Kashmiri language
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Newspapers in Kashmiri language
The valley’s paper tigers
Two newspapers in Kashmiri have been launched in the valley to give readers something in the local language and to save their mother tongue. Sameer Arshad | TNN
The Times of India, July 24, 2011
Syed Rafiudin Bukhari taught English for three decades before launching a media group that published dailies in English and Urdu. But he wanted to do something else — start newspapers in Kashmiri, his mother tongue. Bukhari met naysayers at every stage who dissuaded him from launching one, saying Kashmiri language was dying and a paper in it would be commercially unviable. But he went ahead and launched a multicolored weekly ‘Sangarmal’ in February 2006 that did well to become the first Kashmiri newspaper to survive for more than two years.
There was not a single newspaper in Kashmiri before 2006 despite a burgeoning market with over 400 dailies. ‘Sangarmal’ went from strength to strength and was relaunched as a daily on July 9. Another Kashmiri newspaper, ‘Kehwat’, followed suit two days later.
“It’s a major milestone in the language’s renaissance,’’ says Bukhari, adding ‘Sangarmal’ had brought out a special 100-page edition in July 2007 that also carried letters from two non-Kashmiris studying the language at the Oriental Languages Department of Patiala’s Punjabi University. “The two, from Russia and (India’s) northeast, wrote that our edition had greatly improved their Kashmiri language skills.”
The letters were among many inspirations that pushed Sangarmal’s re-launch. Then there was the enthusiasm from Kashmiri readers abroad. “We got overwhelming response from our online readers in countries like the US and Europe.’’
‘Kehwat’ editor Aakash Amin, who says he launched the newspaper to promote his mother tongue and keep it alive, told reporters he was hopeful his daily would play a major role in this regard.
But history is not on their side. Kashmiri bard Ghulam Ahmed Mehjoor started the first weekly ‘Ghash’ (light) in the language in 1940s followed by ‘Wattan’ in 1965 and ‘Kashur Akhbar’ in 1973. A Kashmir University students’ group started ‘Samut’ weekly in 1980 followed by ‘Meeras’ in 1998. ‘Meeras’ lasted for two years, the rest could not even sustain for a year.
The language’s decline began after Mughal emperor Akbar deposed the last Kashmiri king Yusuf Shah Chak in the 16th century and introduced Persian. Sikh and Dogra rulers used Urdu as an official language. Kashmiri suffered further as Urdu was declared J&K’s official language after 1947.
Many say Kashmiri journalism has a bleak future as not many can read and write Kashmiri. Kashmir watcher Madhu Kishwar was shocked to learn this during one of her earlier visits. “Kashmir is one of the few places where not more than a handful read or write in their mother tongue.’’ And this, she says, is despite a rich body of Kashmiri literature.
Kashmiri has also suffered due to disagreements over script. “Kashmiri Pandits argue that Kashmiri can be written only in the Sharada script…Muslims believe that the Persian script can serve it better since it has been in use for more than 400 years and modified to meet its special requirements,” wrote Kishwar.
But Bukhari remains hopeful of turning the tide. “Sangarmal is a news-and-views daily about day-today people’s issues unlike earlier newspapers that were literary in nature with little appeal.’’
Things began looking up for the language with its introduction in schools (till class XIII) in 2009, almost three decades after the government first promised to do so.
But this alone would not revive the language. The language suffers due to official apathy as well as that of the public at large. Even parents have increasingly discouraged their kids from speaking Kashmiri as admissions to most schools depend on how good their English is. For those who have taken it upon themselves to revive the language, there’s a tough road ahead, but the mission is clear and straight.
