Gurkha ? Need Help with Translation

If you lived in UK it would be a whole lot easier - there are a good few Gurkhas living in our county, due to the British Army's Gurkha Regiment basing itself just outside the main city of the county. I'll try making contact with the adjutant and send him a copy of the inscription.
 
So Paul sent me pictures of this the other day, I posted them in another forum to discuss it with some international antique arms collectors. I spoke with a former US soldier who says in 2003 he handled a whole rack of these in Afghanistan, they were all identical to this one and had the same script under the barrel, it’s an almost extinct script, common to some parts of Afghanistan. These weren’t tourist guns, they were made for use, and are a cross between a Bess and an Enfield musket.
 
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OP - got an answer just ten minutes ago

Dear Tac (If I may?),

Thank you for your email. According to our Gurkha staff (who are more conversant with Devanagari script than I am at present) the inscription on your musket barrel literally reads as follows:

‘RAJ – JAYPUR – TAH – JAYPUR

NO. 2119’


As to its precise meaning, it is possible that the number is a serial number for the musket, and that ‘Jaypur’ may refer to the city of Jaipur in northern India. However beyond that would be to entertain conjecture, as the meaning of the inscription may be complicated from abbreviation, or have a colloquial meaning which was understood at the time of inscription but not now. Do you possibly have any other information about the provenance of the item which may help elucidate the matter?

Kind regards,

Doug Henderson
Collections Officer


Office: 01962 842832 (Opt. 7)

Registered Charity Number: 1169920 (formerly 272426)

VAT Registration No 528890995


Visit The Gurkha Museum Trust website www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk


May I add further -

To my eyes the wokmanship leaves a lot to desired, as the Nepal Royal Arsenal guns that I've been looking at over the years all show far superior craftsmanship than this. I'm tending to the opine that these guns are all Dahra frawks. The wood appears to be teak, rather than walnut, and the barrel band springs are crude beyond belief. However, I'm very grateful to Doug and the Gurkha staff for helping us out with this one.
 
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Google something like;

" language translation forum "

A variety of forums are shown.

Or;

" Gurkha language translation "

Or your local university Language Faculty.
 
Please see Post #11, which is a translation by a serving Gurkha SNCO. I agree that trying Google translate might be helpful if the translation from a native speaker is not thought to be good enough.
 
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tacfoley said:
OP - got an answer just ten minutes ago

Dear Tac (If I may?),

Thank you for your email. According to our Gurkha staff (who are more conversant with Devanagari script than I am at present) the inscription on your musket barrel literally reads as follows:

‘RAJ – JAYPUR – TAH – JAYPUR

NO. 2119’


As to its precise meaning, it is possible that the number is a serial number for the musket, and that ‘Jaypur’ may refer to the city of Jaipur in northern India. However beyond that would be to entertain conjecture, as the meaning of the inscription may be complicated from abbreviation, or have a colloquial meaning which was understood at the time of inscription but not now. Do you possibly have any other information about the provenance of the item which may help elucidate the matter?

Kind regards,

Doug Henderson
Collections Officer


Office: 01962 842832 (Opt. 7)

Registered Charity Number: 1169920 (formerly 272426)

VAT Registration No 528890995


Visit The Gurkha Museum Trust website www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk


May I add further -

To my eyes the wokmanship leaves a lot to desired, as the Nepal Royal Arsenal guns that I've been looking at over the years all show far superior craftsmanship than this. I'm tending to the opine that these guns are all Dahra frawks. The wood appears to be teak, rather than walnut, and the barrel band springs are crude beyond belief. However, I'm very grateful to Doug and the Gurkha staff for helping us out with this one.
Click to expand...


Morning Tac and do appreciate your help with the translation and information.
No other markings on the flinter and the lock has been scrubbed clean.

take care

jpc
 
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