South India Vs the Great North Indian "Hindi"

Destination of a soul isn't defined by the place of origin of the body!!

- Blogger's original.

Born in a family with a defense background, I grew being influenced by the stories from my granddad, dad and uncle during WW2, China aggression or the infamous wars with our “neighbors”. The selfless acts of heroics by the armed personnel were a delight and revelations for my young psyche. Out of the scores of adventures, one particular story stuck with me for life. This incident happened when British troops were ordered to infiltrate the Japanese resistance in Burma after their invasion in December 1941. After suffering heavy causality in North Africa, the British Army was not ready to launch an operation until the British army was trained in guerrilla warfare. In January 1943, the task of advancing into Burma was given to the Indian troops. The 14th Indian Division, with troops mainly from Madras, and they included Tamils, Telagu, Malayalam, Singalese, Goalese, Gurkha, Pathan and Baluchis, started along the Burmese coast to the port of Akyab. Burma was criss-crossed with jungle, mountains, rivers and mangrove swamps.

Where the Japanese were stationed, they had dug themselves in. Most could only be destroyed by heavy artillery and moving such equipment about in Burma was extremely difficult. Combined to the well-placed and well-built bunkers, was the fighting spirit of the Japanese who fought until death.

It was among the troops of the 14th Division that the story unfolds. After 14 days of dreadful journey on foot the division CO(Company Officer) received intelligence about a heavily fortified bunker with 2 type 92 heavy machine gun(nicknamed “woodpecker” because of the particular sound it made when fired) and probably 1 or 2 type 94 90mm infantry mortars with about 10 men holed in. The team had to move very warily as there was an evident threat of sniper fire. The CO was a young Punjabi lad from Amritsar and the only senior officer to take orders from HQ. It was imperative that the CO is guarded and kept alive until they reach the allied out post. The second in command, who was mid age Chennai (Madras) man insisted that he would wear the COs hat and overcoat so that the Japanese snipers would mistake him for the CO. So he wore the COs accessories and walked in the center surrounded by 4 soldiers. The team had taken just 10 steps when a shot was heard and the man’s forehead was cracked open. Anyone could tell that he had died even before he fell to the ground. There were no more gun shots as the work was done and the Japanese sniper knew the troops we direction less and will be ambushed anytime soon. The body was retrieved and another soldier who, as grand dad recalled, was a Goanese sipahi (foot soldiers in Hindi) quickly picked up the blood stained hat and overcoat to sacrifice his life for the rest of the squad. I never got to know how many people died during that 5 kilometer hike but this episode of extreme selfless sacrifice left a sense of great pride and unity in my mind for the Indian spirit. The life which was saved many times that day was not questioned on the basis of which state it came from and what was its “mother tongue”.

This brings me to the prevalent ignorance that I was a preview to when I moved to the Southern part of India a few years back. I shifted to a major cosmopolitan city in Karnataka sometime around 2007. Even before becoming the silicon valley of our country it was a desired destination for students from across India because of the inconceivable availability of seats for Medical and Engineering colleges. Thousands of Indian students came to this, once a quiet and peaceful place, popularly known as the “Pensioners Paradise”. The city witnessed a great influx of students from around the country but primarily from the Northern and the West side. Law and order blamed the rise in crime rate to the increase in population and extravagant night life. Somewhere during this time, they conveniently held the so called “HINDI” speaking “North Indians” responsible for this mayhem.

During my stay in the city in the next 2 years, I came across many occasions when I was asked if I knew the local language, Kannada. To which I replied that I don’t need to as my office colleagues or my local friends either speak with me in little Hindi or suitably converse in English (“Queens language” is more comfortable). The majority of the ignorant lot used to ask me why is it that I continue to speak in North Indian mother tongue, Hindi (also assumed to be my mother tongue) and haven’t tried to learn the local language as I’m staying in the southern state now. I chose to stay silent…

Few incidents happened which made me pen down my reaction to this generously accepted perception of HINDI being a North Indians “mother tongue”. First to mark was when I visited a short course on international communication at IIM-B( No brainer now!!!!) and one of the esteemed lecturer made a silent cry about how resident from North India come to Karnataka but still speak in Hindi and don’t make an effort to learn Kannada. A few months back a local corporator or some “TYPE” of politician made a statement that any resident who has either bought a house in Bangalore or has been living for more than 10yrs will have to learn Kannada. To him – what you earn comes from the pocket of the people who are paying tax for the state. Secondly, every state has a mother tongue and language of its own. Hindi is just the commonly used language across India and once stated as the National language of India.

As Hindi is not a language that comes from any particular state in the northern side of India, every citizen has some or the other mother tongue that they follow. Every state in north or east have their own local language. - UP has multiple languages, Awadhi, Bundeli, Braj Bhasha, Kannauji, Bhojpuri and Bagheli, in Rajasthan people speak Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari, Mewati and Harauti, Uttarakhand has Kumauni and Gardhwali, Gujrat has Gujrati, Punjab has Punjabi, etc.

Hence, if one feels that anyone who speaks Hindi comes from North and that Hindi is his Mother tongue and should learn the local language, It's a sincere request, that please realize that it's not. And anyone would love to learn the state language but should only do it if it's extremely needful and moreover if the other are willing to learn their mother tongue!!!! Because HINDI is not a typical North Indian's mother tongue.


Otherwise, to think of it - At this rate we should gear up for learning at least the 22 languages recognized in the constitution of India to start with.

I hope that in it's own way this small piece was able to shatter the myth!!!

Again, let’s not obliterate the essence of India which is inimitable to any other only because of the Unity in diversity. Our constitution in itself is written by the people and not just for the people by someone.…

Leaving with the Preamble –

 “ WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;

and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.