Why is Hindi India's national language?
This question on The Sunday Times of India in its question-answer column called 'Open Space' made me curious enough to find out if the questioner, presumably a young student, has any links... Read The Article
Is this a forum to discuss, why there is a hatred for Hindi in parts of the country or a forum to racially abuse non Hindi speakers? I find that many of the participants are calling non Hindi speakers
1. Animals - describing our language as junglee 2. Non patriotic - equating Hindi speakers to being only patriotic 3. Denigrating our language 4. Denigrating our culture
Let us debate the issues by all means but not by denigrating and abusing others.
( Posted: Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 13:20 )
vipin
"For, the Hindi speakers simply refuse to learn the language of the land when they migrate, unlike, say, a Malyalam-speaking Keralite or a Nepali-speaking Gorkha, who would quickly learn the local accent of Hindi and blend almost inseparably with a Delhiite or a Lucknowi."
This statement happens to be a very dumb statement. If you examine this what you would find is that every non-hindi speaker has to pick up a single other language to work in the country , named hindi, but if a hind speaker wants to pick a language, which one should he pick. I shall give an example, if I want to work in south, should I pick tamil or kannada or malayalam or hyderabadi. Since if I learn malyalam, I would have to be limited to kerala, or if I learn tamil, nobody understrands it in rest of south india. No no , you would not undersrtand the problem since I can see you are already obsessed with the hate for hindi for some reason. But is that going to help.
Can you make kannada a common language which 80% south indian understands, since so many north/west/east indians visit bangalore, so they can even go to chennai/kerala/hyderabad. Any chance you agree with this. The problem Mr Saikia is that you can point to a problem which is so quite obvious but do you also have some solution. Let us talk about some.
( Posted: Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 09:29 )
Vipin
You exemplify the same arrogance that typify the Hindi fanatics. We need to learn Hindi for your convenience. Why should a large mass of people learn an alien language? We will learn it when we need it. Will you learn it when you need it? So what if you have to learn multiple languages. A Tamil learns Kannada when in Karnataka or Marathi in Maharashtra and we don't complain. Why is it that non Hindi speakers must learn Hindi, because Hindi speakers can't communicate?
Get out out of your ruler mentality. Accept the simple rule that the man who needs to do business with another will learn the language that is required. Don't expect others to make sacrifices for your convenience
( Posted by Overthefence on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 13:01 )
I asked you a simple question. In my job life I shall travel 4-5 big cities. You tell me, which indian language I should choose to learn and using which forum which can help in at least 2-3 states. I shall be glad to learn.
And you are not stating the fact. So many fellas from chennai shouting from the rooftop that you guys only learn english and no hindi, kannda or malyali or marathi. I am anyway yet to find a tamil speaking bangla or marathi. I am not complaining or carping. But all the fault doesnot lie with only northern or western people. Southern people are as much responsible for this 'I dont like your language and learn my language'. you need to hands to clap. You need to facilitate the learning process for people from other parts of country. I hope you would agree.
( Posted by vipin on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 15:01 )
60 million ppl in Karnataka shud learn Hindi so that they can make the lives of 0.2 million BIMARUs life easy.
( Posted by Triton on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 16:17 )
Vipin
You have correctly started by saying you chose to travel to 4-5 cities. When we choose some thing, it becomes our responsibility for making sure that we are able to execute that effectively. So if you chose to come to Chennai, you should learn Tamil. When I went to Hissar, I learnt Hindi, when I went to Bangalore, I learned Kannada and when I went to Mumbai, I learned enough Marathi to survive.
As far as non Hindi speakers learning Tamil, I have plenty of Gujju friends who speak Tamil, the same for Rajasthani and Bengali friends.
It only needs effort to see and learn others view point. I learned Hindi and realized what a rich language it is.
You learn Tamil, you will learn the richness of the language, poetry, writings etc. The same for kannada, telugu or malayalam.
Most people from south, when we leave our homes come to north, we learn your language. We make no fuss for if I have to survive in Delhi or Hisar, I better speak your language. same when we go to Mumbai or Kolkatta. If it is necessary, we will. We don't hate Hindi, we hate its imposition; when you say I must learn it, otherwise I am not an Indian.
By the way it is not tough to learn tamil or for that matter any language, it only takes effort.
