‘Hindi Pakhwara’ in Bhartiya Nau Sena

Hindi Pakhwara (Hindi Fortnight) is observed in the Indian Navy (Bhartiya Nau Sena) and all central and state government offices and establishments each year from 14 September (Hindi Day) to 28 September. During this period, various programmes and events are conducted to promote Hindi such as debate, essay, slogan writing, short story writing, poetry writing, group discussion etc.

A certain budget is allotted for the purpose and a feedback report of the activities is required to be rendered to Naval Headquarters. However, over the years very little progress has been made in the progression of the language through official endeavours even though posters prominently displayed in offices state that there is full freedom in this office to work in Hindi. Few files are prepared in Hindi, some officers venture to sign in Hindi, certain orders are signed — all this is done to show to the ‘parliamentary committee’ which visits periodically to ascertain the progress on ground. From my experience I can say that anything which is forced is not accepted, especially a sensitive issue like language.

But Hindi since Independence has made much progress and acceptance on account of the Hindi film songs which are sung all over even by those who do not understand the language. In the Census of 2011, Hindi speakers have increased in percentage from 41.03 in 2001 to 43.63 in 2011.

I was a Hindi enthusiast when I joined the Navy since I belonged to Uttar Pradesh. I thought that people should converse in the language which would soon be the official National Language. I was not aware that my strong views were not shared by many who loved their mother tongue with devotion and fervour and their literature too was very rich.

We were Midshipmen on board Beas in 1981 and once during sailing at night when we were lying in our bunks, my two course mates from Kerala were incessantly conversing in Malayalam and so I questioned them as all of us talked in English or Hindi — “Yaar why are you talking in Malayalam?” They immediately replied “Dhuliya, what is your problem!” I did not want to aggravate the matter and so I remained quiet. But much later as I encountered other language-related issues, I understood that I should not have any problem.

In 1983 I was posted on board Ghorpad, a Landing Craft in Vizag. We were part of a Squadron and I was tasked to take the team of the Squadron to Coimbatore for the ‘Annual Musketry Championship’. The championship was for about 15 days. On the final day I along with other officers were made in charge of the commentary. I was to speak in Hindi and the second officer in English. A day prior we had our rehearsal in the presence of the Commanding Officer Captain Iyengar of INS Agrani which was conducting the event. I had prepared my part and had practised with the other officer and as I spoke a few sentences the Commanding Officer interrupted and said, “No Hindi here, this is in Tamil Nadu, only English.” We all were shocked but complied. I was disappointed but relieved as I concentrated on the performance of my team. But that incident has stayed with me forever.

In 1986 I was Executive Officer of a Missile Boat INS Prabal in Mumbai. My CO was on leave and I was officiating. It was early September and we received instructions from Command Headquarters for conduct of various activities during the ‘Hindi Pakhwara’. Since I was a Hindi enthusiast I issued detailed instructions in Hindi and planned a few activities such as debate, poetry competition etc. By 14 September the CO had returned from leave and was pleased regarding the preparation. He was aware of my strong views on Hindi. I had replied under a changed name in the local newspaper in the ‘Letters to the Editor’ regarding one article which criticised imposition of Hindi and he was aware of it.

He presided over the various activities on that day and one sailor in his speech in Hindi stated that though we were asked to converse in Hindi during this period there were few sailors who were talking in their ‘mother tongue’! This was again a very critical feedback for me. The Punjab agitation was in full rage during that time and I had read about how violent and fatal attacks had happened on the staff of All India Radio who were conducting Hindi programmes. Therefore I realised that ‘Language’ was like ‘Religion’ and people were very sensitive about their ‘Mother Tongue’ which was indeed their ‘Mother’.

My last posting in 2014 was in Vizag and by this time the city was flourishing with new hotels and restaurants where music played in the evening and this was an added attraction. One singer ‘Babu’ was an excellent singer and would sing old Hindi songs of Kishore and others melodiously. We once called him to sing on a Sunday afternoon after one golf tournament and he was in his elements. We too jammed with him and during the break I shook hands with him and started the conversation in Hindi! He politely replied “Sir, I do not know Hindi.” True, many singers in South may not speak or understand Hindi but they sing Hindi film songs because they like the music!

Cinema songs over the years starting from old cinema have contributed and enormous thrust was given by radio stations and programmes such as ‘Binaca Geet Mala’, ‘Chayya Geet’ and ‘Antakshari’ on TV. For instance as far back as 1987, linguist S. N. Sridhar had suggested that cinema was the most effective and pervasive tool in spreading Hindi across India.

Regarding the role of language in order to progress, Jawaharlal Nehru, who became the first Prime Minister of India, had a message to the Madras ‘Hindi Sahitya Sammelan’, published in the newspaper ‘Aaj’ on 06 July 1937, which stated:
“…despite this we have to remember that languages are not evolved or do not progress by compulsion. Literature blooms like a flower; if force is applied, it withers.”

He further says: “Our languages should be a cultured language and understood by the maximum number of people. We cannot evolve such a language by sitting together and comparing certain shortcomings nor can a few scholars of Hindi and Urdu do it jointly. A strong foundation for our language will be laid only when the writers and the speakers speak for the common man ……. Therefore the basic issue before us is that we should build up our Literature for the common man. When we write we should have him in our mind. Every writer has to ask himself ‘for whom do I write?’…”

Therefore languages develop not in classrooms and offices but in the streets when the common man hums and sings its songs. It should appeal to the heart and not the mind. Hindi shall continue to grow slow and steady through the hearts of the people and not through official orders.

Firaq Gorakhpuri had famously said that “Great Literature was created in the language of the illiterate!” Tulsidas’s ‘Ramcharitmanas’ and ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in Awadhi are before us, recited and sung by millions daily across the Globe!

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