Dressing-up for.... Page 4 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2020 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/sunday-magazine Have a blissful ....Page 3 Reviving forgotten 'Dogra Akkhar - Takri' Rajan Gandhi employed by the revenue department in Chamba to deci- pher/ read records and old revenue papers in Takri until Languages are a fundamental right and the cornerstone 2006. Even now, some Takri knowing persons are employed of humanity's diverse cultural identity. Speaking or writing for reading such records in Chamba. Various revival pro- a dominant language does not mean communities have to grams of Takri were initiated in Chamba, in January 2009, give up their right to maintain and promote their ancestral the government of HP conducted a workshop for teaching language locally and globally. Around the world, indigenous Takri in collaboration with IGNOU based on National languages are experiencing revivals. More and more chil- Manuscript Mission. Further, almost on verge of extinction, dren are being raised as native speakers of Euskara in Spain, 'Takri' has a ray of hope as in neighbouring Himachal Mori in New Zealand. We live in a pivotal time for language Pardesh as a team of heritage enthusiasts from two genera- revitalization. More than half the world's languages are in tions has developed fonts for the ancient Takri. The idea was danger of being swallowed up by dominant languages with- envisaged by younger generation, ultimately teamed to work in this century. United Nations named 2019 as the for preservation of heritage and floated a forum "Sambh" International Year of Indigenous Languages and has now (meaning taking care of in Takri) at Dharamsala. After an approved a draft resolution declaring 2022-2032 the extensive research spanning two years, the team has come International Decade of Indigenous Languages. A growing out with the standardised fonts for the script of Chambeali movement of language activists, cultural stakeholders, and Takri. Meanwhile, the Sambh team now intends to develop scholars are finding new ways to foster generations of separate fonts for Takri used in Kangra and also in Kullu. speakers through everything from digital dictionaries to The Takri script has also been used in cinema as the first social media and what not. These programs are elevating the film in Himachali dialects of Western Pahari called Saanjh status of heritage languages in the public eye, providing directed by Ajay Saklani released in April 2017 used Takri opportunities for people to connect and helping marginal- script in its title and beginning credits. Workshops on Takri ized communities address longstanding discrimination. But are being conducted in small scale in the state of Himachal turning the tide of language extinction is no easy feat as Pradesh, in districts like Chamba and Kullu, Kangra and many languages being revived are still considered threat- Shimla. ened. But efforts in Jammu are dismissal, one can say non Our Jammu and Kashmir is no exception as with the starter as huge pile of manuscripts are still lying unattended passing of the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill in stores of Ranbir Sanskrit Library, Government Research 2020, Dogri also becomes official language along with Library, both at Jammu and Srinagar. Every effort has been Kashmiri, Hindi, English and Urdu. However, problem made to just wipe out Dogra impression and Takri is one of doesn't end here as Dogri earlier used Takri as writing script them. With Dogri now being written in Hindi the originality but now Devanagari is used as medium of writing. Being has been lost and despite so many literary personalities multicultural and multi-linguistic, Jammu and Kashmir involved no platform is there to revive 'Dogra Akhaar'. What used to have a lot of scripts in the past. But unfortunately Urdu just overshadowed all the ancient scripts and lan- can be more pathetic than the official notification of vacan- guages. Sharda, in fact, mother of many scripts in India cies for new subjects in Education Department which main- namely Gurmukhi (for Punjabi), Sanskrit and of course ly promotes Urdu, Islamic Studies, Arabic and practically Takri also lost in oblivion as even Kashmiri is written in not a single vacancy for Takri. As in Himachal, no such Nastaliq form of Perso-Arabic. Several inscriptions are forum is there to put collective efforts though some individ- incised on the metal and stone sculptures of Kashmir, uals are trying to revive Takri through social media platform besides manuscripts in Sharda so much so that Kashmir was but that is not enough as consistent efforts on large scale are known as Sharda Pradesh. Later, 'Takri' became the popular required which require massive funds. For revival various script in the north-western Himalayan region. Takri inscrip- steps are involved like acquisition of the language by adults, who in effect act as language apprentices. In areas