( Posted by Overthefence on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 16:09 )
You are the perfect example what this article stands for. You dont even want to try to learn or understand any language or culture apart from your own. If you are in Bangalore try learning atleast some kannada so that you can interact with the local people rather than alienating them. Learn Tamil if you are in Chennai or Telugu if you are in Hyderabad.
I have lived in Mumbai all my life. I have learned Marathi, but I have seen so many hindi speaking people who dont even try to learn.
( Posted by Indian on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 12:21 )
karthik s
to beloved hindians never in the history of india we were under an northindian ruler! when our kings were building great temples and ruling large part of south east asia(please vist:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynasty) u guys were chokers siting in north leting all invaders from alaxander to mughals to rule over! so we tamils never where part of india! just because u showed a constitutation which accomodates every sentiments we joined the union of course we lacked a stronge millatery! today i bet if the central gov says hindi is the sole official language ! hha u can expect a partition in south! we are first tamils then indians! we will go any extant to protect our language and culture! u want an example: LTTE! so dont play with my language!!!!!
( Posted: Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 05:40 )
I dont understand your obsession with only south indian things being better. To tell you the truth, I did read once about Chola empire in history books and that was all. But I think everyone around knows a lot of Chanakya and Chandragupta and Budhdha and Mahavir. What you say?? Moreover I dont understand, what gives you the feeling that everone is trying to usurp your land in India. Well, seems I am least interested. One advice here though. India would treat you better any day than any other country including the neigbour SriLanka. we just love you.
( Posted by vipin on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 13:07 )
Bulls Eye...Why is Chozhan empires achievements so undermined in CBSE books...Why is it that dear vipin doesnt know that it was the only empire to have naval fleets and had naval trade with Roman kingdom.When will people like Vipin have their eyes opened to another side of Story and not beat around the same Bush.
( Posted by Godwin Paul on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 04:13 )
karthik s
to beloved hindians never in the history of india we were under an northindian ruler! when our kings were building great temples and ruling large part of south east asia(please vist:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynasty) u guys were chokers siting in north leting all invaders from alaxander to mughals to rule over! so we tamils never where part of india! just because u showed a constitutation which accomodates every sentiments we joined the union of course we lacked a stronge millatery! today i bet if the central gov says hindi is the sole official language ! hha u can expect a partition in south! we are first tamils then indians! we will go any extant to protect our language and culture! u want an example: LTTE! so dont play with my language!!!!!
( Posted: Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 05:40 )
Dear Kathik You are such a contradiction. First you say chokers to north indians and then u say since u did not have military u joined indian union. What a shame! Remmeber you also choked under the brits. Comeon chap grow up. Because of people like you our country is infested with seperetist leaders.
( Posted by Vishal on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 13:40 )
dear vishal point is north indian kings choked so much, at we have to fight the entire north india! remember vijaya nagar empire! we guys fought till our last srength to keep off invader! un till we came under british! so i request u to read some history of urs!
( Posted by karthik s on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 18:12 )
karthiks
hello sir so called hindians are payed buy non hindi speaking states? top five developed states are non hindi speakingh states! our coperates pay taxs to protect u! feed ur coroupt politicians! if make tamil or kannada as compulsary languge in our collages! u people have no where to get higher education! .... u know the status of bihar,UP,MP, uttaranchal, jarkand, delhi is develpoed with our taxpayers money.read about each state in WIKI!
( Posted: Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 05:01 )
Arun
I completely agree with you Nair...we have a lot to achieve together than complaining about the language differences... I still wonder how india is shining with all these mindsets of ppl...if our economical growth is not providing satisfaction in the way we live, there is no point in growing....we can not self-sustain like Eropean Union countries to protect Identity ..we have to be United States of India...come on India..
( Posted: Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 01:24 )
Anand Nair
My god, you guys a crazy .. to me language is just a medium to communicate .. I am from kerala .. though i never lived there .. I speak malayalam, tamil better than many tamilians, telugu, hindi, urdu .. Now in bangalore so learning kannada.. But, no one has called me from the Guiness Boook of world records, or State govt. or from the PMO or UNO offering me cash gifts or awards for this great feat .. nor was i nominated to for a Nobel prize in peace and communal harmony .. Come down to real life people .. I speak all these languages for survival .. which is the need of the hour for more than 80% of this country .. atleast 40% of the population has to think where they will get their next meal from .. and you people are discussing what language they will think in .... who cares ... as long u can get your work done ???? yes we need to be patriotic and all that .. but this is nowhere close to patriotism .. this is mudslinging and Racial Abuse inside our own country .. amoung our own people .. !!! and you fools are complaing some Brit babe abused Shilpa Shetty ... Hahaha wat a joke .. what do u expect ... if you cant tolerate ur own countrymen .. hw can we expect foreigners to respect us .. Stop fooling around with such stupid issues about languages .. and state boundaries .. and name of trains and other such silly issues .. and focus on wht we need to do so that we can earn some respect in this world .. I wornder what the hell were you all doing when u were asked to recite the pledge in school ...
