Sir,
The title of the editorial “Why not Duggar Channel” throws open a very valid question “why not a duggar channel for Jammu region?”. An equally pertinent refrain, however, will be “Who will watch a Duggar channel?” A vernacular language channel is supported only by people who speak that language. And, speak that language proudly and fondly. Who speaks Dogri any more in Jammu? The middle and the old aged people? And, what difference does it make to the Duggar culture if only the middle and the old aged people watch Dogri channel? Difference will be made only when the young men and women in their formative years are exposed to their mother tongue. Only when the young ones start taking pride in it will this sweet pahadi language survive the cultural onslaught let loose by the loud and boisterous punjabi and bollywood culture and music. Sadly, our young generation can hardly differentiate between Punjabi and Dogri anymore. The eminent Pakistani author and analyst from Lahore Hassan Nisar recently remarked in one of his TV shows that a language is the medium through which the traditions, values, ethos and beliefs of a society are handed down from generation to generation. He discussed how when a muslim teenager living in Pakistan uses the proverb “Na nau mann tail hoga, na Radha nachegi”, he unknowingly receives an insight into the shared history of his country. When a young teenager hears the name Haripur or discovers that the old name of Sialkot was Lyalpur, he is bound to wonder where the suffix “pur” is coming from. So, in our language reside the vestiges of our history and with our language travel the insignia of our culture. Even a most casual look at the current state of affairs of the Dogri language would demonstrate how endangered the future of this language and, implicitly, the future of Duggar traditions, folklore and culture is. Remember, a language brings along with it the practices, the culture and the attitudes of a particular community. The Punjabi music has demonstrated this very vividly. It has not only changed the language of the young Jammuites, but also made a significant contribution to their new attitudes and perceptions. The upsurge in the sales of Enfield/Bullet bikes is purely a result of how this bike has been glamorized in the Punjabi music. A prudent Dogra living in the hills would think ten times about the fuel cost and noise pollution before buying such a bike. Likewise, the intolerance seen amongst the youth and the use of weapons and drugs in the city of temples can be traced back to how the likes of Honey Singh, Babbal Rai, Bohemia and Diljit Dosanjh eulogize such tendencies. Dogras have been a martial race, but never has in our music and literature aggression been eulogized like this. Never have been adolescents praised for challenging law for a prank in our literature/music. The teenagers are the most impressionable section of a society. Let us all make sure they are rooted in our peaceful and sweet traditions and language, and, not fed on the aggressive tones and expressions of languages foreign to our psyche. Perhaps this makes a Dogri channel an all the more urgent need. However, a more significant contribution has to come from the families. Our elders did not get the Dogri included in the Schedule 8th of Indian constitution for it to die such an undeserving and premature death.
Yours etc…..
Rajeev Nagotra
Tange Wali Gali
Kachi Chhawni
Jammu
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