Oh, is it here? I mean Hindi Diwas?
Going by the esoteric posts on social media seems so.
Ah, I hate switching over to A to अ keyboard on my Mac, trying to go with the flow, and posting messages in Hindi. But then, this is the least I can do in my mother tongue. But how do I get that half N for Hindi in Hindi? And ‘diwas’ has which Maatra, from the left-hand side or the right? Let me quickly look up confirmation on the internet.
Stop Ridiculing Me
I am a die-hard nationalist. And contrary to what you think, I do use Hindi in my day-to-day life. Of course, Hindi is the preferred language, while I abuse people on the street, at work, mall, and everywhere. It sounds so fulfilling. And also do a Namaste every time I meet my clients and colleagues from overseas. They think I am cool. With a legacy of 5000 years, I bet we are cool and should we not be?
Yeah, if you did not know, Hindi, Hinduism, and Yoga is a new rage. It’s like the way to Nirvana, finding yourself, connecting to the higher being.
Instead of flaunting a bespoke suit, you can multiply the effect by simply chanting a few Shlokas, talking of Suryanamskar, Vedas and the legacy of our language and culture to enhance the impact that you possibly are trying to make. It shows your grounding and respect for your roots.
No, I have not read much Hindi literature. But I did manage to complete Gaban, a novel by this over-the-top Hindi novelist Premchand on my Audiobook app. So what if it was an English translation? Don’t be a cynic. Look at my effort and my commitment to the language. Did I tell you that one Bollywood movie every week is mandatory to stay in touch with Hindi? I love the Hindi used by Jaggu dada; it is super dope! Kyon bidu?
Oops, I almost forgot that I have to find a Hindi tutor for Jugs, my son.
Imagine his Hindi teacher giving me an hour’s lecture on the fact that my son can’t differentiate between Swar and Vyanjan. Jugs, I am not blaming you. Before this PTM, even I was under the impression that ‘Swar’ meant raga or some musical note and ‘Vyanjan’ to be the Hindi for a dish. How can a kid know any language to have two distinct and different sets of alphabet? Why can’t it be as simple as A for apple, B for a ball?
But I tell you, when our Prime Minister addressed the UN in Hindi, it was a moment of truth. I felt so proud. I mean, Hindi sounds so cool. As exotic and impressive, if not more than English, when eloquently articulated by Dr Tharoor. And I am being honest, while the PM spoke, half of the words I could not understand and had to look up their meaning. Wow, man! I love the aura around Hindi, its legacy, and the purity of the language.
I am trying to write in a language that makes me relevant to get across to people who have either lost connection with Hindi or disregarded the language. For the limited edition like us, every day is a celebration of expression- a celebration of language and a matter of pride for the richest script that we, as Indians, possess.
Here I would suggest delving into the Hindi literature, understanding and feeling the expanse of language since Hindi is not just words but a way of life. Not every word of the language can be translated. It has vastness, depth and a rich script-Devanagri (sadly, for those who don’t know what it is).
I find the Devanagari very impressive and exhaustive. Just think of it, the script has the ordering of the letters according to precise scientific principles. Each letter transcribes a distinct sound. It recognizes subtle distinctions in sound. No other language that I know has a sound for every syllable. On the contrary, many scrips in the world have silent alphabets.
And yes, before I get swayed telling you the history of the Hindi language or Hindi literature, I like to leave you delving into finding the answer, who is the father of Indian literature?
A Trivia
Hindi cannot be considered only a language to communicate-it’s an expression of our culture and life; it’s a binding glue that keeps various regions of the subcontinent together. Where India celebrates Hindi Day on 14 September every year, and World Hindi Day is celebrated on January 10. Hindi was given the official language status in 1949, almost two years after the independence of India.