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INDIAN LANGUAGES in the WORKS of INDO-FIJIAN DIASPORA Dr The Journey of Indian Languages: Perpectives on Culture and Society ISBN : 978-81-938282-5-0 INDIAN LANGUAGES IN THE WORKS OF INDO-FIJIAN DIASPORA Dr Rakesh Rao / Dr Mahesh Jani The present paper is intended to deal with the use of Indian languages in the writings of Indo- Fijian Diaspora. Language is like a river, ever flowing, nourishing and vitalizing force for the mankind on earth. The growth and development of the humans depends on the growth of a language which they adopt. Language has nurtured many civilizations, formed traditions and bridged different continents with each other. Indian Diaspora in Fiji is one of the most active and strong diaspora communities. Indians came to Fiji as Girmitiyas and by their hard work and toil, carved niche of their own. With the help of Hindi, and other Indian regional languages; they not only survived in the most traumatic conditions but also created their own body of literature. Thus it gave birth to Fiji-Hindi variation. Indian Sanskrit scriptures gave these Indians a source of inspiration and imagination. The books, which they brought with them, paved the way for their future life in an alien land of Fiji. These Indian books became a base for the young writers, who expressed their own troubles and trauma in Indo-Fijian literature. Dr. Vijay Mishra, Dr. Satendra Nandan, Subramani, Dr. Brij.V. Lal, Ahemad Ali, Vijay Naidu, Sudesh Mishra and Raymond Pillai are the best known and established writers of Fiji. [Key words: Languages, Indian Diaspora, Satendra Nandan, Exile, diasporic consciousness] Indians came to Fiji as indenture labourers. During 1879 and 1916, around 60,965 girmitiyas1 came to Fiji. They had to live in squalid hovels called Coolie lines. The living conditions under this system were appalling and pathetic. So many Indians identified it as ‗narak‘ meaning ‗hell‘. In 19th century, a journey by a ship between Fiji and India took several days, so they have to suffer untidy and unhealthy surroundings, tropical weather and as a result, during their voyage to distant destinations some of them died in the course of their first voyage. The majority of indentured labourers were illiterate or semi-literate. The affinity between them as co-passengers developed the feeling of jahaji bhai among them. Many of them stayed after their expiration of agreement, some of them leased plot of land from local Fijians and started their own farms, sugar cane fields, or small business. Violence, diseases, brutality of the Overseers, exploitation of women; were the major issues that tortured and shattered the lives of the girmit generation. Tragedy, for the Indo-Fijians continues even after the end of indenture labour system. After hard toil and suffering over the decades, they made Fiji a paradisal land. They changed the country‘s face, forgetting their own and made Fijian, an agrarian economy. Life was full of hardships, trauma and suffering. But they endure their pain and pathos with help of their Indian roots. From India they had brought with them a copy of Ramcharitamanas which not only provided them the imagination of India but also helped to endure their struggle. The impact and effect of this Fiji Hindi language was so powerful that the other groups of indentured labourers from different linguistic groups such as Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam and Bengali, also adopted it. The vernacular version of Ramayana also became great source of inspiration for them. Ramacharitamanas of Tulsidas which was written in Awadhi-Hindi, only holy text which they had brought with them from Indian became their only ray of hope. The saga of Prince Rama, his exile, his conquest on Ravana and his return to Ayodhya; his motherland after fourteen years gave inspiration to these girmitiyas. In Fiji, majority Indians (about 380,000 Indo-Fijians) were using Hindi as their first language. Because these girmitiyas came here from the various parts of India, many Fijian writers of Indian origin used Hindi and other regional languages in their prominent Volume:2| www.baou.edu.in Page 122 The Journey of Indian Languages: Perpectives on Culture and Society ISBN : 978-81-938282-5-0 works. They slowly developed a language which was a variant of standard Hindi and Bhojpuri. It gradually became popular medium of communication among the Indo-Fijians regardless of their place of birth. Their works reveals a glimpse of Indian subcontinent and their forefathers. Writers like Satendra Nandan, Sudesh Mishra, Vijay Mishra, and Raymond Pillai used Fiji Hindi and English in their works. Satendra Nandan makes an ample use of Indian Hindi words and phrases in his fiction and poems to give an Indian identity to his English prose and verse. These words and idioms possess the rhythm and patterns