Ramanisblog

Tag: hindi

  • Why Hindi, of All Times,Now

    I stopped writing on Political issues in Ramanis blog for the past five years.Reason is that many of the readers felt that political issues need not find a place in a blog dedicated to Sanatana Dharma and antiquity of Hinduism.I agreed.However off and on I write my views in my other site Ramani comments and in Facebook.

    Now there seems to be an attempt at pushing Hindi surreptitiously on Non Hindi speaking people,though there is a vociferous denial to the contrary.

    I would like to share my views now as it is vital that people know what is at stake.

    I have chosen this URL because it is read by more people, with over 16 million hits and about 6000 plus subscribers.

    When people say there is an attempt to push Hindi now, Why this comment was not made after anti Hindi agitation in the sixties in Tamilnadu was successful?

    There has been no talk about this till a few months back.

    There was sporadic mention of this issue by DMK and AIADMK during elections,which no nobody lent credence because everyone knew it was an election gimmick and a non issue.

    Most of the people in Tamilnadu do speak in favour of Hindi now, because of the fear thst these Corrupt fraudsters might come to power and ruin Tamilnadu as they had done .So better to support Hindi rather than to allow these unscrupulous scamsters.

    Now we find the new language policy which provides for learning local language optional but it ensures Hindi as Hindi as Official Language.

    When you make one language as Official, you make non Hindi people in Government service atleast to learn Hindi for better career opportunities.

    The argument is A Nation needs a link language and only then the country will be integrated.

    This is a wrong premise.

    I Had written earlier , in ancient India,where there were over 56 kingdoms,the was no official link language.

    ‘

    There are references to in Tamil literature and Sanskrit Texts, Vedas,Ramayan, Mahabharata,Eighteen Purans and in later Sanskrit and regional literary works.

    Regional literature refers to Sanatana Dharma and Ithihsas in detail, be it Tamil, Telugu,Kannda,Bangla, Oriya.

    Evidence abounds that a healthy trade between the people of the south  and the north flourished since the Vedic period.

    Now the question is how did these people communicate with each other in view of the fact that India has multiple languages and dialects.

    ‘

    There are 22 major languages in India, written in 13 different scripts, with over 720 dialects’  .https://www.justlanded.com/english/India/India-Guide/Language/Languages-in-India

    ‘According to Census of India of 2001, India has 122 major languages and 1599 other languages. However, figures from other sources vary, primarily due to differences in definition of the terms “language” and “dialect”. The 2001 Census recorded 30 languages which were spoken by more than a million native speakers and 122 which were spoken by more than 10,000 people’ -wiki

    Sanskrit is said to be oldest language being dated about 5000 years back.

    ( I had written this my not be correct and Sanskrit might be much older along with Tamil, an ancient language of India. million year old Tamil  Site near Chennai ,Tamil Nadu with advanced Tamil civilization.And Tami quotes Vedas and Vedas in turn quote Tamil and Tamil Kings.Please read my articles on this)

    The languages spoken in the south and even among the north indi differ.

    Sanskrit is accepted in all the regions though!

    Groups in India spoke  different languages.

    Yet they were in intimate contact with the Sanatana Dharma People whose language was Sanskrit. https://ramanisblog-in.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/ramanisblog.in/2016/09/27/common-link-language-of-vedic-sanatana-dharma-india/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=16003125637169&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Framanisblog.in%2F2016%2F09%2F27%2Fcommon-link-language-of-vedic-sanatana-dharma-india%2F

    So why now?

    The answer would be there were wars between kingdoms and Bharatvarsha was not United.

    Who said that?

    Read Puranas and History.

    The wars were there because of land ,woman and wealth and not because of Language during the period when kings ruled India.

    Secondly have you stopped internecine quarrels after Hindi was introduced?

    On the contrary, it caused wide spread unrest to the level of people wanting to secede!

