granth Sahib
"Roti meri Kaath ki, laavan meri bhukh"
"jeena khadi choprian, ghane sahenge dukh"
now that is a chaste Punjabi. it says
"My bread is made out of wood and that satisfy my hunger"
"The one's who ate bread and butter will suffer immense sorrow"
meaning that people who use vicious ways to earn money will loose their peace of mind.
800 years ago a foreigner who ventured into Punjab learned punjabi and spoke a chaste punjabi without using any urdu/persian/arabian words., that tells me a lot about that Punjab. It is not same any more.
I am sorry there is no data to validate what I am saying but believe me before Aurungzeb all the area upto river Indus was a majority Hindu.
Guru Nanak Dev in his Babarvani writes about atrocities of Babar when he attacked India in 1520s. At that time Muslims in that part of India (Lahore, Sheikhupura) were in a minority judging from the fact that earlier in Guru Nanak dev's village Talwandii, that is now called Nankana Sahib there was only one muslim family Rai Bular (who owned the village) and from close by villages there was another muslim (low caste ministrel mirasi) who later became a Sikh named Mardana.
Simple facts like Khokhars, Chatthas, Virks, Chauhan and other Rajput/Jutts who were in Punjab were always hindus before Aurungzeb and it was due to money, land, women that these guys were converted. Khokhars who were valiant Rajputs that all muslim invaders dreaded are almost all converted to Islam now.
Punjab was softened by the concept of Punj Peers by the sufi saints and then when there was no difference between Hindus and Muslims, Hindus became Muslims for such flimsy reason as "meat is allowed to eat","I can marry four times", etc. It was slow before Akbar but after Jehangir (when Naqashbandi Islam took over that was precursor to Deobandi sect) it passed all limits. Till 1947 Punjab was divided into Hindu/sikh villages and Muslim villages and cities had separate Muslim Mohallas. Lahore even today have Gawalmandi (gawala mandi for milk sellers) that had huge temples and shivalas (not any more).
Earlier (1200 A.D.) Muslim sufi saint Baba Sheikh Farid Shakarganj wrote in a mixture of Sanskrit/Punjabi and not using Arabic and/or Persian., though he migrated from Iran. Here is a sample of what he wrote 800 years ago
From Guru Granth Sahib
"Roti meri Kaath ki, laavan meri bhukh"
"jeena khadi choprian, ghane sahenge dukh"
now that is a chaste Punjabi. it says
"My bread is made out of wood and that satisfy my hunger"
"The one's who ate bread and butter will suffer immense sorrow"
meaning that people who use vicious ways to earn money will loose their peace of mind.
800 years ago a foreigner who ventured into Punjab learned punjabi and spoke a chaste punjabi without using any urdu/persian/arabian words., that tells me a lot about that Punjab. It is not same any more.
I am sorry there is no data to validate what I am saying but believe me before Aurungzeb all the area upto river Indus was a majority Hindu.