I was born and brought up in India, so it’s obvious that I would say Hindi is important. But my belief in the significance of Hindi language isn’t solely based on personal connection; it’s because I think Hindi is in some kind of invisible danger that we can’t see, and we won’t realize it until it’s too late. In this blog, I will share why Hindi is important and why more people, especially in India, should learn it.
The Erosion of Hindi Language
We are the generation that doesn’t use Hindi, especially written Hindi, in our daily lives. English has taken over and replaced Hindi almost everywhere. From our phone’s UI to the apps we use, the games we play, the billboards and advertisements we see daily, even on Facebook or WhatsApp, we use English or Hinglish—meaning we use English alphabets to write Hindi text or use too many English words when we speak Hindi, even when there are very good and well-known Hindi words available for those English words.
Ironically, I am writing this blog in English to raise awareness about Hindi because I, too, have forgotten how to write in Hindi correctly. I am learning it again, though, and try to write something in Hindi every now and then.
This erosion happened and is still happening at the very moment you are reading these words because great artists in Hindi were never born or encouraged. Pure Hindi as a language was never appreciated enough in our classrooms or in our pop culture. The lack of art in Hindi has severed our connection to the language. The movies and music we consume are often peppered with Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and now English words. The absence of proper Hindi movie dialogue writers and subpar Hindi teachers has only accelerated this decline.
In our culture, Hindi also carries a stigma: if you know Hindi but don’t know English, you’re considered unintelligent. If Hindi is the only language you know, you’re branded as a simpleton. I recall a personal incident from school where I chose to answer an exam in Hindi. Two girls mocked me, assuming I didn’t know the answer because I was writing in Hindi. This incident left me embarrassed and contemplating switching back to English, which I did the next year. When you go to find a job, if you do not know English, you might face issues, but if your English is really good, then you will get the job. This is a sad reality.
These and many other factors have eroded Hindi’s value, respect, and place in our lives, and it continues to lose ground each day.
Why Hindi, India’s Rich Language Deserves Your Attention and Support?
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Every language deserves respect, and this blog is not intended to belittle any language. So why is it crucial to preserve Hindi? To understand this, we must delve into India’s colonial past and the age of barbaric invasions. India has witnessed numerous invasions, with the Islamic invasions being among the most destructive. These invaders plundered our culture, language, and self-respect. They imposed their languages on us, marking the beginning of Hindi’s and other indic languages deterioration. Some experts argue that Hindi is a relatively recent language, but in its pure form, it is close to Sanskrit, making it both ancient and sacred.
Centuries of humiliation at the hands of Islamic invaders and later European intruders in the guise of business had a negative impact on our native languages. These invasions banned our native languages, made their own languages such as Persian, Arabic, Portuguese, and English the court languages, and tried many things to destroy native languages.
They introduced words that contaminated the original language and gave rise to different dialects. India’s invaders may rest in their graves, but we Indians continue to use their words, slowly losing our grasp on our own language. Invasions left us insecure, prompting us to despise our own heritage and praise foreign elements.
As more people exhibit this behavior, and the art industry does little to stop the slow destruction of Hindi, it’s up to us to rekindle love and admiration for the language of our ancestors, written in the Devanagari script.
How We Can Revive Hindi?
1. Create Comic and Short Book Culture:
Reintroduce Hindi comics and short stories with captivating illustrations to instill a love for Hindi in young minds. We have a wealth of excellent English comic books that we can translate into Hindi. By doing so, we can provide young kids with the opportunity to read and enjoy comics and short stories, fostering a connection with the Hindi language that may have been lost for various reasons.
Image created with Gemini
2. Generate Genuine Interest in Hindi:
Cultivate a genuine interest in the language among the younger generation, as people tend to excel in what they’re genuinely passionate about. We can implement innovative approaches to generate the interest in Hindi language by mirroring the success of events like the spelling bee competition in the USA.
By organizing equally engaging and enjoyable competitions for Hindi, young kids can actively participate and win exciting prizes. These competitions could also involve submitting kavitas (poems) or short stories, providing a platform for young talent to showcase their creativity. Winners would not only receive fantastic prizes but also gain national-level recognition, encouraging further participation and fostering a deeper appreciation for Hindi language and literature among the youth.