    One should remember language , Religious and cultural practices are close to one’s heart and the surest way to destroy unity of a country is by imposing a language, though by cleverly worded communiques.

    One should learn from History.Those who refuse shall be doomed.

    When you say India is a melting pot of various cultures, please remember Language is the root of a culture.

    Another argument advanced to promote Hindi is that it opens up employment opportunities.

    Partially true.

    Merely learning a language can not guarantee employment.

    Do we offer jobs to someone because he knows a language?One needs the skillset for a job.Language will be an additional qualification.If an individual needs it, he shall learn it. Why should Government tell me? If I need to learn a language to survive, I will I shall learn it,wheter you tell me or not.

    Has the government enforced legislation to ensure my welfare for all I need? It is impossible.

    So,why language of all other things?

    Another argument, it is spoken by majority, which can be contested.Which Ishall.

    If majority is the criterion, shall all follow Islam as the most practised Religion of the world?

    This would give the moral high pedestal that you are a really a liberated forward looking country.

    When people talk Hindi as the single largest spoken language of India,which Hindi are you speaking about?

    Hindi spoken in UP,if so of which region of UP?

    Or in Uttarakhand, Himachal, Gujrat, Rajasthan,Punjab, Haryana,Bengal,Odisha,Assam, Meghalaya, Maharastra,AP, Telengana,MP, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala…..?

    So which Hindi are you speaking about?

    Unfortunately those who advocate Hindi are those whose mother tongue is not Hindi.

    Why have they learnt it?

    Because they needed it to survive or advance their careers.

    One need not advise, people will learn if they need it,as I said it earlier.

    The argument that your mother tongue will not be affected because of learning Hindi is erroneous.

    Same canard was put out when English was introduced in India by Macaulay. Read my article on the reason why Macaulay advocated English.

    Now what has happened?

    Most of us read our Religious texts, Puranas and Ithihasas in English.

    We read English nursery rhymes saying Rain Rain go away in a country where we need rains.

    Our children call mother Mummy.

    This process has slowly sounded the death knell of Indian languages.

    Do we want to repeat this by substituting Hindi for English?

    Again only by learning Hindi one gets employment opportunities, how come Hindi speaking people work in non Hindi speaking ,go there to work?

    If you say Hindi speakers learn local language,tell me how many speak and write in Kannada,Tamil, Telugu,Bengali…?

    Why hindi speaking states do not opt to learn other languages, especially from South?

    Where is the statistics?

    And in the committee constituted for Study and promotion of Indian culture, why no south indian is not reprented?

    And a senior Government official says he knows only Hindi and those who do not know Hindi may get out!

    This, in an important Central Government meeting of Officers.

    Would the government have accepted it if Kannada spaeking officer said those who do not know Kannada to get out?

    They might do so only after someone protests?

    Should they protest for their rights?

    Why this sudden surge in promoting Hindi?

    Out of personal experience let me record these facts.

    I have been delivering lectures in various forums,mostly in English because the audience do not know English.

    But in a Meet to be attended bt academicians,which included vice chancellors of Universities, who know English, I was asked to deliver my speech in Hindi.

    I refused.

    Why should I?

    I have a mental block in speaking Hindi,though I can write and understand.Reason is that during my formative years in the sixties, I saw the fanaticism to impose Hindi and this has affected me to a great extent.

    Now I see in various groups, I am ridiculed and Tamil called as Dumeel in Facey communities the moment I post a researched article on the Antiquity of Tamil ,Tamils,Kannada or Telugu.

    People, please remember no language is less than five thousand years old, except Hindi.

    Respect other languages, culture and learn them.

    Don’t ridicule them and promote one surreptitiously.

    There is a larger India ,Bharathavarsha beyond the Hindi belt.

    I know I shall be pilloried for this article.

    Truth has to told.

    To me my mother comes first.

    That doesn’t mean I should ask others to accept her.

    I respect others’ mother at my will.

