Thread by @Shrikantha5

4A. Date.
#Mythbusting #Indian Food is native to #India
Date is native to India!
The claim that was made that Date was brought to India by Arabs/Moghuls/Portuguese is false. Read the whole thread to conclude.
All references given at the end.

Chapter 6 of Madanapala Nighantu described date in 12th century, 250 years before the word "Date" came into English language. (Check M-W for word history in English)

Madanapala calls it खर्जूरिका
श्रेणी खर्जूरिकावृक्षः श्रीफला द्वीपलम्भवा |
पिण्डखर्जूरिका खर्जूर्दुष्प्रधर्षा सुकण्टका
Meaning in next thread

He explains a series of names such as Kharjurika, Shree Phala and Dweepalambhava. (Fruit of the Island) and explains that Kharjurka is hard to climb with thorns.

It is important for you to remember the name "fruit of the island." I will come to that again.

Next shloka describes more types of Dates!
अन्या स्कन्धफला स्वाद्वी दुरारोहा मृदुच्छदा |
भूमिखर्जूरिका काककर्कटी कासुकर्कटी
Please note second line discussed varieties found in India. भूमिखर्जूरिका काककर्कटी कासुकर्कटी

भूमिखर्जूरिका means the Kharjoora that grows on the ground.
काककर्कटी is Kharjoora which has smaller fruits eaten by crow.

Shloka 3 and 4 describe more varieties and also describe Ayurvedic properties.
Kharjura fruit is cold, tasty, greasy and relieves wounds
Balya kills the wind, bile, intoxication, fainting and intoxication

Please note the observation in Ayurveda in 12th century that date can be used to treat Alcoholic hangover. There is literature in PubMed if you want to understand how it may be working. More research is needed but people who have used dates to cure hangovers swear by it.

Now let us check with scientific history as documented by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum. He described Phoenix Dactylifera in page 1188 of volume 2.

He called species of Date which looked like fingers (Dactylifera) belonging to Genus called Phoenix.

I have already provided enough proofs to prove Carl Linnaeus copied from Hindu textbooks. But that is totally not related to this discussion, so let me not digress!

Now see what is mentioned as "habitat" for Date described by Carl Linnaeus.

India!

Carl Linnaeus did not see a Date palm in Europe. He basically redescribed what he heard. So, Portuguese getting Date Palm is busted.
But church is really messed up.
They insidiously claim Date palm is a native of South Pakistan and then it was introduced into India!

The literature appropriating Date palm to South Pakistan is from 1188!
Hindus were being killed and millenia long genocide had just started.
Why steal the knowledge too!

But remember I told you it is very important to understand that Kharjura is fruit of the island eaten by crow.
What is that fruit?
Which is that island?

काककर्कटी is smaller variety of the Dates native to Andaman!

Just like what is discussed in Madanapala Nighantu!
Scientific Name: Phoenix sylvestris

Plants of the world online database lists India as the origin of Phoenix sylvestris.

And genetic research has concluded that Phoenix sylvestris is progenitor of Phoenix dactylifera!

The Ayurvedic text from 1150! Describing properties of various types of Dates and leaving a clue about the origin of Date.
Please start building scientific temper.
Throw out Islamic and Catholic Colonial past.
Be free.

Reference:
Madanapala Nighantu
niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nigha…
Species Plantarum
biodiversitylibrary.org/item/13830#pag…
POWO database
powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid…

Thank you.
That is another myth busted.
I will add this to my super thread about Indian food.

https://twitter.com/Shrikantha5/status/1618403992115220480