Saturday, October 9, 2010

'HINDI' Hai Hum Watan Hai Hindustan Hamara

Did revolutionary poet, Iqbal, use 'Hindi' in context of a language, we would never know. But we know one thing for sure, that the beautiful poem 'Saare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara' talks about the importance of our cultural heritage, things that are our own, being proud of our identity and the amazing things about our nation which truly give us the feeling of national pride.

One such thing is our language 'Hindi'. All languages are great. I wish I could learn more of them and still plan to do so sometime. But being born and brought up in Delhi, Hindi was a language in which I grew up and have my memories itched(had this random conversation with a friend about thoughts and memories running in our minds in a certain language).

'Jungle jungle baat chali hai' was a kids anthem. The hindi comics of nagraj and bankelaal were my most eagerly awaited reads :D. I did read a lot of English books too, but Hindi as a language has its own charm. The poems I used to read in 'Hindi' such as 'Satpura ke ghane jungle, neend mein doobe hue se, undhte anmane jungle' at school time still echo in my mind and those simple yet true to life stories of Premchand made what my childhood imagination was.

These days we observe children at very young age talking to their parents in English and parents feel proud to showcase their kids' English verbal skills. It is nice to see kids learn so much at such young age but then it feels sad to see them lose connect with certain things that are essential to building the national pride in their hearts and minds. Somewhere we are weakening the very foundation of building up our nation.

Now its difficult to imagine losing connect with one's roots through non usage of a particular language. I can give my own example where due to being born and brought up in Delhi, I never really considered learning 'Maithili' which is my native language during my childhood. Now I regret not knowing the beautiful language and its nuances which also gives me a great sense of disconnect with the entire culture in which my ancestors were brought up.

I hope this disconnect does not happen with our nation and its young people on the basis of treating 'Hindi' as a secondary or an obsolete language.

Our hopes rest on a poetic line again by Muhammad Iqbal:
KUCH BAAT HAI KI HASTI MITATI NAHIN HUMARI..

Jai Hind

2 comments:

  1. Totally agree with you Bhai.
    An entire generation can be called 'Lost' in the sense that it has lost touch of the nuances of our own culture.
    Reading Shakespeare may teach them how Venice looks like or how British Summer may be, but not reading Kalidas's Abhigyan Shakuntalam keeps them away from the joy and subtle beauty of Indian Monsoons.

    Great Post! and yes..
    KUCH BAAT HAI KI HASTI MITATI NAHIN HUMARI..

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  2. Bilkul sahi baat bhai!!!

    Hume Garv mehsus hona chahiye apni desi basha par!!!

    Bahut acha likhe ho...kam shabdo mein baat samjha gaye jha ji :-):-)

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