of the native Indian language which is the special quality of Nandan‘s prose and poems. These words and phrases represent Indian sensibility and antiquity which creates a distinct idea and image of India through his writings. These words and expressions are spoken by the Indo-Fijian characters during their daily life which creates an excellent picture of India. Here, we can have a quick look on the Hindi words and phrases used by Nandan in his different works. The Wounded Sea: Oum, shlokas, Ram Ram Bhai, Ramsuroop, kallu , Pandavas, pujari, gurukul , Mausa, gita bhajans , Baba, tikka, arti, khatai, dhal, baigans, lathi, Achha , maatha (skimmed milk), narak, swarg, baitarini, ghasita, rotis , kaliyug, Pundit, girmit, jehajibhai, coolumber, memsahib, salaam Sahib; salaam Memiaji, Namaste, mantras, dhoti, ghee, ghoose, katha, shlokas, becaroo, jungle, Oum Soaha, rotis, choorayal, Puja, kurta-lahanga, Hanumanji, parsad, bhauji, curry, bhaji, gudgudi, bhajan mandali, Chor! Chor!, izzat!, dharma, danda, mama, nautanki, gopis, maharaj, panchayat, yaar, beta, beti, munua, sindoor, Gita, junglee, Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, daldal, panchatantra, goonda, lassi, bahu, murgichors, zhumka, tulsi, lingam, holi, pujari, Brindavan, Gujarati, kerosene, topi, kasava, kumala, gurudwaras, Ayodhya. Requiem for a Rainbow:A Fijian Indian Story: Thela, pothas, dakshina, satya mev jayate, teen murti, tamaso ma Jyotirgamaya, tapsya, junglee mircha, pehalwaan, zoola, bhabhi, goonghat, kaazal, mohras, moohdekhao, pyala of pani, telwaan, bhatwaan, shadi, baraat, neota, shudh, baatcheet, dholak, dantaal, alaap, mausi, jamuna, these words are related with the traditional Indian marriage ceremony which suggests the preservation of Indian tradition and rituals by the Indo-Fijians. juari, tiggi, ghasit, kothri, aangan, muthi, kai, kali, pakki, dholak, zaanj,gulgulas, lila, khoonta, gulabjamun, jalebi, laddu, halva, diyas, diwali, laxmi puja, dhalbhari rotis, puris, lathi, khansi, arth, Ramayanchaupais, dhebri, chitrakar, jasoosi kahanis, chatai, ramlila, prana, banarsena, gada(mace), ashok batika, mandalis, paani ke kiriwa, jagriti, maya, swamiji, ashram, Gita, sangam, namaskaram, loongi. Loneliness of Islands: A number of Indian words from Indian scriptures and mythology describe the influence of these texts on the psyche of Indo-Fijians. Names from The Mahabharata and Indian mythology used to depict the theme of Indenture, exile and the existing racism in Fiji. Mata, mali, nananani, Ajiaajwa, unda, Brahaman, chulha, Vedas, sati, savitri, anusuiya, rajput, draupadi, Hookah, Krishna, Bhisma, Nala damyanti, vishnu, Himalaya, Kunti, arjuna, karna,dharamraj, Gandhari, Duruyodhana, Dhitirashtra, Kurukshetra, Sanjaya, Chakravhyu, Mount Mandara, vasuki, nilkantha, manthan, ratnas, rambha, laxmi, uchchaisrava, airavata, kaustava, parijata, surabhi, dhanvantri, mohini, chor chor, aum shantih shantih, maan sarovar, banarsena, bulbul, khaki, moh, maya, kam, krodh, kailash, Shiva‘s jata, Nandin, Shawl, vanvas, Ajodhya, Pandavas, parvati, chameli, kaliyanaag, gullidanda, sandals, minaret, taj, Mathura, Janmabhoomi, Chappenchori, mongoose, Hanuman chalisa, Pundit-cum-ojha. Volume:2| www.baou.edu.in Page 123 The Journey of Indian Languages: Perpectives on Culture and Society ISBN : 978-81-938282-5-0 Fiji: Paradise in Pieces: Some of the words suggest the daily habits of Indian, their beliefs, food, superstition, dress and thoughts which helps to create an Indian background. These words make the appearance of the characters natural and life-like. He uses words like; Saafa, adharma, shantih, sadhu, fakir, raga, satyagraha, Birbal ki khicharee, gathari, nana, tut gai mala, bikhar gaye moti dil ke…, karmayogi. (II) Hindi words of abuse, swear words and sentences: In his novel, Satendra Nandan depicts the words, terms of abuse, expletives, swears words and dialogues from Indian and Native Fijian languages in their distorted form. Some of the illiterate and unsophisticated characters abundantly uses this kind of words in their routine languages. The Wounded Sea: Arre chodou, Arre buddhu, Rakshasas, launda. Requiem for a Rainbow: Chamartroliya , ―Arre chodou, everybody sllepin?‖, ―Arre buddhu, go to sleep. Food‘s in the kitchen.‖, ―and Bisnath shouting‖ Mausa, bachao, sala killing us!‖, ―Accha, chdou, where‘s the tin-cutter? He would enquire‖, ―Me burning my own cane? Ye sala madharchod magistrate is mad or what?‖ (III) Transliterated dialogues from Hindi: Nandan transliterates many Hindi clauses and expressions to make dialogues appear natural, authentic and appropriate. He reaches in the depth of characters‘ hearts and expresses their innermost thoughts in their language. Most of the characters are Fiji born Indians, so they cannot speak native Fijian language completely. No doubt, there
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