where tions are written on the borders or the back of Pahari minia- ness class who maintained their self readable business partly in the manuscript. A Dogri newspaper ''Dogra Mittar'' oral competence in the language has been achieved in all age ture paintings, many such beautiful Basohli Paintings are accounts and money transactions. It was during the rule of also got published in 1889 by Pt. Durga Prasad Mishra as groups, encourage literacy in the language and here the state available at Dogra Art Museum, Jammu. It was most preva- Maharaja Ranbir Singh that Takri was standardized and editor. In the early 20th century, Missionary of Scotland education system comes into picture. Where the state per- lent script for business and revenue records. The Takri reformed to be used and read by all. Maharaja Ranbir Singh published a book Mangal Samachar in Takri script, howev- mits it and where numbers warrant, encourage the use of alphabets are Brahmic alphabet descended from the introduced Namay Akkhar developed under guidance of er, in the course of time Takri got lost in oblivion. It was con- Devasesa alphabet, which itself developed from the Sharada Vishweshwar Jyotshi, Principal of Ranbir Pathshala of that fined to home writing only and finally the script is not in use the language in compulsory state education. With enough alphabet in the 14th century. The Takri alphabet emerged as time. In this period, various books were translated into today. Only a few people exist who can still read the script. number of persons getting literate in Takri encouragement a distinct script during the 16th century. Takri was as an Dogri Takri and published by Vidya Vilas Press established No literacy of script is there but piles of material still exist. should be there to use the language in the workplace, local official script in parts of north and northwest India from the by Maharaja Ranbir Singh like Ranbir Chikitsa, Vyavhar Until late 19th century, 'Takri' was used concurrently with government services and mass media. Activists can make 17th century until the mid-20th century. A version of Takri Gita, Lilavati, Qanoon zabta Dewan, Niyam Sena Vibhag, 'Devanagari', but it was gradually replaced by Urdu. The street signs, public maps, news programs, films, publica- was the official script of Chamba State, which is now part of Ranbir Dand Vidhi, Pravesika. In fact, Takri was engraved Dogri 'Takri' finally lost its socio-cultural status on a deci- tions, websites and music in various heritage languages. Himachal Pradesh, known as Chambeali Takri. even on coins between 1870-85 used in Jammu and sion in 1944 by the Dogri Sanstha to use Devanagari as the Jammu University and SMVDU can play an important role. The version of Takri script used in Jammu region was Kashmir and was declared as court language along with official script for the Dogri language. Government of India through UGC can provide research popularly known as Dogra Akkhar ( Akkhar meaning alpha- Persian and Bhasha (contemporary Hindi). Namay Akkhar Evolved around 13th century or before, remained in use projects. Like French and German language courses, our bets used by Dogras). Most of the temple inscriptions, old was used for petitions that were read in Maharaja's court till 19th century, Takri in general contains 12 vowels and 37 Jammu based universities should immediately take up Takri bahi khatas (ledgers) and Basohli paintings used Jammu's replacing Persian. Knowledge of Takri was made compulso- consonants. In our neighbouring state HP, Takri was taught courses as well as a challenge. Online recognised certificate Takri. Takri writing in Jammu can be categorized into two ry. No official not knowing Takri could be recruited. in State high school Chamba in primary classes and perma- courses are the easiest way out to promote Takri. Local forms, old Dogri/Ganmat and new Dogri/ Namay Maharaja himself signed in Takri on local official papers. nent teacher was employed to teach Takri up to 1930. Doordarshan channel plays an even more important role Akkhar/Dvigrit Akkhar. Before Maharaja Ranbir Singh peri- However, after 1885, by the end of Maharaja Ranbir Singh's During this time, various primers, multiplication tables with wide viewership. UT administration can rope in locals od, Takri used in Jammu was imperfect. There were no rule, Urdu replaced Dogri as official script and ultimately were edited in Takri and printed by Late Sh. Bakshi Ram who are literate in Takri and organise frequent Webinars. matras used. As recorded in writings on copper plates and both Sharda and Takri just vanished from the scene under Malhotra. Later this script lost usage after independence. It's time to restore Dogra culture in originality. Every effort, inscriptions of Jammu, vowel combinations were absent. influence of Urdu. Several poets were known to be creative- Rare manuscripts, documents, records are lying in state of however small it may be, is important and appreciable.