Ever since the unfortunate and tragic mass displacement of Kashmiri Hindus in the year 1990 leaving behind their centuries old homeland in Kashmir, they have been wondering like nomads from place to place in search of social security, livelihoods, opportunities and mental peace. While as the decade of Nineties was the worst and physical survival remained the sole concern of the community, the last decade has been a period to ponder over, asses and analyze the physical ,social and political losses suffered, accept the tragedies as they were and attempt to rearrange the broken threads, and move forward. Big volumes could be written on the bitter experiences ,tragedies and sufferings the community has underwent during last twenty five years and such attempts have already been made by various writers, scholars, historians, journalists, community leaders and individuals. Sufficient and incredible literature has been written on various happenings in several languages including Kashmiri in the form of poetry, short stories, novels, biographies etc. Perhaps the unique and brighter side of the current displacement or migration has been the accumulation of vast amount of publication of displacement literature especially in Kashmiri Language. This becomes unique because in earlier similar displacements or migrations of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir there is hardly any such literature written in Kashmiri. The obvious reason has been the neglect or under development of Kashmiri language in those times and its status only as a spoken language.
Since then lot of water has flown down the Vitasta. Immediately after the Independence of India in fifties Kashmiri language was included in the school curriculum in Kashmir, Academy of art, culture and languages established and a committee of scholars set up to recommend the script for the language. Persio- Arabic with modifications suitable to sound system of Kashmiri was accepted as the script . It may be mentioned here that the first ever script was Sharda and lot many manuscripts are even now available in that script. Nagri and Roman too were used by some scholars to write Kashmiri during those times. The decade of seventies has been the golden period as for as Kashmiri literature is concerned. Lot of young writers came to limelight and besides the rich poetic tradition new genres like short story, novel, essay, drama ,travelogue were written and lot of literature was accumulated. Both the litterateurs and the literature of this period i.e. the decade of seventies of the last millennium has virtually been the most rational, objective, secular and harmonious. Unfortunately the language was almost eliminated from school curriculum, but was introduced at PG level in the University of Kashmir. It gradually spread to several colleges. However. Attitudinal changes towards the language started appearing amongst certain scholars in the decade of eighties and Urdu was preferred in day to day communication, public speeches, declarations ,religious sermons, slogans and even prayers. The trend was further complicated by biased, rigid and unscientific stand of politicians and few scholars towards its scope and script.
Militancy added to its woes since the language of militants too was Urdu and all dictates and communications were issued through this language. Broken and rustic variety of Urdu was preferred in and outside homes instead of much refined, sweet and easily comprehended mother tongue Kashmiri. Kashmiri Language was degraded and disowned to a greater extent during militancy in Kashmir. A conscious effort was made by certain vested elements to marginalize the Kashmiri language, literature and culture and promote Urdu. The Kashmiri scholars remained tight lipped and mute in the earlier years of militancy and not much was written or talked about in this period in the valley.
However, the trend was different so for as displaced Kashmiri scholars were concerned. Record number of books in all genres have been written in Kashmiri after displacement. Though there has been a bloom in Kashmiri literature after displacement , even new names not heard earlier in the field of literature were born and became popular instantly but the language in itself has been the worst sufferer or victim so far as its use, patronage and promotion is concerned. Being forced to live and survive in alien cultures and amongst non Kashmiris our people voluntarily and effortlessly started ignoring and discarding their mother tongue for various silly and petty reasons like non native environment, curricular or career opportunity etc. Kashmiri was seen as a hindrance or obstacle in learning of other languages and unnecessary burden which if ignored would not make much difference for their survival as Kashmiri language was not a bread earner. Governmental hostility towards Kashmiri, the wider spread of the community across States and countries resulting in inter community marriages amongst our youngsters has further worsened the situation. There could be a host of other reasons some even boosting of being part of global fraternity or global world which in their eyes could be relished or lived only through English.
The excuses apart the hard fact remains that we Kashmiris are generally hostile to our language and culture or even to our existence as Kashmiris. We succumb to material gains easily, have inbuilt inferiority complexes about language and are prone to change at the cost of our identity or individuality were ever we may be. Let me make an effort to answer and dispel some of the above reasons and underline the fact that a community is known only through language and culture and not through Surnames.
I presume and believe that there is a reasonable and sizable majority amongst us who want to live and be known as Kashmiris, rather than get dissolved as nobodies in the vast ocean of humans across the world. Since we are proud of our rich cultural heritage and of eminent legacy of great luminaries in various fields of knowledge known and respected globally we love to live and be known as Kashmiris.
Having said and accepted that we have to consciously honour and explore the reasons to keep our identity alive. The sole and only factor to do that is to know and speak Kashmiri language were ever we may be, In our home with family members and fellow Kashmiris where ever we meet, in offices, market places, social functions, get togethers etc. even in alien environments. If Punjabis, Bengalis, Tamils, Gujratis can proudly do so why cannot we. Following steps if followed may be helpful to achieve our goal.
1. We need to shed the tag of inferiority complex attached to being or speaking Kashmiri, gone deep into our psyche perhaps for historical reasons as I believe strongly so i.e. having lived as slaves of outside rulers for hundreds of years, forced to even hide the Kashmiri identity.
2. Of course Kashmiri is not in school curriculum outside Kashmir, but there are sufficient teaching-learning materials available in Kashmiri which could be helpful, like, Books published by Central Institute of Indian languages, Mysore i.e. Let us Learn Kashmiri-Primer and Reader,(in Devanagri) A Handbook on Audio cassette course , Basic, Intermediate and Advance Courses, Primer written by Sh.M K Raina, Spoken Kashmiri Courses by Prof Braj Kachroo and Prof Omkar Koul, A course in Kashmiri Language by Roop Krishen Bhat, A Kashmiri primer by Arvind Shah etc. There is a Devanagri software known as Arnimaal Aakruti available and used by all our community journals and writers and host of other materials available now. It may be mentioned that all these materials have been produced during last twenty five years keeping the need of community members in mind and lot of expertise and collective efforts ,teamwork and hard labour has gone into it.
