Question of the Day #15

 The word X, though commonly recognised today as a granular substance found in kitchens across the Indian subcontinent, has an ancient linguistic ancestry that dates back over two millennia. Its root lies in classical Sanskrit, where a similar-sounding word referred not to sweetness per se, but to the idea of breaking, fragmenting, or a piece of a whole. This etymological link is not coincidental: the original form of X in Sanskrit was closely tied to the act of dividing or cleaving something solid. In this context, X originally meant a “fragment” or “lump” — not necessarily edible, but any broken-off part. From here, the term narrowed in meaning over time, eventually referring to crystallised sweet fragments derived from boiling down plant-based juices.

This transformation from general fragmentation to a specific food item happened in tandem with the development of sugar-making techniques in the Indian subcontinent, particularly through the processing of the stalk of a tall tropical grass. Ancient Indian chemists pioneered the early crystallisation methods of this plant’s juice. As the technology evolved, so did the vocabulary. X came to refer specifically to the unrefined, crystalline form produced before the invention of modern refining techniques. It was distinct from liquid sweeteners or syrups and was highly valued not only in local consumption but also in regional trade.

As knowledge of X spread east and west via trade routes and texts, the word traveled too. In medieval Persian and Arabic writings, adapted forms of the term began to appear, eventually entering European languages through translations and commerce, forming the basis of the English word for a refined version of X. Yet, in South Asia, X retained its older form and associations — symbolising a pre-industrial, earthy version of sweetness still used in traditional cooking and Ayurvedic preparations today.

On an entirely new perspective, X can also be called as a "part" of something and to symbolise the very definition of part or segment, two Indian states have a suffix X. The first one is known for the number 7, please connect the clues, and the other is known, quiet literally as the northern segment.

X is also a popular suffix for Maharashtra based sweets and delicacies.

X?