Urdu's uplift, as a language of courtesy and tehzeeb (cultural heritage), is not possible unless it's introduced in the schools of the country as part of tri-lingual formula and promoted in the world of media. Umpteen Urdu-language newspapers and magazines - Qaumi Awaz, Aljamiat, Shama Khilauna, Bano, Toffee, Jannat ka Phool - got discontinued for want of attention. The sad plight of Urdu will continue unless Urdu medium schools are taken care of by the community itself.
There is this unfortunate discrepancy and double-speak when the so-called champions of Urdu's cause cry hoarse about it but don't send their kids to Urdu medium schools. In my own life as an Urdu lover for around forty years, I've been seeing the same Urdu professors taking to stages and lamenting about the language's decline. But they do nothing to promote it at the grassroots level. They must stop hogging the limelight at public platforms and do something concrete to save the language. -- Firoz Bakht Ahmed
By Firoz Bakht Ahmed
Grave concern was expressed for the Urdu language by leading political parties a few weeks ago in parliament. Mulayam Singh, Gopinath Munde, Salman Khurshid and Sharad Yadav, besides many others, spoke for the uplift of the Urdu language and newspapers.
Urdu's uplift, as a language of courtesy and tehzeeb (cultural heritage), is not possible unless it's introduced in the schools of the country as part of tri-lingual formula and promoted in the world of media. Umpteen Urdu-language newspapers and magazines - Qaumi Awaz, Aljamiat, Shama Khilauna, Bano, Toffee, Jannat ka Phool - got discontinued for want of attention. The sad plight of Urdu will continue unless Urdu medium schools are taken care of by the community itself.
There is this unfortunate discrepancy and double-speak when the so-called champions of Urdu's cause cry hoarse about it but don't send their kids to Urdu medium schools. In my own life as an Urdu lover for around forty years, I've been seeing the same Urdu professors taking to stages and lamenting about the language's decline. But they do nothing to promote it at the grassroots level. They must stop hogging the limelight at public platforms and do something concrete to save the language.
Languages suffer most and die mercilessly when they are politicised. This is because politics creates hurdles and problems and destroys the shape, tone, and taste of languages. Urdu has often been accused of being the language of Partition and is now associated with terrorists who carry 'Urdu' chits in their pockets.
As far as Urdu newspapers' lack of leadership and their pathetic current condition are concerned, the rot can be stemmed provided Urdu news outfits follow the example of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's Al-Hilal and Al-Balagh, newspapers that hailed nationalism above all concerns. Or they could draw inspiration from the first Urdu daily - Jam-e-Jahanuman - brought out by Hari Har Dutt.
Himayat Ali Shair, a world-renowned Urdu poet and personality from Pakistan, has said: "Urdu language has no future, is dying and is bound to end. Even in Pakistan, where Urdu is the national language, it is dying. People are following the trend of using Urdu mixed with English, giving it a new touch but destroying the tone, tenor, texture and taste of the language. In India, Urdu will survive because of Hindi. "
Ironically, Urdu has been kept alive by Hindi cinema, FM radio, madrassas and the occasional recitation of couplets from Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz in the parliament. A language does not prosper through such methods alone but through people who love it with sincerity.
A celebrated litterateur of Urdu, Prof Gopi Chand Narang feels that Urdu is like a patient on oxygen at the fag end of her life. He says, as "This is the last generation of Urdu. The Urdu language is suffering and dying because regional and folk languages were not learnt or promoted. They were the identity of Hindustan but remained badly neglected. This happened for centuries and even during the reigns of various famous kings. Had they promoted it better, Urdu would have flourished not as a language of a particular community but that of all. "
All languages are beautiful and have their own charm and distinct persona. Urdu, in particular, is sweet and poetic and at the same time, very adaptable. What can be more flexible and welcoming than a language that has developed thanks to a combination of seven languages?
Many foreigners have asked to hear Urdu, and when they have, their first impressions are: it is so soft and easy on the ears. Unfortunately, in a system where 'Urdu medium' and 'English medium' are synonymous with the uneducated and educated respectively, Urdu is relegated to the back benches and this impacts the development of the language itself. No wonder that we have not been able to produce writers and poets of the ilk of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Quratul Ain Haider and Krishan Chandar any more.
Languages have no religion or region. Urdu is in decline according to Shahid Siddiqui, editor, Nai Dunia Urdu weekly because most of the pathetic condition of Urdu-medium schools. They have sparsely-lit rooms, dilapidated structures, choked and stinking lavatories, moth-eaten furniture, dangerous fittings, unhygienic drinking water, absent teachers and meandering students - these are the common features of most Urdu- medium schools of India. A few Urdu schools do not even have their own buildings and are run in the open air. One of the biggest reasons for the degradation of Urdu-medium schools is the lack of qualified faculty not just in the language but also in other subjects, be they mathematics, science, or other languages like English. Countrywide, on an average, Urdu schools have 10-12 teaching vacancies. No effort is made to fill them.
India is forging ahead, but its Muslim population is still largely uneducated. More than anybody else, it is the responsibility of the Muslims to see that the community marches towards a secure future. More people from the community should subscribe to Urdu newspapers and journals rather than getting these free via mailing lists. Many popular children's magazines in Urdu like Khilona, Toffee, Chandanagri and others that have ceased publication for want of interest should be revived to inculcate a love for the language among children. Preserving Urdu is not just a matter of saving a language;it is an entire culture that is at stake.
The author is a commentator on social issues
http://www.timescrest.com/culture/urdu-needs-a-kiss-of-life-3873
URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicCulture_1.aspx?ArticleID=362
4:58 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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