3. Make Hindi Cool:
Rebrand Hindi as “cool” among the younger generation through innovative approaches. This can be achieved by removing the stigma attached to the Hindi language as being associated with uneducated people. Influential figures such as movie stars, politicians, athletes, teachers, and intellectuals can contribute to this by incorporating more Hindi into their work and communication.
4. Give Hindi More Space in Art:
Promote songs, movies, and cartoons with pure Hindi dialogues to revive interest in the language. People aged 2-25 consume a significant amount of entertainment, which can manifest in various forms, as mentioned earlier. The more space Hindi receives in art, the more people will consume it and become familiar with it, creating a strong emotional bond with the language.
However, the quality of dubbing in movies and cartoons often falls short. It’s crucial to address this issue and ensure that artistic content in Hindi maintains a high standard, both in terms of language and presentation. By enhancing the quality of Hindi dubbing and ensuring that content looks and sounds appealing, Hindi can regain its rightful place and experience a resurgence.
5. Develop Hindi Language Apps:
Encouraging the development of stylish and user-friendly Hindi language apps is essential to increase exposure and interaction with Hindi. In today’s world, mobile phones and computers have become integral to our lives and those of our children. We often engage with various games and apps, most of which have user interfaces in English.
Due to our familiarity with English interfaces, many individuals might not readily use apps with Hindi interfaces. Therefore, it’s crucial to strategically create awareness and advocate for the development of Hindi-friendly apps. Companies, like Google, are setting examples by incorporating Hindi interfaces into their apps, and we should encourage others to follow suit.
6. Encourage Hindi-Medium Schools:
Promoting Hindi-medium schools that prioritize children’s development through Hindi as a communication or teaching language is crucial in debunking the misconception that proficiency in English equates to intelligence. Nowadays, parents often enroll their children in English-medium schools due to the belief that English proficiency is essential for success. They fear that without English skills, their children may fall behind and miss out on career opportunities.
It’s imperative to dispel this notion and challenge the idea that English proficiency is the sole indicator of intelligence or career success. Big businesses can play a significant role by minimizing the use of English as the primary communication language, except when necessary. This shift in mindset will pave the way for a new generation that embraces Hindi-medium education, fostering a sense of pride in the language and encouraging parents to choose Hindi-medium schools for their children’s education.
Image created with Gemini
7. Use Hindi in Marketing and Signage:
To enhance Hindi visibility and readership, it’s essential to incorporate more Hindi in marketing materials and signage. Increasing the presence of Hindi in marketing and signage, whether in shops or malls, subtly reinforces its importance in our minds. This strategic approach not only promotes the language but also ensures that Hindi remains a prominent part of our surroundings, contributing to its continued relevance and usage.
8. Engaging in activities within our own capabilities:
Just as I’m writing this blog to raise awareness about this issue, you too can take action within your own capacity. It could be anything – like offering free Hindi classes to young students to instill a love for the language in their hearts, or any other initiative you believe will contribute to the cause.
Closing Thoughts
This blog is not meant to show hate towards any particular language; all languages are unique and deserve appreciation. We should encourage our children to learn multiple languages, including their native state language, Hindi, and English. By following the points mentioned above, we can help more people learn Hindi and develop a deep respect for the language it rightfully deserves.
Hindi is more than just a language; it’s a reflection of our culture and heritage. Preserving it is preserving a part of our identity, history, and soul. By embracing Hindi, we can build a bridge between generations and ensure that our linguistic diversity remains a source of strength, knowledge, and pride for generations to come.
Hindi is a very beautiful language, and it boasts beautiful alphabets or letters. We need to initiate changes that facilitate the transformation from English to Hindi.
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हम अकेले कुछ बड़ा परिवर्तन नहीं ला सकते, लेकिन अगर हम सब एक साथ मिलकर एक लक्ष्य की प्राप्ति के लिए प्रयास करेंगे, तो वह परिवर्तन अपने आप ही शुरू हो जाएगा और हम अपनी आँखों के सामने उसे घटित होते देख सकेंगे। मैंने तो उस लक्ष्य को पाने और उस सकारात्मक परिवर्तन को लाने के लिए अपना छोटा सा योगदान दे दिया है, आप भी इसके लिए कुछ करें।
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