Dogri in 8th schedule

Sir,

The inclusion of the Dogri language in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution is a welcome step. Kudos to the people who fought tirelessly to give Dogri its due status. Though a belated step, it has been widely welcomed in the Dograland. To honour a particular language means to respect the sentiments of the people who speak it. The Dogras therefore feel duly honoured.

Now it is upto the people of Jammu to produce more literature in Dogri. There is abundance of literature available in Dogri but less number of readers. The books should be made available at University, colleges and schools of J&K. In America an effort was made to provide literature (poetry books) at public places like railway stations, airports and some other places at cheaper rates. This produced in people a habit of reading, and it in turn promoted literature in the country.

The task is not easy one, particularly in this electronic age. At a time when people are losing interest in books. The readership in falling day by day only quality books are able to sustain the readership.

See, how Harry Potter was able to create enthusiasm among children world over. Unless such books are produced, there is no hope of keeping the purity of language intact.

Mere inclusion of Dogri in 8th schedule won't help the language. Speaking, writing and producing literature are means to be adopted to protect it from the onslaught of other languages. That does not mean that we have to hate other languages, we should respect them too to broaden our literary faculty and knowledge. But the mother tongue gives us an identity, which need to be protected.

Yours etc...
R K Khajuria
Jammu.

Vulgarity in TV serial

Sir,

On 22.1.2003 at 7.30 to 8.00 pm Jammu Doordarshan telecast a dogri serial 'Jagat Maama' and I had the occasion to see it only in the last ten minutes. The open message in the play was denouncement and condemnation of Police Naka parties in the State as actors of the serial were saying that how the militants remained unchecked by the different naka parties to enter the Jammu city from Akhnoor side recently back.

By watching this last ten minutes of the serial, I saw that in the play there was vulgar and unrefined language used viz. "O maran moe nake ale...; mere soure te mere salle nakke ale." And what was other objectionable language in the whole serial in the Start, that I missed.

I feel that when one is given any platform to address his, her view point publicly about society, he she has the responsibility and limitations also to use the platform properly and with all care and caution. The medium of Doordarshan is not an ordinary platform but being watched and viewed widely by all of us. There is self imposed restraints also to maintain the decorum and respect the right of speech and expression. Though, this all is to be observed by the Director of play and the concerned censor board, whereas actors/players of the play have to dance to the tune of the Director of the play.

No doubt the playwright, dramatist, Director, producer and journalist has the mighty pen as a fourth estate to check the evils in society and rightly so the Director of the above said 'play, might have endeavoured fairly enough to check the delinquent police naka parties. But what I feel is that the language, words, and sentences have not been used in a sophisticated way. We should not abuse anyone directly or even indirectly publicly and that too through the medium of Television in such a rubbish and unrefined manners. Writer may mend the society by exposing the deliquency of delinquents, but this abusive attack is not commendable on the part of writer. There are other refined ways also to correct the defaulters, otherwise what is the difference between an intellectual and a lay man. Moreover the 'Jagat Maama' serial was in Dogri language and our Dogri language is very sweet language, "Mithi a Dogrein di bholi te Khand Mithey log Dogre."

Besides all this, the main impact of this rustic and uncultured language is upon the younger generation who is always viewing the TV very deeply and is easily prone to the audio visual implications. While watching this serial, my two children were imitating and repeating the above abusive sentences leisurely, without knowing their meaning that they shall have the traces of these names in their mind for ever and this would be the problem with all other children.

Yours etc...
Durgadass,
Ex-student of Journalism,
B.V Bhawan,
Jammu.