There are scholars and scholars and scholars who can write a hundred page elegy on the fate of our mothertongue, in English. We read pages and pages on the history of this language and sermons about what should have been done a thousand years back or a hundred years back.
Urdu was and is the official language because of political issues. Kashmir was not a separate state. J&K included Jammu and Ladakh and Pak-occupied Kashmir which all have different mother tongues. Kashmiri could not be forced upon others. So they must have got a common language i.e. Urdu in. Had Sanskrit continued to be our language and script, it would have met the same fate at the hands of educated class because there would be no takers for Sanskrit in the outside world.
Instead of repeatedly harping on the history of Kashmiri language and giving sermons, let us do something to popularise it in the masses. Let us start from our homes. Do we do it, really?
How many of Kashmiri scholars take classes to teach Kashmiri reading and writing in whatever script, even once in a week? Is it not important to get people know reading Kashmiri in addition to speaking? If nobody knows reading, what will happen to the tons and tons of literature produced every year in Kashmiri? Who will read that? Have you seen any scholars giving lessons on it, or doing anything voluntarily?
Here, credit must be given to the organisations like Core Sharada Team and Sharada Sanjeevani who have started teaching Sharada Script in a big way and in a serious way. Like Devanagari, it may not be a recognised script but at least it creates a platform to learn Kashmiri in yet another script. Credit also goes to the people and platforms like B.L.Kaul Deep, Karuna Raina, Mazadar Lokachar, Dr. Zarka Batul, Rohit Ganjoo and all those who are doing their bit in the Valley and outside. At least they are utilising their mite in something constructive. If given a chance, I would also teach Kashmiri, my mothertongue in Chinese and French, if people find present Kashmiri scripts difficult. It looks difficult because we never want to learn it seriously. We want to invent as many excuses as possible.
Whatever has happened, cannot be rectified now. Let us do our bit to give this language the kind of respect it deserves. Let us start speaking and reading it with pride.
We all, I repeat we all, have given stepmotherly treatment to Kashmiri, at all levels. Let us stop blame-game. Let scholars find ways and means to educate people and make this language popular.
By MK Raina