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Alternative script for Kashmiri-I

Sir,

This has reference to the seminar on "Problems of Kashmiri Language and Literature" held by our organisation in collaboration with the Sahitya Akademi in Abhinav Threatre, Jammu, on November 24 & 25, 2001.

I want to make some clarifications on our point of view as regards the advocacy of the use of Nagari script also for Kashmiri along with the prevalent Nastaliq, so that any wrong impression harboured by anybody in this connection is corrected. It is a well known fact that during the last 11 years of displacement, a big section of the Kashmiri speaking population especially the younger generations lost all contact with such media of communication (e.g. daily newspapers. test books, radio and TV programmes etc. etc.).that were in Urdu. Their medium of instruction changed abruptly to Hindi in the absence of any attempt on the part of the government or other authorites to effect continuity in their studies. Facilities were not made avaiable for learning the Nastaliq script as freely as they existed in Kashmir. A vacuum was created. As a result, Nagari became the sole writing medium for their languages Hindi or Kashmiri. No doubt, Kashmiri was not taught to them in their early childhood back in Kashmir, but as a result of the newly aroused yearning and nostalgia for their fatherland, a new enthusiasm to learn the mother tougue and to known about their roots, their interest in the literature culture and history of Kashmir revived. It was in such a situation that Nagari came to their rescue. As a result of this we find to our surprise that scores of books or journals came to light which were published in Kashmiri in the Nagari script during the last decade from various parts of India and abroad by Kashmiri in diaspora. This is a new reality that we writers have to recognise in order not to lose this vast Kashmiri reading public. Wellwishers of the language have but to accept this, or otherwise isolate themselves and their writings from this upsurge in the post 1990 generations in diaspora. At least four journals are published in thousands from Jammu, Delhi, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Mumbai, which have sections separately earmarked for Kashmiri in Nagari script. Dozens of young and old writers have been writing in this script. Scores of books have come out in it. Nostalgia about Kashmir and Kashmiri classis inspires them to write and read in the script that comes handy to them. Incidentally there is near unanimity among the seniors among them about the few diacritical marks used in this script. the software along with these marks is already available on the computer and is very easy to learn.

In my paper presented in the seminar, I at no point suggested that Nagari should replace the officially recognised script i.e. Nastaliq as was reported in a section of the press. To say so is preposterous. It was in the early 80's that I opposed in a series of articles a proposal mooted by a scholar in a Kashmir daily making a similar suggestion. At that time I strongly argued in favour of our biradari teaching their wards the Nastaliq lest they lagged behind and were cut off from the literature published in their mother tongue. But 1990 caused a sea change the impact of which is being felt now. No body during the discussion in the aforesaid seminar questioned my argument in favor of considering recognition of the alternative of Nagari alongwith Nastaliq in order to save Kashmiri from extinction among the displaced Kashmiris. Some friends, however, had reservations as regards the feasibility of the proposal at this time. I seconded the resolution put forwards by Prof. Rahman Rahi welcoming the Government decision of introducing Kashmiri in the school curriculum. (In fact I have been associated with the process of this introduction from the outset). I demanded that migrant children should not be excluded from this provision. Natually as the situation demands and as those implementing this decision of the Government will find, resort to the alternative of the Nagari shall have to be made for the Kashmiri children in Jammu and outside or otherwise the govt. decision shall be termed as lacking conviction. May I recall how a govt. decision to teach Urdu to all in the state in the 60's was implemented by printing such books in both Nastaliq and Nagari scripts.

Yours etc...
R L Shant
President
Kashmiri Bhasha evam
Sanskriti Pratishthan
Jammu.

Alternative script for Kashmiri-II

Sir,

What came in bold letters out of the 2-day seminar on Kashmiri language and its problems, is that the Kashmiri speaking community is faced with serious problem of script for the language. What the government has adopted is the crude formation of Persian script which more often than not the writers themselves cannot read.

The biggest probelm before the internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits is that they have to oppose the imposition of Persian script in Jammu region for Kashmiri. Their children the only hope left with them after being exiled cannot read Persian script or Urdu language. They do not speak Kashmiri and most of them speak Hindi in their homes and fluent Dogri in the society outside home. If they try to learn Persian script and Urdu, it will be so at the cost of their future careers and they will fail in competitions which is the only avenue for their future settlement in life.

In the above mentioned seminar some participants tried to exploit emotions of the audience and proposed to adopt and "pass" as the Govt. had ordered." While others voiced the genuine concern of the internally displaced KPs. One participant asked what about his children who have been cut off from their roots and are languishing in alien climes and non-Kashmiri lingual scenario.

The real concern about the adoption of a new script for Kashmiri is that its original script Sharda has been systematically "killed" during the past half a million years under different rulers. It was still used in horoscopes and almanacs upto 1950s when gradually it was replaced by Hindi.

Immediately after independence Sheikh Abdullah tried to introduce a script for Kashmiri which was more akin to Arabic. Its primers were published but it did not take off. Then another version came which persists up to this day but it is very difficult to read it fluently.

The problem is akin to that of Urdu which also is facing this problem but Urdu writers publish their books in Devnagri script to reach more and more people. Our own writers and poets do it.

If the Kashmiri intellectuals are wise enough, it is time they recommended both the scripts and leave it to the choice of the people who speak it or write in it. If it is not done it will divide Kashmiri society as the same controversy of script did for Punjab and divided it into Punjabi Suba and Haryana. The controversy will not die down. The protagonists of Homeland for KPs will also side with the section favouring Devnagri script. An intellectual said that let it take another half a century but the problem must be resolved according to the individual choice of the person adopting Kashmiri language.

Even if State Government indulges in its arrogance, it cannot do anything beyond Jammu region. Our sincere advice to the men in authority and their hangers on, is to adopt both scripts and leave it to the individual choice of the people and not to force it.

Yours etc...
R K Bharati,
(Senior Journalist)
1-Gypsy House, Jawahar Nagar,
(Talab Tillo), Jammu 180 002