Saving the culture of J&K is a vital issue today as globalization has taken the toll of many communities' languages, heritage and culture. The Union Territory comprising many communities with different ethnic backgrounds is still sustaining many cultures with their unique features especially the languages which play an imperative role in preserving the rituals, traditions and folklores of a particular community.
It is pertinent to mention that regional languages hold the onus of conserving the culture and to ensure that the rich tapestry of J&K remains intact, it is quite necessary that people should work on saving their languages from extinction. Whether it is Kashmiri, Dogri, Gojri, Poonchi, Pahadi, Punjabi, or any other local language, the responsibility to save this lies on the people and clans which use these modes of conversation as no other entity could do this for them.
It is a fact that languages since the inception of human world have appeared, evolved and finally vanished due to several reasons including natural catastrophes wiping out communities, wars, genocides and above all the globalization, which has become the most potent tool in today's so called modern world as to its credit there are many languages which have become extinct with no one left behind to speak or write or even think in the same mode of conversation.
According to a research nearly 60 percent population of the world today rely on merely 20 odd languages thus ruining the diversity which should have been there as there are thousands of languages which are still existing as it is said that after every 50-100 Kms the language changes and this could be testified easily by travelling across the length and breadth of India, and even J&K, which also have a diverse range of population using different languages and dialects.
In this context, reportedly, over 60 eminent Dogra personalities congregated after receiving an invitation by Senior Citizens Support Service Club, Chowadi to discuss the declining status of Dogri language. It was discussed threadbare that Dogri was made a national language in 2003 but not included as a compulsory subject in schools. Similarly, it was made an official language of UT of J&K in 2020, but status in schools is still dismal.
The hard fact is that the National Education Policy 2020 stresses on teaching of mother tongue in classes 1 to 5 but JKBOSE/JK SCERT had not made it compulsory for the school students. This is one aspect but the most important factor responsible for longevity of a language is its usage by the maximum number of people. As far as Dogri is concerned, unfortunately even those who bat for its promotion and sustenance cannot claim with affirmation that their offspring use this language in homes and otherwise. This is the major cause of decline of Dogri and for that matter Gojri, Kashmiri, Pahadi and Punjabi also. Unless people will not start using their mother tongues extensively no one can save these for them, which is true like death.
It is a sad scenario that everyone today wants that his or her child should be fluent in English or Hindi and in some cases now, in French, Spanish or other foreign languages thus making it clear why regional languages are facing the threat of extinction. No authority or a government could help in preserving regional language until and unless the communities which own these would start using the same with interest and without any pressure. All said and done, the onus of saving Dogri, Pahadi, Gojri, etc lies on the people as no other entity is dexterous enough to accomplish this job for a particular community.
