By Rupsa Marak
Language is the most important tool to express and assert the aspirations of a culture, and that is why most of the regional movements have turned into language movements.
Prior to independence, we did not have any issue with the languages of the country as we did not have any constitution. After the adoption of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950, the constituent assembly added the Eighth Schedule – a framework of official languages of India.
Initially, there were 14 languages that broadly encompassed the demographic contours of independent India. As the number of states rose, the need for regional languages was felt for better governance by splitting the bigger states.
The hill state movements in North East, for instance, saw the carving of several states out of Assam on the basis of language. The inclusion of Manipuri language in the Eighth Schedule through the 71st amendment ushered in a new hope for the tribes of the North East.
Meghalaya was born in 1972. Earlier, and in independent India, the region constituted two districts of Assam with limited autonomy. From 1960 onwards, the movement began, which culminated in full statehood. Meghalaya is mainly the home of three major tribes: the Garos, the Khasis and the Jaintias.
As time passed, the demand to include Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th schedule also grew. So far, it has not been met with any opposition. This plea has been unanimously passed in the Meghalaya Assembly, and now, the ball is in the Centre’s court.
Article 29 of the Constitution states that a section of citizens having a distinct language, script, or culture has the right to conserve the same. The only problem with the inclusion of the two languages was the lack of written scripts.
The Khasis and Garos have asserted their rights vis-Ã -vis language since the dawn of the 20th century. Khasi, as a language, got its recognition by the Calcutta University in 1900, wherein the people began to conduct its academic curriculum and examination up to the tenth standard; later they also got recognition up to the university level. Similarly, the Garos got their recognition a decade later.
This shows that these two tribes of Meghalaya were assertive and proud of their indigenous cultural identity.
Language is the glue that binds the different tenets of any culture. The indigenous cultures of Khasis and Garos are a treasure trove of mythological stories, folklores, songs, rituals and religious beliefs, handed down from one generation to another as oral traditions.
It is believed that Garos specifically traversed from Tibet to Garo Hills, and during this tenuous journey, their scripts were lost to time and harsh conditions. Despite this, the language has thrived to the point where it is being taught in schools and colleges in Meghalaya, apart from being the medium of communication in some educational institutions.
Both languages have an interesting history, which tells us how important it is to appreciate them. People are advocating for including their own language for conserving the essence of their culture. Garo is spoken by about 11 lakh people (2011) and Khasi, by about 16 lakh people (2011). Despite this, their language is yet to be added to the list of languages in the Constitution.
Why is it important to recognise and conserve our languages?
Because without our languages, we lose our sense of identity. Languages connect people. Children in schools in rural areas are more confident in speaking their mother tongue than in English. If a teacher were to teach them in a foreign language, they would be understandably intimidated. But if they were approached in their mother tongue, we would see a wave of response and interaction with the children.
No language is superior to the other. All languages are equally important, thus, there is a need to conserve all languages in a country like India, which is so rich in cultural diversity, Given the number of native languages, it is more important than ever to appreciate every language that is spoken in the land.