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For other uses, see Hindustan (disambiguation).

Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान, Urdu: ہندوستان, both Hindustān [ɦɪndʊˈstaːn]) "Land of Hindus", is one of the popular names of South Asia. Though the meaning of Hindustan has evolved over the years, after the partition of India it primarily refers to the Republic of India.[1]

Contents

Etymology

Hindustan is derived from the Persian word Hindu, which is itself is derived from Sindhu, Sanskrit for the Indus River. Sindhu is a river in Sanskrit, in Persian it becomes Hindu.[2] This together with a popular suffix -stān (Sanskrit and Old Persian 'sthāna', meaning place) [3][4] gave birth to the word Hindustan, which was rendered as Hindusthan.[5] Literally, the word means land of the Hindus.

Uses of the word "Hindustan"

Geographical areas

Historical term, usually applied to the Ganges Plain of North India, between the Himalayas in the north and the Deccan plateau in the south. Used variably throughout Indian history—generally in contradistinction to the Deccan of peninsular India—it gradually came to mean the whole of N India from the Punjab to Assam. The term Hindustan has also been applied to the whole Indian subcontinent.

– The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press.

Historically, Hindustan has often been used to represent the people of north western India and Pakistan, particularly the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Punjab.[5]

The first known use of the term is on an inscription at Naqsh-e Rustam. The inscription, which dates to around 252 CE, was commissioned by the Persian king, Shapur I, and mentions Hindustan as one of the areas over which he rules. In this context, Hindustan likely refers to the lower Indus Valley region rather than the Indian subcontinent.[6]

Further, it may relate to various aspects belonging to three geographical areas: the modern Republic of India, the Indian subcontinent during medieval times, or a region in northern India, east and south of the Yamuna river, between the Vindhya mountains and the Himalayas where Hindustani languages are spoken.

Ethnicity

The term Hindustan retains its importance as it gives culture identity to India and the Indian Subcontinent ethos, amidst the varied culture of India; along with another word that evolved from it - the adjective, Hindustani, used to define the people of Hindustan, their language, Hindustani language, and also their music, Hindustani classical music.

The adjective Hindustani is a term applied to the syncretic Hindu culture of South Asia. Hindustani is sometimes also used as an ethnic term applied to South Asia. (e.g., A Surinamese man with roots in South Asia might describe his ethnicity by saying he is Hindustani.) For example, Hindoestanen, a Dutch word used to describe people of South Asian origin, in Netherlands and Suriname.jg

See also

Further reading

  • A Sketch of the History of Hindustan from the First Muslim Conquest to the Fall of the Mughol Empire by H. G. Keene.[7]
  • STORY OF INDIA THROUGH THE AGES; An Entertaining History of Hindustan, to the Suppression of the Mutiny, by Flora Annie Steel, 1909 E.P. Dutton and Co., New York.[8]
  • The History of Hindustan: Post Classical and Modern, Ed. B.S. Danniya and Alexander Dow. 2003, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 8120819934.[9]

References

  1. ^ Sindh: An Introduction
  2. ^ Lipner 1998, pp. 7–8
  3. ^ Guardian Unlimited: What does -istan" mean as in Pakistan, Uzbekistan or Afghanistan?
  4. ^ Sri Lanka: Sanskritic loans in modern Sinhala
  5. ^ a b "Hindustan". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.. 2007. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9040520/Hindustan. Retrieved 2007-05-02. 
  6. ^ Ray, Niharranjan; Chattopadhyaya, Brajadulal (2000). A Sourcebook of Indian Civilization. Orient Blackswan. pp. 553–54. ISBN 8125018719. 
  7. ^ Hindustan The English Historical Review, Vol. 2, No. 5 (Jan., 1887), pp. 180-181.
  8. ^ Flora Annie Steel Book Review, February 20, 1909, New York Times.
  9. ^ History of Hindustan (First published: 1770-1772). Dow had succeeded his father as the private secretary of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

Wiktionary

Up to date as of January 15, 2010

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Proper noun

Hindustan

  1. (obsolete) the northern region of India, in which the predominant religion is Hinduism

Simple English

The term Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान [Hindustān], Urdu: ہندوستان [Hindustān], [ɦɪn̪d̪ʊst̪aːn]) comes from the (Persian) word Hindu (which is itself derived from Sindhu, Sanskrit for the Indus River)[1] + -stān, often formerly written Hindoostan and the adjective Hindustani may relate to various aspects of three geographical areas:

  1. The modern Republic of India. Sindhu is a river in Sanskrit, in Persian it becomes Hindu[2]. Sthana in Sanskrit is place.[3][4].
  2. Historically, the Indian subcontinent during the medieval times of the Mughal Empire. The adjective Hindustani is a term used for the Hindu culture of South Asia. Hindustani is sometimes also used as an ethnic term applied to South Asia. (e.g., A West Indian man with roots in South Asia might describe his ethnicity by saying he is Hindustani.)
  3. A region in northern India, east and south of Yamuna river, between the Vindhya mountains and the Himalayas, where Hindi/Hindustani language is spoken.

Hindustan can also refer to the following:

  • Indian car manufacturer Hindustan Motors.
  • HMS Hindustan, one of the eight ships of the King Edward VII class battleships.
  • "Hindustan" (1918), a popular published song written and composed by Oliver G. Wallace and Harold Weeks.
  • Hindustan Times, a major Northern Indian English language daily newspaper.
  • Hindustan Airport, the major airport of Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
  • Hindustani (1996), also called Indian or Bharateeyudu, a film dubbed in Hindi from the Tamil original Indian film, directed by S. Shankar and starring Kamal Haasan.
  • Hindustan, Indiana, United States, a small town just south of Martinsville, Indiana

For a list of Indian companies starting with Hindustan, see List of Indian companies.

Notes

  1. ↑ Lipner 1998, pp. 7–8
  2. ↑ Significance of Hindu and Hindu dharma (Hinduism)
  3. ↑ Guardian Unlimited: What does -istan" mean as in Pakistan, Uzbekistan or Afghanistan?
  4. ↑ Sri Lanka: Sanskritic loans in modern Sinhala

Other pages

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