    Life is not only career, there are things beyond that, if you know what I mean.

    Please don’t insult the language of Sri Tulsi Das by your misadventures like what the Dravidian parties did to Tamil.

    # For those people who say I am a Tamil chauvinist,please read my articles on various, languages cultures in India

    And I am much closer to the people who promote Hindi than others and know their thinking process .

  • Hinduism Present Gods Not In Vedas Why?

    I have received a perceptive comment on the Gods worshiped in the Vedas.

    This is it.Vedic Gods Abstract ,Hinduism.jpg Vedic Gods Abstract ,Hinduism.

    ‘

    After completing the Shruti texts, I moved onto the Smritis – the Itihaas and the Purans when my daughter, while reading the draft, commented : No portion of the Veds (including the Upanishads) really talk of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Ganesh, Devi etc. How did the transition take place.?

    The Agams do provide a clue but to my mind there are several missing links – especially in the practices as seen from Uttar Pradesh where I come from. Can you throw any light on this?’

    I kept the comment pending lest I forget it.

    The Vedas  as rightly said do not mention the Trinity Brahma , Vishnu And Shiva as much as the other deities as Indra, Varuna , Agni.

    Shiva is not mentioned at all, excepting in Sri Rudram as Sivaaya Ca, Sivadharaya ca.

    No mention of Brahma either.

    But we have references to Vishnu and Narayana.

    Example.Narayna Suktham ,Vishnu Suktham.

    Devis Lakshmi and Durga are mentioned , Sri Suktham and Durga Suktham.

    Vishnu is mentioned six times, in the Rig Veda

    Ganapati Upanishad is found in the Atharva Veda.

    As to how the Trinity and other deities we worship today came into play is the human necessity of having a fixed an object for realization with specific attributes that are identical with human attributes.

    Vedas speak of Para Brahmanas Nirguna, with out Attributes.

    Saguna, Gods with attributes were limited to what we now consider as minor deities, like Indra, Varuna and the others.

    More of karma kanda was followed and Bhakthi Bhavam the Path of Devotion does not find a place in the Vedas as much as in the post Vedic period.

    Vedic karmas were performed as per the Vedic procedure, were more mantra oriented( the deities are bound by the Mantras) and the Deities like Agni were used as conduits in carrying the oblations and these deities were considered to be the benefactor of human needs.

    Howver as the number of these deities were numerous, there was a necessity of establishing  much more powerful deities, who are are in control of these deities.

    Thus were the Gods Brahma and others.

    As for as Shiva is concerned there are references to Siva in the South. Pre Sanatana Dharma period where He is described as Adhi Shiva and a First Siddha.

    I have published a couple of articles on this and more to follow.

    So many of the Gods we worship today were not mentioned in the Vedas.

    That does not necessarily mean they are Illusions or lies.

    As I have mentioned in my earlier Post that Hinduism does not believe in personal God but understands the Human Mind;s necessity og having one.

    So it allows the worship of these deities.

    As Krishna says,in The Bhagavad Gita

    “I shall grant the boons to one who prays  in the Form he worships and in the same manner that Deity would’

    Thereby implies the Nirguna Upasna can be supplemented by Saguna worship.

    Deities mentioned in the Rig Veda.Numbers indicate the number of times the Gods were mentioned.

    • Indra 289
    • Agni 218
    • Soma 123 (most of them in the Soma Mandala)
    • The Asvins 56
    • Varuna 46 [1]
    • the Maruts 38
    • Mitra 28[1]
    • Ushas 21
    • Vayu (Wind) 12
    • Savitr 11
    • the Rbhus 11
    • Pushan 10
    • the Apris 9
    • Brhaspati 8
    • Surya (Sun) 8
    • Dyaus and Prithivi (Heaven and Earth) 6, plus 5.84 dedicated to Earth alone
    • Apas (Waters) 6
    • Adityas 6
    • Vishnu 6
    • Brahmanaspati 6
    • Rudra 5
    • Dadhikras 4
    • the Sarasvati River / Sarasvati 3
    • Yama
    • Parjanya (Rain) 3
    • Vāc (Speech) 2 (mentioned 130 times, deified e.g. in 10.125)
    • Vastospati 2
    • Vishvakarman 2
    • Manyu 2
    • Kapinjala (the Heathcock, a form of Indra) 2

