Srinagar, Feb 23: Kashmiri has witnessed many lows and highs but with the contribution of various writers, poets and academicians, experts believe it has added new life to centuries old language.
Zareef Ahmad Zareef, a noted poet said that the Kashmiri as a language dates back to 550 years and is the treasure of rich traditions, rituals, beliefs, culture and civilization. “A Kashmiri should not feel ashamed of its language. It is the language which is passed to us by our mothers and is fed to us by them in their lap,” he said.
He further said that Kashmiri was spoken everywhere till 30-40 years ago while Urdu was the official language which was specific to revenue, court and police department. Kashmiri was taught as a subject in the schools from 1947-1953 and then it was removed from the school curriculum.
Various activists, poets including Zareef advocated for its revival and it was re-introduced in the school curriculum from grade 1.
“Our language is the identity and symbol of a nation. The new generation should understand its importance. Now it is the responsibility of the teachers to pass it on to their students,” he said.
Naseem Shafaie’s name is synonymous with Kashmiri poetry. A teacher and a poetess had started poetry in Kashmir during her college days. She is the first-ever Kashmiri women writer to be honoured with Sahitya Akademi’s Tagore Literary award for her contribution to Kashmiri poetry. Her second book Na Tschay Ti Na Aks fetched her the award.
Currently, Shafaie is working on Naatiya and Hussaini. Also, her new book of poetry will be released soon.
“What is not in Kashmiri language? It has everything. Destiny played its role in shaping me but Kashmiri language gave me much,” she said.
Calling it the language of soil, she said that the language will survive unless it is spoken by the artisans and peasants. “Earlier there was the lack of reading public but now it is being taught in the schools. This has made the Kashmiri mothers to learn Kashmiri also because they had to teach to their children. This is how it propagated,” she said.
She said that the Kashmiri language is thriving with more people going for higher studies in the subject. “We don’t have to be hopeless even if today’s kids speak English. The elders or the roots of the child speak Kashmiri. Veterans of the world in reputed gatherings speak in their language. From folk songs in the wedding to the lullabies of the mother, we have Kashmiri language,” she said,
While reciting few verses from the poetry Shaam Dalith,
Tchi Chhuie Malal Zi Chhaiem Ni Chani Shokaie Gul
Tchi Chhuie Gumaan’ni zi Tchai Hetch Chhai Ye Adam Boi
Agar Tchi Az Ti Rachakh Patch Tchi Yeezi Shaam Dalith
Agar Tchi Az Ti Pachiyee Man Tchi Yeezi Shaam Dalith
Tchi Yeezi Shaam Dalith Saenn Kin Wuchakh Pannaie
