Kashmiri is spoken by 7 million people in the Indian side of Kashmir (according to the 2011 census of India) and by roughly five percent of Pakistani side of Kashmir’s population (according to Wikipedia). It is listed among the 22 scheduled (official) languages of India. But today, an alarming number of youngsters from the valley are shifting from Kashmiri to Urdu or English.
The first language a kid learns at home is their mother tongue by which he/she is known. But unfortunately, parents today take pride in talking to their children in Urdu and English while completely ignoring Kashmiri. This is the case with both well educated and less educated parents.
Even at schools, where English alphabet is introduced as early as pre-nursery or nursery and Urdu at Kindergarten level (LKG), Kashmiri is introduced in class 3rd. While people may debate that Kashmiri is tough to read and write but when children at this age can read Arabic (while reading Quran) so why not Kashmiri? Children can read and write any language if taught with interest.
It was not until 2008 that Kashmiri was made a compulsory subject in all schools of the valley up to secondary stage by the government of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and students of class 8th had to appear in the Kashmiri subject too during their final examination. Due to this decision, Kashmiri is studied in majority of schools up to class 8th only.
The matter of concern is that schools lay great emphasis on English language to a level that students are fined if they are heard talking in Urdu, let alone Kashmiri that is considered inferior and looked down upon. Children of this era do need to shape their English-speaking skills because of it being a global language but doing so on the expense of the native language is ridiculous.
The parents, teachers and youngsters of today feel proud while talking about Shakespeare and Iqbal they don’t talk about Lal Waakh and Sheikh Shruk (poetry of Lal Ded and Sheikh Ul Aalam R.A). During morning assemblies students recite different prayers in English and Urdu, which the younger students may not be even able to comprehend. For Kashmiri, there is only one prayer read across Kashmir – ‘ Sahibo Sath Chem Mea Chaeni’ written by famous Kashmiri poet Mahjoor.
In 2020, the new National Educational Policy (NEP) came into force. The policy’s recommendations stated that ‘wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language/ mother-tongue/ local language/ regional language.’ As a result, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) organized a workshop to initiate translation of textbooks of environmental studies from class 3rd to 5th and Mathematics from class 1st to 5th in the four official languages.
This could be a great step towards reviving the Kashmiri language. Even the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) believes that ‘education, based on the mother tongue must begin from the early years.’ The United Nations has also declared 2022 to 2032 as an International decade of Indigenous languages.
The colleges of Kashmir do not offer Kashmiri language as a separate programme but as an elective option. In February of 2023, IGNOU also introduced it as an elective only. At the university level, the major universities like the University of Kashmir, Islamic University of Science and Technology and Central University of Kashmir offer Masters programmes in the language.
In 2020 again, the Parliament of India passed a bill to make Kashmiri an official language of Jammu and Kashmir along with Dogri, Hindi, Urdu and English. On August 08, 2023 the government in continuation of its former order, ordered establishment of Official Languages Cell in the General Administration Department (GAD). But, the government has failed to introduce all of the additional official languages. The GAD has only developed English, Hindi and Urdu interface for its website. Even the freshly installed government sign boards have writings in the already mentioned three languages only.
The media’s indifference to the Kashmiri language is same. According to the Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Jammu and Kashmir’s website, only two daily newspapers, Sangermal and Kahwat, two weeklies, Soan Meeraas and Kashur Meeras and no monthly or fortnightlies are published in Kashmir.
The state of broadcast media is no different where only state-run channel, DD Kashir is dedicated to the language. The channel runs Kashmiri news bulletins, entertainment programmes and education shows but has a very low viewership.
The only media that has been promoting the language religiously is radio. AIR Srinagar produces news and programmes in Kashmiri but does not have a large listener base like that of privately owned FM stations of the valley.
The youngsters although unaware of their language are craving for it deep down somewhere as evident from millions of views on any new content being produced in the language. When earlier in 2019, DD Kashir started broadcasting ‘Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet’, it became the most popular show of the channel (according to Wikipedia). The show has thousands and millions of views on YouTube. Similarly, when Kashmir Originals, an independent music label came up with Kehwa Beats, an online show attempting to reminisce the beauty of Kashmiri folk music, the videos got millions of views. ‘Kya Kari Korimol’ by Coke Studio India became the sensation of the year. This shows that if good content in the native language is produced people may not prefer other shows over them.
The love and dedication for the mother tongue should not be limited to 21st February i.e., International Mother Language Day only and reviving the language must not be limited to producing music and entertainment. Mother language should be the first language taught to children and stressed upon, other languages can wait and will follow gradually. Parents, primarily must understand the importance of a mother tongue and impart the same to their children. Similarly, at school level Kashmiri must be taken seriously. The government too must take adequate steps in promoting the language and we as a society must do everything we can to make this language flourish and eradicate the stigma associated with it because what is a nation without a mother tongue?