luni, 12 mai 2008

Roma - Descendants of Warrior Classes of India

Much literature, and many internet sites and sponsoring organizations use the spelling "Rroma". There are no words in Sanskrit which begin with a rr, nor are there any such words in Punjabi, Hindi, or other Northern Indian languages. Therefore, at Dr. Rishi's request, from Roma Nos 42-43, January-July 1995, we reprint here the following:


An Appeal from Dr. W. R. Rishi
Roma - Descendants of Warrior Classes of India

Interdisciplinary research in India and abroad by prominent linguists and scholars have proved beyond doubt that the Roma are, mainly, the descendants of people of warrior classes of North-India - Kshatriyas, Rajputs, and Jats. A large number of Rajput and Jat soldiers, as also their families, were taken prisoners by the Muslim invaders. The emigrants were not only Rajputs and Jats and Khatris (Kshatriyas), the rulers of principalities and heads of republics and the fighters. In order to be self-sufficient and to allow inner mobility, they attracted men and women from all of the populations groups of India.

They are called by different names in different countries. To denote them as a nation, they adopted for themselves the name Roma (singular Rom). A resolution to this effect was passed at the First World Romani Congress at London in 1971, which was attended by me. The name has been registered with International bodies like the UN, UNESCO, ECOSOC, and THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.

Please do not - repeat - not connect them with the Doms, a lower case in India. Please do not distort their name to be pronounced and written as "Rrom" and thus do not falsify their history. It is the duty if Romani media to use ROM as their proper name and not "Rrom" as wrongly advocated by so called "neo-linguists".

Opre Roma! Higher, and still higher, Roma!

Padmashri Dr. W.R. Rishi
Director, Indian Institute of Romani Studies, Chandigarh, India
Honorary President, International Romani Union

from Roma Nos 42-43, January-July 1995

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