    Minor deities (one single or no dedicated hymn)

    • Manas (Thought), prominent concept, deified in 10.58
    • Dakshina (Reward for priests and poets), prominent concept, deified in 10.107
    • Jnanam (Knowledge), prominent concept, deified in 10.71
    • Purusha (“Cosmic Man” of the Purusha sukta 10.90)
    • Aditi
    • Bhaga
    • Vasukra
    • Atri
    • Apam Napat
    • Ksetrapati
    • Ghrta
    • Nirrti
    • Asamati
    • Urvasi
    • Pururavas
    • Vena
    • Aranyani
    • Mayabheda
    • Tarksya
    • Tvastar

    I have taken as a frame of reference as it is the oldest and regarded as most authentic.

    I belong to Krishna Yajur.

    Citations.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigvedic_deities

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  • Three Hundred Twenty Five Recognised Languages India

    India, we all know, is a land of diversity.

    Look at the number of languages.

    It is curiousthat we have taken English and French into our fold!

     

    Agaria,

    Ahirani,

    Aimol,

    Aiton,

    Anal,

    Andamanese,

    Some Languages of India, Scripts.jpg Some Languages of India, Scripts.

    Angani,

    Angika,

    Ao,

    Apatani,

    Arabic,

    Armenian,

    Ashing,

    Assamese,

    Asuri,

    Awadhi,

    Badaga,

    Baghelkhandi,

    Bagri,

    Baigani,

    Bajania,

    Balti,

    Bangni,

    Banjari,

    Basturia,

    Bauria,

    Bawm,

    Boli,

    Bengali,

    Bhanja- bhumia,

    Bantu,

    Bharmauri,

    Bhairi,

    Bhili,

    Bhojpuri,

    Bhotia,

    Bhuiya,

    Bhumij,

    Bhunjia,

    Biate,

    Bilaspuri,

    Birhor,

    Birjia,

    Bishnupriya,

    Bodo,

    Bokar,

    Bondo,

    bori,

    Braj Bhasha,

    Brijlal,

    Bugun,

    Bundelkhandi,

    Burmese,

    Bushari,

    Chakhesang,

    Chakma,

    Chambilai,

    Chameali,

    Chang,

    Changpa,

    Chattisgarhi,

    Chikari,

    Chinali,

    Chiru,

    Chote,

    Churasi,

    Dalu,

    Deori,

    Dhanki,

    Dhimal,

    Dhodia,

    Dhundhari,

    Didayi,

    Dimasa,

    Dingal,

    Dogri,

    Dommari,

    Droskhat/Dokpa,

    Duhlian-Twang,

    English, French, Gadaba, Gadiali, Gallong, Gameti, Gamit, Gangte, Garasia, Garhwali, Garo, Giarahi, Gondi, Gujarati, Gujjari, Gurung, Gutob, Hajong, Halam, Halbi, Harauti, Haryanavi, Hebrew, Himachali, Hindi, Hinduri, Hindusthani, Hmar, Ho, Hrusso, Hualngo,Irula, Jabalpuri, Jangali, Jarawa, Jaunsari, Juang, Kabui, Kachanga, Kachari, Kachchi, Kadar, Kagati, Kakbarak, Kanashi, Kangri, Kannada, Karbi, Karen, Karko, Kashmiri, Kathiawari, Khadiboli, Khaka, Khamba, Khampa, Khampti, Khampti-shan, Kharia, Khasi, Khaskura, Khatri, Kherwari, Khiangan, Khorusti, Khotta, Kinnauri, Kiradi, Kisan, Koch, Kodagu, Koi, Koireng, Kokni, Kolami, Kom, Komkar, Konda, Konicha, Konkani, Konyak, Koracha, Koraga, Korava, Korku, Korwa, Kota, Kotwalia, Kudmali, Kui, Kuki, Kulvi, Kumaoni, Kunbi, Kurukh, Kuvi, Ladakhi, Lahauli, Laihawlh, Lakher (Mara), Lalung,Lambani, Lamgang, Laotian, Laria, Lepcha, Limbu, Lisu, Lodha, Lotha, Lushai, Mag, Magahi, Magarkura, Mahal, Maithili, Majhi, Makrani, Malankudi, Malayalam, Malhar, Malto, Malvi, Manchat, Mandiali, Mangari, Mao, Maram, Marathi, Maria, Maring, Marwari, Mavchi, Meitei, Memba, Mewari, Mewati, Milang, Minyong, Miri, Mishing, Mishmi, Mizo, Monpa, Monsang, Moyon, Muduga, Multani, Mundari, Na, Nagari, Nagpuri, Naikadi, Naiki, Nati, Nepali, Nicobarese, Nimari, Nishi, Nocte, Odki, Onge, Oriya, Padam, Pahari, Paharia, Palilibo, Paite, Panchpargania, Pang, Pangi, Pangwali, Parimu, Parji, Paschima, Pasi, Pashto, Pawri, Pengo, Persian, Phom, Pochury, Punchi, Punjabi, Rai (Raikhura), Rajasthani, Ralte, Ramo, Rathi, Rengma, Riang, Sadri, Sajalong, Sambalpuri, Sangtam, Sansi, Santali, Sadra, Saraji, Sarhodi, Saurashtri, Sema, Sentinelese, Shekhawati, Sherdukpen, Sherpa, Shimong, Shina, Shompen, Sikligar, Sindhi, Singpo, Siraji, Sirmauri, Soliga, Sulung, Surajpuri,Tagin, Tai, Tamang, Tamil,Tangam, Tangkhul, Tangsa, Tataotrong, Telugu, Thado, Thar, Tharu, Tibetan, Toda, Toto, Tulu, Urdu, Vaiphei, Varli, Wagri, Wancho, Yereva, Yerukula, Yimchungre, Zakring (Meyer), Zeliang, Zemi, Zou.

    The following information is derived from DM Silveira‘s INDIA BOOK 1994-95, page 61, ISBN 81-900218-2-6 published by Classic Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Goa, India.

    The original author of this was Mr. Gurnek Singh

    http://www.sanyal.com/india/indlang.html

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  • Telugu, Tamil Malayalam Not Spoken In North, Incorrect Study

    There was a news item that ten Indian Languages face extinction ,some being swallowed by the other Languages.

    But these are dialects that are in vogue in Karnataka.

    It is natural that a Dialect gets absorbed in a language over a period of time, if the Dialect does not attempt into evolving as a language.

    This is in the hands of the people who speak the Dialect.

    Unless people respect their mother tongue, even if it is a Dialect, the Dialect is bound to die.

    The same phenomenon is likely to happen for the Languages of india if they, in their mad  quest for aping English language and culture., right from asking children from age 3, to chant ‘Rain.Rain Go away’ in a Country where Rains are needed , or ‘Baba Black sheep,,,wool’, where the Sun scorches..

    ”

    According to the Census, Karnataka has 50 tribal languages, besides the speakers of 22 scheduled ones. In all, at least 72 languages are spoken in the state. The survey has examined and recorded 42 of the languages.

    Karnataka is one of the few states with a variety of tongues. For instance, Varli language speakers, settled in Bijapur and Belgaum, number just 165, while Chenchu speakers, settled in Gulbarga and Yadgir districts account for only 470. Dakkhani Urdu took birth in Karnataka after the Mughals shifted their capital from Delhi to Devagiri. Experts vouch for the influence of Dakkhani Urdu on Sufism.