3. It takes just twenty clock hours to start from scratch and learn Devanagri script and those who know Devanagri already learning additional diacritical marks and signs for writing Kashmiri is a matter of two to three hours only. It would take thirty to fifty clock hours more to learn the basic structures of language and be able to speak smaller sentences and be able to communicate. If spoken regularly the perfection is achieved in few months time.
4. It is true that Kashmiri Language is not a bread winner like many other Indian languages, but Gujrati or Tamil or for that matter any other Indian language outside India is not a bread winners too, even then these are spoken over there widely by their speakers. What matters is the love, urge and pride for the language and community. Kashmiri like many other languages does have a limited commercial value , in translation, IT and communication, Mass Media, AIR,TV, etc. It serves as a secret language to avoid leakage of information and provides enjoyment, gives fulfilment, confidence and satisfaction.
5. It is a false apprehension that Learning or speaking of Kashmiri would be an obstacle in learning of other languages, or over burden the children, spoil their English or Hindi pronunciation. It is a simple myth and it really works the other way round. There is a research evidence that Mother tongue helps the child to pick up or learn second or other language easily and faster. One always comprehends in mother tongue and translates communication in other language. In India most of the people are multilingual and simultaneously chaste in several languages. Several world known writers write in more than one language with perfection and ease and even better than monolinguals. While as we Kashmiris have produced world class writers like Lal Ded, Mahjoor, Nadim, Rahi, Hari Krishen Kaul etc. Incidentally all of them except Lal Ded initially started writing in other languages and later switched to their mother tongue Kashmiri, excelled in the language and are widely translated and recognised. There are many other Kashmiri writers who wrote in other modern Indian languages like Urdu, Hindi etc. but only few of them received some recognition. However, we may boost of sending our children to English medium schools but we have hardly produced some one in English literature of international fame during last few hundred years. The matter of fact remains that one can achieve greater heights with ease only in one’s mother tongue.
6. Inter community marriages remains an issue but the reality is that our youngsters have no opportunities or occasions to meet with each other. Where ever they are ,in colleges or work places they are dominated or surrounded by non Kashmiris. Our NGO,s or leaders have to create such opportunities where youngsters can meet. Camps held by KOA,USA is one such example. Our youngsters remain absent from almost all community functions . While as we are losers in terms of language and culture when our daughters marry outside the community, however, the boys marrying other community girls could be counselled to learn Kashmiri and adopt to Kashmiri culture. When we talk of culture ,it does not mean eating roganjosh or haakh or wearing pheran but to carry forward and preserve host of rituals, basic sanskars from birth to death and traditions. Respect for elders, encouraging joint family system, celebration of festivals ,preserving of folklore, performing and visual arts. Learn to love and practice basic Kashmiri cultural moorings.
7. NGO,s and socio-cultural organizations have to shoulder responsibility to provide resources for preservation of language and culture by establishing Cultural centres with complete Kashmiri ambience, with facilities like learning/teaching of Kashmiri language and culture, art galleries, museums, libraries, seminar rooms, auditoriums, sports equipment, Kashmiri cuisine, entertainment etc. Such places should serve as alternatives to Clubs. While as we have constructed lot many Ashrams and temples but failed to establish such cultural centres. The Asharams which have large infrastructures like Bhagwan Gopi Nath Asharam Jammu and many others could spare some space for such activities periodically. The Lal Ded Centre at Pamposh Enclave, Delhi is the only such centre which could be developed into one with such facilities as mentioned above.
The shuhul taaph organised by KECSS annually at Lal Ded centre and Samanbal organised by Kashmir Cultural Trust are few important events which may help preservation of language and culture to some extent. Other organisations like samprati and naagrad adbi sangam Jammu too are doing good work in this regard by organising seminars, conferences etc.
The role of CIIL, Mysore and NRLC Patiala has been phenomenal during last few decades . The materials produced and programmes organised were very helpful for preservation and promotion of Kashmiri language and culture. The language camps for Kashmiri children organised at various places across the country proved beneficial and became popular. Unfortunately this Institute is currently in a very bad shape and not able to conduct any activity.
At individual level an initiative of Sh AN Kaul Sahib former Editor- in -chief of Naad is worth mentioning here, who has set up Smt. Lalita Kaul Sahib annual awards for best speakers for youngsters in Kashmiri, being organised on the day of Mahashivratri by JKVM in Delhi. This has proved to be a good initiative towards preservation of Kashmiri in children. Another effort by JKVM of organising Gaashtarukh competiton too could become a helpful one provided it is restricted to Kashmiri language only.
8. Subscription to Vaakh , the only literary journal in Devanagri and some of our community magazines which carry the Kashmiri section may be of great help to be in touch with literary tends in Kashmiri and improve reading skill.
Whether we like it or not it is a hard fact that no other language than mother tongue remains the sole and complete language of communication. One may be an expert speaker in other languages but it is difficult to be a confident one and achieve the native speaker’s level of ease and expertise in communication through other languages.
There is an individual and collective responsibility on all of us to contribute one or other way in this endeavour, do our best towards preserving our language, culture and there by our identity as Kashmiri community. I hope all of us want to do that and live as proud Kashmiris where ever we may be.
The author is a writer, Linguist, media free lancer and former Director, MHRD, Govt.of
India.
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