Disappearing languages

The variation within the linguistic map of J&K is as frequent and layered as its cultural diversity, yet this richness remains increasingly vulnerable. In the Kashmir Valley, Kashmiri functions as the primary medium of communication, with limited usage of Gojri among certain sections. In contrast, the Jammu region accommodates several languages and dialects, each serving communicative needs within its internal divisions. The Chenab Valley reflects even greater linguistic plurality, where Kashmiri, Urdu, Kishtwari, Bhaderwahi, Sirazi, Bhallesi, and Gojri coexist. The districts forming the Pir Panjal region are largely dominated by the Gojri dialect, while Jammu district and its adjoining areas predominantly speak Dogri. Collectively, these languages constitute the mother tongues of Jammu and Kashmir. As per the census of 2011, the least spoken mother tongue in the Kashmiri dialect is Dardi with 25,600 speakers, then Kishtwari with 39,748 speakers. However, Kashmiri, Dogri, and Gojri continue to function as spoken mediums across both regions, mother tongues such as Bhaderwahi, Kishtwari, and Sirazi are gradually eradicating despite their rooted historical existence.

The fading of these linguistic forms is not incidental but a consequence of inadequate institutional amendments and an increasing individual inclination toward the modern linguistic order. “One of the most effective ways to address this challenge is to involve young people in literary and cultural activities such as storytelling, poetry and theatre in regional languages. When youth engage creatively, language becomes a living experience rather than a forgotten inheritance,” says Nitish Devseeman, a student pursuing M.A. in Dogri at the University of Jammu.

The reason for uprooting

There are several reasons, yet overlooked, which fueled the eradication of mother tongues in Jammu and Kashmir. Firstly, the division created by labeling languages to a particular religion or superiority is merely a means to forget inheritance and collective existence. For instance, Urdu is often regarded as the linguistic medium of formal education among Muslims, while English is associated with modern education and perceived as an elite mode of communication. Within this hierarchy, mother tongues are rendered less useful, and its speakers are frequently depicted as uneducated or illiterate. The linkage attached to language contributes to the marginalisation of the mother tongue and weakens its social relevance. Devseeman reiterates this concern, stating that “The stigma attached to language usage thus contributes to the marginalisation of the mother tongue and weakens its social relevance.”

Secondly, the younger generation is losing its touch with its cultural inheritance due to lack of parental grooming with the proper exposure to cultural customs and the mother tongue. In many households, the digital exposure to children has led to the replacement of their own preferences, leaving children more connected to global trends than to their own roots.

The way forward

The way forward lies in critical intervention to address fading languages. To preserve Kashmiri, Dogri, and Gojri, needs more inclusion in educational courses with appropriate amendments in the curriculum in accordance with demographic realities. However, the revival of the mother tongue cannot be achieved through institutional measures alone; it requires societal acceptance, where speaking one’s mother tongue is no longer perceived as a stigma or lowness but pride in a legacy that must be preserved from varnishing. The way forward remains in our hands, and it must not be limited to the celebration of Mother Language Day.

Ayaan Saroori is a freelance writer.