-Devendra K Budakoti
A language and or a dialect carry the cultural heritage of the community in their geographical area. Teaching of the language and or the dialect becomes essential to carry on the cultural heritage of the specific regional folk culture. Historically this folk culture was carried forward, through local dialect and through oral traditions.
There is a Malaysian saying, which says, “language is the soul of the community”- “Bahasa jiwa bangsa.” This phrase directly translates to “language, the soul of the nation” and this proverb means that it’s the language that gives them an identity and spirit. This basically emphasizes the importance of preserving the language as a symbol of community identity and cultural moorings.
On the questions of speaking and understanding of Garhwali and Kumoani language, one can often hear youngsters saying, I can understand but cannot speak. I feel if an individual can understand any language/dialect, he/she can easily try to speak and pick up language. My daughters can speak 100% of Bengali because of their mother!
The generations of Uttrakhandi parents who left their village and settled in urban settlement are responsible for their children’s inability to speak their mother tongue. May be, they did not want them to associate with their background, which they felt, was underdeveloped and too traditional. Language/Dialect is the foundation of any culture and what are the consequences of not knowing one’s dialect? We can see that the present generation is cut off from their cultural moorings and what impact it will have on the coming generations without the knowledge of their dialect is for us to guess.
The traditional Indian dress; Kurta pyjamas/ Kurta dhoti is now seen only in marriage parties. Even in Social Cultural and religious programs, very few individuals are seen in traditional attire. Is this, because of our Politicians’ image and their dress code, which has impacted the general public avoiding wearing them.!
The typical pahadi marriage with its own pattern of ‘Haldi Haath’ and Mangal geet-Marriage song is now sung by professional singers and or by using a pre-recorded songs by the DJ and by the mobile phones, not by the community ladies. The song sung by the ladies in the night when the broom came to the brides place is almost gone even in village, where the ladies sang with local lyrics joking about the look and personality of the broom and mama and other close relatives, and this was done impromptus. Now day most marriages are day marriages, and I am told this was due to issues of ‘law and order’ in the marriage event!
The historically well known folk songs were created and sung by ‘illiterate’ pahadi women, in their moments of happiness, sorrows, during their drudgery, disaster, disillusionment, and these were vented out when they were out of home in the fields and while fetching water and in the jungle to get firewood and fodder, along with their dagadyas-friends.
Uttrakhand state has a rich and diverse folk culture and the cultural programs and events seen and displayed in various kauthiks-festivals have their roots in the villages. To keep these events going, we need to promote local dialects, so as to keep our cultural resources and the foundation intact as well as to keep rejuvenating these through active participation in native villages, regularly and periodically.
All these folk traditions, customs and rituals were passed on by ‘Oral Traditions’, and without the knowable of spoken dialects, it will be difficult to carry on the rich heritage.
The writer is a sociologist and has been in development/NGO sector for about 4 decades.
