The Mother Tongue Connect: Calling All Marwadi Friends!

India is a land of languages. There are over 1700 odd languages spoken in India. Of course, it’s not plausible to have heard of all but I’m sure most of us have heard of the mainstream regional languages.

I am intrigued by how some languages are heard more often than the others. I wonder why are some languages slowly fading away while others are still very much in use? A language can’t become obsolete or unfashionable unless its speakers stop using it. Are people shying away from their mother tongue in favor of other widely spoken languages?

There are certain languages that are an integral part of the lives of their speakers. For example, when two Gujaratis are in a room they will inadvertently start talking in Gujarati. Same is the case with Bengalis, Malayalis, Tamilians, Maharashtrians etc. They simply cannot let their brethren go without a short exchange in their beloved mother tongue.

This devotion of my friends towards their mother tongue has, at times, left me feeling a little green with envy.

Why? Well, I do not see the same commitment from speakers of Marwadi towards the language. If two Marwadis happen to meet in a social setting, especially outside of Rajasthan, they tend to speak in Hindi or English. Marwadi gets confined to conversations with the elders.

The habit of consorting to a popular language is the cause of gradual decline of Marwadi as a language. I speak Hindi fluently. So do my family and friends. Hindi is as good as my second mother tongue, but it does not feel as familiar as Marwadi. The warmth of a conversation in one’s mother tongue is unmatched. No matter how fluent one is with the second language, it lacks that warmth.

Like my friends, I long to be spoken to in my mother tongue too. Even if it’s just a simple “how are you doing?” Even this short an exchange feels special in a room where conversations, otherwise, are in Hindi or English.

But, it rarely happens.

I don’t understand that despite the community being spread across regions, Marwadi language is slowly becoming extinct. Even those who do speak the language at home, tend to slip into Hindi or English the moment they step out.

To understand the reasons, I conducted a formal survey of Marwadi-speaking people in the age group of 18 – 35 years. 280 people responded to the survey, average age of the respondents being 28 years. I chose this age group because they are the current generation, some even bringing up the next one. I wanted to understand how these people identify and connect with the language.

Here are some of the main findings from the survey:

These results clearly highlight that people think it is important to know Marwadi.

About 70% respondents are graduates and above with professional degrees. 78% are working – salaried or self-employed. This chunk that has the knowledge and the need to speak other languages show strong inclination towards speaking Marwadi.

This chart helps highlight the problem. Let us examine the figures.

98% of the people showed a positive feeling for Marwadi. 62% know how to speak Marwadi. 86% will speak or think of speaking in it if given a chance

BUT only 35% list Marwadi (Green Shades) as a preferred language of communication

Though it is apparent that the respondents favor their mother tongue, it is disheartening that only 14% percent prefer to speak in Marwadi. Add another 21% who prefer to club it with Hindi or English. In sum, just 35% of the respondents truly favor Marwadi. This is the missing link.

While people are open to speaking, learning, and promoting the language in thought, they are not yet comfortable in putting it into practice. It could be the fear of standing out, or the need to conform to the place where they live or work. Until this statistic improves, the decline of the Marwadi language would be difficult to curb.

I urge my Marwadi friends and the people who prefer Marwadi, to encourage their families and friends to own this language. Use it when you communicate with your compatriots. I have been doing it for sometime now, with positive results. The idea is not to be overbearing but to preserve and pass on this wonderful language of our ancestors.

Let’s hold on to this beautiful language like we have held on to other things Marwadi.

Our language is quite fun! It has a rhythm. There are lovely folk songs and quite a bit of peppy music. It is a perfect brew of softness, earthiness, roughness and strength. And if you know it well, there are ample opportunities to make witty repartees, indulge in puns and deliver emotionally stirring dialogs. Like our culture, business acumen, and our delicious food, our language too is well-rounded and wholesome.

Let’s connect with the people from our community through this language. By doing this, it does not mean that we stop learning or conversing in other languages, it means that we don’t forget our own mother tongue. The mother tongue connects us to the motherland, our ancestors, and helps keep our rich and colourful culture alive – why let it slip into oblivion?

आ  बात  साँची  लागी  ना ?  रुक्या  क्यु  हो,  आओ  सब  न  बतावा |

Featured Image Credits: http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2005/may/04sld1.htm