Prof. Rahmat Karim Baig
‘Victors usually don’t adopt language of vanquished’. This was fired by a reader of my previous article published in this online newspaper based on his studies of various nations of the world. But remember the Katoor family of Chitral became a victor and defeated the Raees family in more than three battles but adopted the Khowar language even if they claim to have come over here from Central Asia.
It is a living proof from our own history. By then they had forgotten their own language. They failed to keep the language of Baba Ayub alive in their family which means he had no such a great tongue to spread here.
The founders of the Katoor family, which is not their real name but borrowed from another source, did fight a deadly battle after their deportation from the Raees capital of Chitral but started their internal quarrel at Mulkho and the sons of Muhammad Baig killed the sons of Muhammad Riza and eliminated the members of that family except Qizil Baig who was then very young and with his foster parents at Shoghore .The foster parents cleverly sent the young man across the border of Arkari into Zebak where he was able, after many years, to collect a group of his adherents and reappeared on the political scene of Chitral.
He made many attempts and the last time when he was reported to have reached Chitral among his supporters the princes of the rival group held consultations to end that headache. Muhtaram Shah Katoor remarked that he must be treated the way in which a mallard of the February is treated i.e. shot dead, but this was overheard by their mother and she called all the sons and told them to hold talks with Qizil Baig, give him some valleys as Jagirs and other high posts. So the advice was followed by the obedient sons and thus the issue was amicably resolved.
It does not always happen like that as presumed. There are exceptions. The Kho language was adopted by the new comers but when after many years they came to the helm of the affairs they had forgotten their original tongue and become part and parcel of the Kho society and after strengthening their hold further they began selling their subjects to gain scanty resources of livelihood. This you may carry on with research and travelling.
Prof.saab..your research on history of Chitral is worth reading but lacks substantial historical depth and validation. Chitral’s history is not only about Raes/Katoor fighting or infighting in Ayubi family. Every tribe in chitral claims foreign roots without any historical evidence. The Greek Kovzia (Pakol) and the mention of khovapas river somewhere in Asmar or chagansarai during alexander’s raid points to more distant time and vast areas held by kho people.
There is nothing wrong in reading about history of other nations. It just helps to understand historical trends in a better way otherwise all what you get is an expression of your own resentments and frustrations in the name of history.
Rahim Baig sahib never provides any source or reference, because he always brings up these fairytales from his dreams.