    Linguists express concern that loss of a language is the loss of a knowledge system, life system and ecology. “All tribal languages are endangered. Due to the constraints, we couldn’t conduct field studies and record the status of all languages in the state. For instance, we have only recorded the grammatical structure of seven minority languages – Tulu, Kodava, Konkani, Dakkhani, Banjara, Sanketi and Beary. There are others like Tibetan,” said Prof HM Maheshwaraiah of Karnatak University, who is the editor of the volume on the languages of Karnataka” (times of India ,Aug 10, 2013)

    There was a Report in the Times of India dated 28 August, 2013, quoting the People’s lInguistic Society,listing Indian cities with most languages being spoken, least spoken, and more data on these lines.

    It lists Hindi as the most spoken language, followed by Telugu.

    Seems correct.

    The question arises where the report  lists the languages along with the States they are spoken in, where the Data seems to be incorrect.

    For Instance, Malayalam is shown as being spoken in Kerala, Tamilnadu;Kannada in Karnataka and Andhra:Tamil in Tamil Nadu. Puducherry,Andhra,Kerala.

    What about Malayalam?Tamil/Kannada/Telugu being spoken in the other cities?

    The report also lists that more languages are spoken in the North East.

    Do they mean Dialects.?

    For the survey have they collected data as ‘Mother Tongue’ or ‘the language spoken?’

    There is a wide difference between the two concepts,

    The study seems to suffer from a lot of inaccuracies.

    When they speak of Hindi, which Hindi are they speaking about?

    UP,Bihar,MP,Himachal Pradesh,Maharashtra,Hyderabad, Bangalore?

    Please read the reports at their site.

    Source:

    http://peopleslinguisticsurvey.org/news-and-events.aspx

    http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-10/bangalore/41266115_1_linguistic-survey-indian-languages-tribal-languages

  • Requiem for Identity Tamils Yet Non Tamils

    I attended a close Relative’s wedding recently.

    The Bride’s Family are Tamils settled in Mumbai about Forty years back.

    They claim they are Tamils’speak Tamil at Home, their Mother Tongue is Tamil, declare they are originally(?) from Palghat.

    The Marriage was conducted in South Indian Brahmin style.

    On the dais, when the final ceremonies of tying the Mangal Sutra(Thaali), Uncle of the bride, who was standing near me exclaimed, on a particular ceremony being performed(Aupaasana),

    ‘Yeh, pehle Karna Thaa’ ( this should have been performed earlier)

    I asked him what his mother tongue is.

    Tamils In Mumbai
    Tamils In Mumbai

    He replied ‘Tamil”

    The behavior of the Tamils who are settled or even on a short stay to the Northern States, particularly Mumbai, New Delhi, is funny to say the least.

    They talk in Hindi, watch Hindi Channels when on a trip to their relatives Homes in their Native State and converse in Hindi much to the discomfiture and embarrassment of their Hosts.

    They add comments,

    ‘ye madrasi ka practice hai’

    They seem to imagine they are culturally superior to their people speaking their language, forgetting the fact that they are never accepted as a Northerner in the states where they are settled in.

    You might have been living in these states for even fifty years, still you are  a Madrasi’!

    Yet for important functions they come back to their Native place or State!

    They speak Hindi, English and Tamil, can not write or read Tamil, yet call Tamil as their Mother tongue.

    Yet they follow Tamil Traditions.

    They just do not seem to know their Identity.

    They belong neither here nor there.

    Is this not a crisis of Cultural Identity?

    The same is applicable to Indian Tamils settled in the US.

    They compensate this by over enthusiasm for following their native customs more than their counterparts in India.

    The curious fact that those Tamils who are settled in Bangalore, Hyderabad, do not identify or learn Kannada or Telugu;but pick up Hindi!

    Paradoxical!

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