Jai Hind ...
( Posted: Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 00:30 )
I agree 100 % on that...be indian...and love that.
( Posted by Shweta on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 13:59 )
cheers! I am proud of you.In fact Keralites are most positive and adjustable, guys we all should learn from them .Karthik and other guys read here and learn from him
( Posted by bhootnath on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 16:19 )
If u want to argue with me on the basis of logical points please do so.. and if u do not possess an ounce worth of logic or sense.. do not bother me.. i am not here holding a bloody flag asking ppl why they dont hate me.. u ppl are.. we have given u humpty number of reasons... and all u can do is find urself one south indian who due to his circumstances had to learn hindi..
why shud i learn from him mr. bhootnath.. why should i think like him.. if everybody thought like he did.. you would happily sell all our souls to the devil..
and ms. shweta.. i am 100% indian as well.. just no 100% hindian.. u see the difference... speaking another language doesnt make me any less indian that u r..
( Posted by Karthik on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 17:04 )
karthik aiyaa, due to this frog of the well approach of people like in whole india, we are suffering,suppose you would have been in some communist country,you would not have been here after expressing such selfish and regional and town centric thoughts, so start thinking above all these silly and selfish things.Jai Hind
( Posted by bhootnath on Thursday , January 18, 2007 at 22:27 )
I am a reflection of what u r my friend.. what am I, but a mirror who shows u ur own self..
i might be watever.. but again u provied urself incapable of conversation.. concentrate on the subject at hand.. rather than belittling me.. ppl might think u r not capable...
if trying to preserve my culture and language is selfish and silly... then i wont deny that i am..
and i would never call myself an hindian.. BUT I WILL PROUDLY CALL MYSELF AN INDIAN..
( Posted by Karthik on Friday , January 19, 2007 at 10:56 )
well said karthik, its nice 2 see a fitting reply to these people. iam also tamilian. we need to preserver our culture.
( Posted by sudarshan on Sunday , January 21, 2007 at 19:31 )
mr.bhooth ji,
hindi is as much selfish and regionalistic as asking for Tamil is.
Stop being a frog in the well.
( Posted by arun on Friday , January 19, 2007 at 10:32 )
i know several keralite craps too. what ur trying to say? as if only keralites are positive,
whole world knows who backstabs at others. its obviously keralities
( Posted by sudarshan on Sunday , January 21, 2007 at 19:29 )
ben
Hindi ? Yes you can communicate with the major illiterate population in northindia, pakistan, bangladesh...and may be to the urdu/arabic speaking communities.
What is wrong with english? Foreign language ? Yes a foreign language which got spread a 1000 years back. Hindi ? Another foreign language which got into india a little before - 2500 years back.
If you choose a language which have roots in present india, you choose any south indian language.
( Posted: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 23:13 )
Ashok
The Question seems to be very reasonable, i put up the following points for supporting the question of why hindi should be a national language?
1. of our 25+ states, is all states using hindi language 2. how would globalisation be achieved with hindi 3. why there is a need for a kannadian or keralian to learn hindi when his requirement is to learn kannada(mother tongue) and english (for business purposes)
i would say that, there should not be a national language in india, if it is, it should be english, but again a lot of uneducated people don't know english as well, so better not to have national langual in india, having hindi as national language is like saying a keralian that you are not part of the nation
( Posted: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 23:11 )
diehard
Well to be frank with you every state in india prefer their own mother tongue in the govt. and more over Southern states are always under estimated and not respected. Even in the movie award's south indian movies are not recognised and often referred by Mummuty ! North indians are not our bosses and the centre doesnot mean that you guyz implement it we listen to it. Soory for this even my mother tongue is urdu/hindi i have to say it on behalf of my tamil bro's....
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