Dr Kasturi Lal
The Dogri language is surging forward, surely but slowly, despite its being one of the recognized Indian languages and the mother tongue of the people in this part of the country. It needs to be given a big impetus by the Government as well as the general public, particularly the parents and the youth. Dogri has to be properly projected and promoted through its inclusion in the education system from the elementary to the highest level and also made digitally savvy and job-oriented. Despite the lapse of over two decades, still much headway has to be achieved.
It may be mentioned here that in spite of its inclusion in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 2003, the demands for the introduction of this language in the education system were defied on one pretext or the other by the State dispensations. Cumbersome processes and regulations and bureaucratic hurdles precipitated a hidden crisis of silent loss of the vocalized language of the Dogri region, which affected its culture, art, and heritage. This ignominious ignorance of the language and culture has left the Jammu region poor. Revival of the language is not just an issue of identity; it is a social imperative. It has become a reason to give a wake-up call to all stakeholders to fight for the preservation of linguistic and cultural legacies for future generations.
Past Strategies:
Recently, Government and non-Government organisations have appreciated the contributions of novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights, and essay writers in defending the language, culture, and art of the Dogra community.
Plans are not flexible enough to face the changes that the future will undoubtedly bring in reviving the language. The exercise of the linguists who held on to the past and clung to the way things were remained unrecognized for want of a unified response and responsibility of civil society.
It was realized that a clear-cut vision of a prosperous future for the language and its success by posterity was missing. Right now, things have to be put in order and switched to accelerated, transitory growth for the Dogri language.
The constitution of an umbrella group to work jointly to meet the aspirations of the Dogra community and to promote Dogri as well as Dogra culture is a positive move. It takes a special calibre of person to be both a visionary and a realist to foresee and focus on the needs of the future and also build, day by day, brick by brick, until the structure of tomorrow is solidly and safely built. The group of organisations has now grasped the exigency of constituting such a central group which would make policies and ensure the implementation of those policies that will work in achieving the broad objectives of:
(1) Promotion of Dogri language, culture, festivals, and traditional foods
(2) Sensitization of different stakeholders through a campaign which underscores the importance of integrating the mother language into the broader academic curriculum.
Education of Stakeholders:
A campaign to educate parents and teachers to put a premium on giving their children the positive upbringing they need, rather than projecting study in English as a symbol of status and civilization, has been started. By prioritizing the study of the mother language, knowledge of academics and careers in other languages can be realized. We should feel proud of being labelled as a community burgeoned Dogra in blood and colour, but not foreign in morals and intellect. We have to seek the support of education boards to include Dogri as a compulsory subject of study in primary classes in schools.
Social Responsibility:
It bears upon us that until Dogri is included as a medium of study in government and private sector schools, we, as our social responsibility, have adopted some schools for the study of the Dogri language.
Under this social scheme, the teachers employed by us teach the students with the spirit of language first, and their education with culture, traditions, and entrepreneurial activities. That other organisations follow this initiative is a subject of speculation.
Social Awakening:
A genuine strategy to revive the language, art, and culture would require a campaign of unified response and responsibility from civil society, political dispensations, educators, parents, and community leaders. We have to use professionalism to accomplish our goals. We cannot make things better unless we realize what is wrong or what needs to be improved. To retrieve the lost glory of the language and culture of Dogras, it has become essential to raise a public voice. To change public opinion in favour of the use of the Dogri language, seminars, symposia, and debates should become essential components of our drive. Interaction with officers and members of clubs, traders’ federations, and chambers of commerce and industries by organising lectures on their campuses should be our priority. Even today, selfless social workers exist in society who live to do and see whatever is possible to save their culture.
Public Interaction:
It requires interaction with Sabhas and associations like health, revenue, transport, bank employees, lawyers, and private schools to create awareness among them to interact in the mother tongue language. The use of the language, which has been restricted to homes, has to extend to the streets and places of work. The targets can be achieved if the language finds a place on signposts at banks, revenue departments, municipal corporations, and smart city establishments.
Assessment of Proficiency:
We have set the ground for a campaign of “Our Language, Our Future.” This movement aims to revitalize Dogri language learning. Students in schools should be encouraged to take part in discussions, and inter-school vocalized Dogri competitions should be organised.
Feasibility Practice for Revival:
Teaching of Dogri in colleges and universities and the declaration of Dogri as the official language of the Union Territory has prompted Dogri to become more active in this art and give inspiration to students to appear in competitive examinations.
Job Opportunities in Dogri:
We should support an awareness campaign to inform students who have received education in Dogri that they can be placed in the fields of education as teachers, anchors, broadcasters, aspirants for JKAS and IAS examinations, actors, directors, translators of speeches, and for preparing academic books.
By starting courses in the Dogri language, literary strength can increasingly be bolstered by a movement for revitalization of the mother language, which will bring forth the true nature of Dogri culture and tradition.
The media needs sensitization about the neglect of the Dogri language. A satellite channel devoted to Dogri news and cultural activities can fill this unbridged gap. We will remain steadfast and tall through storms and trials to achieve our goal.
Hopeful Future:
The message is clear that people succeed because they are determined to adopt modern systems of education. They are focused on academic and career-related education of children. Knowledge of local rituals and local language is diminishing. The resultant situation has deprived growing children of knowledge of moral values, ethical principles, and spiritual wisdom needed to enable them to become virtuous, compassionate, and responsible members of Dogra society. Our activities can bring forth a profound sense of fulfilment. The path which we have chosen may not be easy, but our courage, perseverance, and conviction are sufficient to face rugged mountain trails to prevent the Dogri language from being listed as an endangered language. A great masterpiece requires time, but the beauty of the final product honours the labour and efforts put into its creation.
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