HINDI
- FORTNIGHT
(
HINDI - PAKHWARA )14 September is devoted as 'Hindi Day' in Government Offices and Organizations . The first and second fortnights of September are devoted to the propagation of Hindi. An Organization may opt for any of the two for the purpose. One witnesses during such days Banners /Posters conveying that Hindi Pakhwara is in session from 14 to 28 Sep etc..
Why
do we devote a day, a fortnight, a month in a year for something
which is alive! Or is Hindi Dead? Ironically, the fortnight precedes
the fortnight which is devoted by Hindus to remember their dead
ancestors--- The Pitri Paksh. Do the devotees of Hindi
consider it as a mercy/compensation granted to them in an era where
English has triumphed it as the desire of the millions though even
after 66 years of Independence not more than 6% speak the English
language.
Some thoughts would be
appropriate on the occasion : Firstly,no language can be propagated
by imposition or by a diktat . The people should be willing to learn
it on their own. Two factors play an important role in the
development of a language; Language should be connected to
employment/commerce/economy and there should be a genuine love for
the language. However love is not enough. The case in point is of
Urdu which is loved by many, but not accepted by many.
English is spoken today by
millions all over the world, not because of its beauty or any other
great value but because the English ruled the world. Shakespeare is
known to us because of the East India Company, whereas Henrik Ibsen
the great Norwegian playwright is not as famous because of the
restriction of the language as Norwegians did not colonize the
nations.
Proliferation of Hindi
through Sarkari means has not done any good to the language .
Inadvertently though,the biggest contribution to the growth of the
language is through the Hindi films and songs; both old and new.
People's love of Cinema!
Administration/commerce/education/economy
gives fillip to the language as was the case of Persian earlier which
was the Court language, and later English which fetched jobs. Hindi
will continue to lag behind in the economic field but may maintain
its position in the cultural field, mainly in the popular culture.
Hindi does not give 'jobs' and therefore from villages to small
towns to cities the 'English-medium' schools are a big business!
The
Sarkari solution is three languages- English -Hindi- a regional
language. It is possible if we inculcate the same from schools. Study
of languages is easy from childhood, what we should generate is
acceptance. But acceptance of the many languages is linked to our
acceptance of each other.
Language , perhaps next to
religion is the most sensitive issue among communities and remains
always a highly volatile and emotional issue, the most logical people
sound so illogical and unreasonable on the question of ' Language'.
However the issue has remained dormant in India and the matter of
Hindi has not been progressed considering the other pressing
problems of the State such as economy, integration and other
conflicts. Ta mil Nadu does raise the question of Hindi whenever it
has problems with the Centre. Nehru's balanced and sensible approach
in moving slowly in the question of Hindi has avoided aggravation of
the issue.
It
is indeed ironical that the people are ready to accept English as
the Language of Administration and education but not adopt an Indian
Language as its National Language. Till then Hindi will continue to
entertain the masses with its songs and 'soap operas' !
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें