The Hindu Kush: History, Myth, and the Story of “Two Hundred Thousand”
Across social media and messaging platforms, a dramatic historical claim frequently appears regarding the origin of the name “Hindu Kush.” The story states that during the reign of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq, nearly 200,000 Punjabis—men, women, and children—were captured and marched across the mountains toward Afghanistan. According to the claim, they froze to death in extreme winter conditions, and the mountain range was therefore named “Hindu Kush,” allegedly meaning “Killer of Hindus.”
