Mandesh

Mandesh is the historical name by which the mountain region of Ghor was called.[1]

History

The region was governed under a Malik named 'Amir' Suri and the mostly Hindu population was not yet converted to Islam.[1]

His son Mohammad who was attacked by Mahmud Ghaznawi is also stated in the Rauzat al Safa to still been a pagan despite his name, and Al Otbi calls him a Hindu. Mahmud took his stronghold in the year 400 (1009) and carried the chief into captivity, where he is said to have poisoned himself. His son Abu Ali was put in his place by Mahmud, no doubt had embraced Islam, and is said to have built Masjids. Nevertheless he was seized imprisoned by his nephew and Abbas after Massud had succeeded to the throne of Ghazana [1]

Etymology

Mandesh is probably a corruption of Madhyadesh from Sanskrit word Madhya (मध्य)Central + Desh (देश) land or country, because it was a mountain province right in the middle of that region, assuming the Ghurid rulers were Hindus . A second explanation, which seems more to be plausible due archeological sites and the factual and historical context (f.ex. Suri as epithet or nickname), the name Mandesh is a Parthian and Middle Persian word taken from two words, māna and day(sh), related with Sogdian M'yn and Diy, meaning rulers of the country or men (owner) of the land. Today, in eastern Persian dialects, deh means village and in some exceptions in the right context it can also used for valley.

See also

References
  1. E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936, Volume 7 By Martijn Theodoor Houtsma Page 161
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