The Publication of Kashmir Sabha, Calcutta "Cultural Heritage of India - Kashmiri Pandit Contribution" KASHMIR BHAWAN, CALCUTTA CK-35 (NEAR CK MARKET) KARUNAMOYEE, SALT LAKE CALCUTTA-700 091 PHONE: 358 3932 Vol. XXXIV (2000(2000----2001)2001) Vitasta Annual Number Page Intentionally Left Blank ii . Vol. XXXIV (2000-2001) VViittaassttaa AAnnnnuuaall NNuummbbeerr Vol. XXXIV (2000(2000----2001)2001) Dedicated to : The mother tongue of Kashmiri Pandits in exile and to those who have contributed to development and growth of Kashmiri Language and towards its preservation as a mother tongue. Theme : Mother Tongue of Kashmiri Pandits in Exile Origin, Advances, Threats & Thrusts. Editor : (English Section) : Dr. B. K. Moza Editor : (Hindi/Kashmiri Section) : Smt. Niva Kaul iii Vitasta Annual Number CCCooonnnttteeennntttsss page Contents ..................................................................................................................... v 1 Preface ............................................................................................................. 1-2 2 From the President .......................................................................................... 2-6 3 Some Important Aspects of Kashmiri as a Language ..................................... 3-8 4 Linguistic Sociology of Ancient Kashmir .................................................... 4-11 5 Kashmiri ........................................................................................................ 5-17 5.1 Origin ......................................................................................................................... 5-17 6 The Dying Linguistic Heritage of the Kashmiris.......................................... 6-21 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 6-21 6.2 Linguistic Affinity of Kashmiri ................................................................................. 6-22 6.3 The Agony of Scripts ................................................................................................. 6-23 6.4 Shift, Decay, Last Words, and the Death of Kashmiri............................................... 6-24 6.5 The Rescue Brigade for Kashmiri .............................................................................. 6-26 6.6 References .................................................................................................................. 6-27 7 Kashmiri Language and its Dialects ............................................................. 7-29 7.1 Area and speakers ...................................................................................................... 7-29 7.2 Linguistic affinity....................................................................................................... 7-29 7.3 Kashmiri grammars .................................................................................................... 7-32 7.4 The contribution of the present grammar................................................................... 7-32 7.5 Kashmiri script and transcription ............................................................................... 7-33 8 Origin of Kashmiri Language / A New View Point ..................................... 8-34 9 The Sharada Script : Origin and Development ............................................. 9-37 9.1 References .................................................................................................................. 9-38 10 Kashmiri Language : An Encyclopaedic Overview ................................ 10-40 11 Kashmiri Literature .................................................................................. 11-43 11.1 Old Kashmiri : 1200-1500 A.D. .............................................................................. 11-44 11.2 Middle Kashmiri Period : 1500 to 1800 A.D. .......................................................... 11-45 11.3 Modern Kashmiri Literature : after 1800 A.D. ........................................................ 11-46 12 Requisites of Kashmirology .................................................................... 12-51 13 We Owe it to Our Language .................................................................... 13-53 13.1 The Language, Origin and Development ................................................................. 13-53 13.2 The Literature........................................................................................................... 13-53 13.3 The Task Ahead ....................................................................................................... 13-56 14 An Outline of the Growth of Various Forms in Kashmiri Literature ..... 14-58 14.1 Epics ......................................................................................................................... 14-58 14.2 Romanticism ............................................................................................................ 14-58 14.3 Lyrics ....................................................................................................................... 14-59 14.4 Folk Lore .................................................................................................................. 14-59 14.5 Devotional Poetry .................................................................................................... 14-60 14.6 Mysticism ................................................................................................................. 14-61 v Vitasta Annual Number 14.7 Humour .................................................................................................................... 14-62 14.8 Shahr Ashobe ........................................................................................................... 14-62 14.9 Ladishah ................................................................................................................... 14-62 14.10 Elegy (Marthiya or Marsiya) ............................................................................... 14-62 14.11 Quatrains (Rubaiyat) and Couplets (Qitaat) ........................................................ 14-63 14.12 Free Verse and Blank Verse ................................................................................ 14-63 14.13 Prose ..................................................................................................................... 14-63 14.14 Sahitya Akademi Award Winning Works ........................................................... 14-64 14.15 Novel .................................................................................................................... 14-64 14.16 Criticism ............................................................................................................... 14-65 14.17 Drama ................................................................................................................... 14-65 15 Pearls of Mystic Poetry in Kashmiri ....................................................... 15-67 16 Growth of Opera in Kashmir ................................................................... 16-72 17 Buddhist Themes in Kashmiri Literature ................................................ 17-76 17.1 Various sects, scholars and Buddhist architecture in Kashmir ................................ 17-76 17.2 Survivals of Buddhist practices in Kashmir society ................................................ 17-77 17.3 Buddhist ideas in old Kashmiri Literature; Lal Ded ................................................ 17-77 17.4 Nund Risi the great patron saint............................................................................... 17-78 17.5 Kashmiri mysticism - Sunya Vada .......................................................................... 17-79 17.6 Buddhist ideas in Kashmiri Poetry .......................................................................... 17-80 17.7 Modern poetry and drama on Buddhist themes ....................................................... 17-81 17.8 Modern Fiction......................................................................................................... 17-82 17.9 Buddhist values combined with human values ........................................................ 17-82 18 The Kashmiri Alphabet ........................................................................... 18-85 19 Stimulating the use of Kashmiri In Cyber Times .................................... 19-89 19.1 A Challenging Historical Legacy ............................................................................. 19-89 19.2 Actions for the Future .............................................................................................. 19-89 19.3 Supporting Factors ................................................................................................... 19-90 19.4 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 19-90 20 Kashmiri Pandits in Cyberspace: ............................................................. 20-92 20.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 20-92 20.2 Kashmiri Language and its Script ............................................................................ 20-92 20.3 Kashmiri Language and its Script ............................................................................ 20-92 20.4 KOA, KIN and Kpnet Web sites.............................................................................