Urdu, one of the country’s most influential languages, with deep historical and cultural roots, has been banished as the mother-tongue of a particular group. The misconception has contributed to a divide among the people
Urdu is one of the few languages of the world that is not a mere collection of words but a complete culture in itself. The basis of the language was the communication gap that the Mughal rulers felt with their subjects. To bridge this, the ruling elite decided to create a language which would be a fine mixture of Persian, Arabic and some local dialects. Thus Urdu came into its being. The word meaning of Urdu is ‘lashkar’ or the brigade in military terminology. The basic objective was to communicate with the legions to lessen the confusion that was otherwise rampant.
The idea was to have a language that would convey the sentiments in a civil and polite manner. It was meant to make even an ordinary soldier feel like he was a part of the system that he was serving. That is why Urdu has a unique politeness inbuilt in its diction and pronunciation. However, sadly, today we are trying to engulf the vastness of this beautiful means of communication.
The pairing of Urdu with Islam only started after Partition in 1947 when Pakistan adopted it as its national language. The logic that it has a similar script as that of Persian and Arabic, and is written from right to left and not left to right as the Devanagri script, is shallow. It is essential that we understand the actual use of Urdu in today’s world and then evaluate it for its usage.
With violence and terrorism unfortunately spreading in various parts of the world it is essential that there be a balanced means of communicating sentiments and thoughts. Here a sweet and civil language of peace like Urdu can play a vital role. Urdu inherently has a humility and understanding of the other. It does not need to be included in any curriculum but is the very foundation of the language. But by clamping it into the walls of religion, the base is automatically reduced and shrunk to insignificant use.
It is clear that those who club Urdu with a particular religion are not aware of its growth and of those who have contributed to it. Most of the pre- Partition Urdu writers, poets and journalists who made the language a means of expressing everyday feelings, were not Muslims. It does not mean that Muslims did not contribute to the development of the language. They had their own unique inputs which has enriched it in innumerable ways. But what we must remember is that it is not a question of religion at all.
Even in cinema the influence of Urdu is a matter of fact. It is difficult to say as to which is more effective —the reel on real or the real on reel. The songs, the poetry, the prose and the dialogues are all a part of the lives that we live. Urdu comes in use, often, in simple yet effective methods, in these day to day matters. Today’s youth see Urdu as a means of expressing love and romance even if they are not very clear about the meaning of the words they use. This is the influence of the language which we are enclosing within the walls of fundamentalism and narrow interests.
The Urdu couplets or shayari is of immense popularity in Devanagri script, but that is injustice to the reader as well as the language that is being used. It is an insult to the intelligence of the person using the language as a means of communication. It is not a crime to change the script but such change loses the inner soul of the meaning which is the base for any communication.
If the language is so popular in the hearts of the people, then why is it being made to bear the yolk of religion and communalismIJ This is nothing but politics and the base for it is so narrow that it is costing the country a whole culture. In some of the television serials there is a deliberate attempt to use the Urdu language with a particular community. This shows the sheer ignorance of the production system of that piece.
Urdu needs to be liberated from political manipulation so that it can enrich the nation in its own solid way. It is quite obvious that if Urdu is made the people’s language the politicians would derive more mileage out of it rather than by clubbing it with a religion so as to give a certain community an identity. In fact, the Muslim community should be raising its voice the loudest because it is the one which is losing the maximum for no fault of the community. Urdu is not a foreign language and is as Indian as the Mahabharat or the Ramayan. It was formed for the use of Indians and has stood its place on the stage of the world’s cultures.
A lesser known fact about this lovely language is that Urdu is the only pan-Indian language with an Urdu newspaper in most of the country’s States; this cannot be said of any other Indian language. If the script is released from its religious bane then the usage can become manifold.
Another point of importance is the assumption that Urdu is secular by definition. This is not correct. It does not have a religion. It’s a way of life and is capable of becoming a faith for many of its users. Urdu is a matter of pride and achievement for the Indian ethos and by giving it a religious face, India is losing out on its strength and international influence.
We, the people of India, should do what we can to ensure that Urdu is seen not parochially but through a nationalistic lens, and given its rightful place in our literature and in every aspect of our cultural interaction.
(The writer is Editor of The Daily Milap, India’s oldest Urdu newspaper with a large readership)