I
Sir,
This has reference to the article ‘Ignore Dogri at your Peril’ published in Daily Excelsior some time back. I have gone through your article on Dogri touching all the aspects including its old importance and gradual decline in the late nineteenth century and remergence in the middle twentieth century in a more organised manner by a few stalwarts needless to mention. Some of the presents are responsible for the decline of this language because of their thinking that their progeny would feel inferiority complex. It covers how Kashmiri migrants progressed in adoption of the language especially for their next generations. Other aspects of this exposition and articulation are highly impressive and appreciated on this end. Your version that when mothers are not speaking it fluently how their children can consider it a mother language. The parents and teachers at all levels should work for its development and progress.
Prof R L Sharma
Channi Himmat
II
A timely reminder to Dogri speaking people. Mother tongues, as they are, provide a deep seated cultural identity and give us a sense of belonging. The languages which are not taught in schools suffer neglect and slowly slip into background. It becomes fashionable to neglect them. Their can’t be a bigger misfortune than this for any race. It is therefore important to build a huge literary base for such languages and teach them in schools. NEP may provide a new beginning. Bengali, Gujrati and all south Indian languages are thriving because of huge literary reserves and the pride of these communities associated with it.
Dogri is such a sweet language that has been the foundation of ” khand mithe log dogre”. While serving at Akhnoor for six long years, I had a thorough brush with pure Dogri which warmed my heart and inculcated deep love for it. It was always a pleasure to communicate with a poor and so simple animal owner. Before getting to know about the problem of his animal, I would invariably enquire about his personal issues, which he would share without any inhibitions.
Dr S L Tickoo
Retired Director, Animal Husbandry
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