‘Parents must ensure primary edn in Gujarati to promote language’
| Date :04-Nov-2019 |
By Vikas Vaidya :
Several organisations of Gujarati Samaj are working to popularise Gujarati language. But according some people the efforts are not even five per cent. Some say, youngsters are avoiding to learn Gujarati. According to some people every Gujarati must insist his or her ward to speak and write in Gujarati and at least have primary education in the language. Against this backdrop, ‘The Hitavada’ talked to a CA, a businessman, a journalist, a doctor, a director, a housewife, a politician to know the efforts are being taken for the promotion of Gujarati. Pooja Shah, Senior Reporter with ‘Mumbai Samachar’, Gujarati Daily elaborated the efforts being taken for the promotion of Gujarati language.
She said, “Maharashtra Gujarati Sahitya Academy promotes Gujarati language and literature to a large extent. It organises competitions, promotes new writers, honours people of Gujarati speaking to encourage others to speak the language. People are encouraged to read Gujarati for which summits of poets, great writers are organised. In Maharashtra the way Government provides funds to Urdu or Hindi Academy, is not given for the promotion of Gujarati.” Pooja Shah pointed out, “Youngsters are learning in English and avoiding their mother tongue which is a sorry state. Gujarati Vichar Manch at Mumbai also endeavours to popularise Gujarati language but results are not encouraging.
I personally feel Gujarati-speaking people should get their wards the primary education in Gujarati. Unfortunately everybody is not very keen to do that because they feel studying mother tongue does not help them in getting jobs. But I disagree with them. This is a clear myth, only learning English can give one job. He or she can get job if he attains fluency in Gujarati so that funds get clear. I am talking about mother tongue. I studied in Gujarati which helped me in long way. While learning English I did not find it difficult. Whilst in Mumbai I realised I must learn Marathi for which I literally visited schools run by Corporation so that I could know Marathi from its basics.
We learn our mother tongue mostly in family. Family teaches us more. Every family should make it a point that every member should speak in mother tongue.” Julfesh Shah, a renowned Chartered Accountant explained, “Gujarati language is one of the simplest languages to speak, learn and understand. Gujarat culture also echoes values, tradition and culture. Nowadays, it is observed that the younger Gujarati generation speaks Gujarati less and communicates more in other languages like English, Hindi, etc. To preserve the Gujarati culture and ethos, various initiatives are being taken by Gujarati Samaj.” Julfesh Shah who is also the executive member of Gujarati Samaj, Nagpur remarked, “Navratri celebrations are done by various organisations across the city in which not only Gujaratis but members of other communities also participate with great zeal and enthusiasm.
Gujarati DAAYRO meaning sort of comedy and humour show in Gujarati is also gaining popularity amongst the community. Also various competitions are being organised by various Gujarati organisations like ‘Mr Gujarati and Ms Gujarati’ in which various performances are held in Gujarati. Basic thing to promote the language is to communicate more with each other and family members in the Gujarati language.” Dr Kirtida Ajmera, President of Nagpur Women Wing of Bharatiya Janata Party informed, “Earlier Gujarati was one of the regional languages included in school curriculum. It was compulsory language till Class VIII but not after that. I think I have to raise the voice with Maharashtra Government. Secondly, efforts should be taken at homes. We must insist our wards to speak in Gujarati which I do. If we are fluent in mother tongue then we can have command over other languages that is what I believe. Several Gujarati organisations are conducting classes and organising programmes like dramas, dances, singing related to Gujarati.”
Dr Amishi Arora, Director with Central India Business Management Research Institute, has made it a point that she should not forget writing and reading in Gujarati. Dr Arora, expressed gratitude towards her parents who tried hard to keep Gujarati alive in home. They religiously read Gujarati version of Chitralekha which has a greater impact on her life. She being a teacher advocates the necessity of language that too mother tongue in personal life of every human being. Vipin Kamdar, a well-known businessman who runs Sankalp Dhamaal Dandiya for the last so many years, has been popularising Gujarati language through it among masses. He is running small schools that impart Gujarati language teaching to everybody free of cost. “There are several schools where we conduct free classes of Gujarati. My brother-in-law who runs classes in Gandhinagar feels one should do graduation in Gujarati language as the prime language. He teaches Gujarati free of cost which is a good step. Chitralekha magazine brings Gujarati language edition too which he gets good response. We keep all the Chitralekha magazines’s Gujarati edition with us and circulate those in Gujarati langauge speaking people. I could not write and read Gujarati earlier but gradually I acquired. We bring out our community magazine where we insisted to write Gujarati. But this effort is not even 5%. Even 10% people in Nagpur don’t speak in Gujarati, which is a fact and we must accept it,” added Kamdar. Dr Veena Talavia, President of Gujarati Mahila Samaj and President of Shri Saurashtra Leuva Patel Mahila Mandal said, “Starting from home we are having conversation with my son in Gujarati only. Connected to Gujarati Samaj in Nagpur we are conducting many Gujarati programmes wherein performances of artists from Gujarati dramas, motivational speakers, etc., are held. We can inherit our tradition and culture of Gujarati language from our homes. We religiously conduct Gujarati language classes.” “First and most important step should be taken is that parents should communicate with their kids in Gujarati. Nowadays speaking in English has become a fashion. Parents feel proud speaking in English with their wards than speaking in Gujarati. I urge every parent to take pledge of promoting Gujarati. Second thing I feel that there should be classes of all regional languages... so that people of all ages can learn their mother tongues,” opined Dr Priyal Shah, Vice-President of Orange City Gujarati Mahila Mandal. Many mandals are being set up in Gujarati for promoting Gujarati and to provide a platform for Gujarati girls and women like Orange City Gujarati Mahila Mandal, Gujarati Samaj, Nagpur, etc. Singing competitions in Gujarati are being organised by various institutions. As we live in Maharashtra it may not be possible to include Gujarati as a language in curriculum in schools but private coaching classes can be set up to do the job. Several other efforts like Gujarati saree draping competitions, Gruhalaxmi competitions, Raas Garba are organised by Orange City Gujarati Mahila Mandal, added Dr Priyal Shah. Induben Dave feels sad when she sees Gujarati families prefer to speak in Hindi rather than in mother tongue. Gujaratis consider it fashionable and are more prone to adopting other cultures. Adopting other cultures is not bad, but she feels Gujarati culture and cuisine should not be neglected. Induben Dave said, “Families which are staying abroad are more conscious about teaching their children about their own language and make their children join classes to learn to read and write Gujarati.” Induben Dave who is now 89 years of age and has done her Masters in Sanskrit from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai can read, write and also speak fluent Marathi, Gujarathi, Hindi, English, Sanskrit and a smattering of Tamil and Bengali too.