Is India only about Hindi and Hindus?
Monday, October 22, 2018 IST
In the European Parliament, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee year of the European Union, the former president of India Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam said- ” I am reminder of the dream of Indian poet ”Kaniyan Poongkundranaar” who articulated 3000 years back in Tamil Classic Purananuru- ”Yaadhum Oorae Yaavarum Kaeleer” which means ” I am a world citizen, every citizen is my own kith and kin”. Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam came from a minority section of India and he ended up becoming the president of a Hindu majority nation. He was adored and admired by people from all backgrounds and age groups.
Religions of India
Around the world, there are many people who continue to think that India is only about Hindi and Hindus. There is absolutely no doubt that India is the birthplace of all Dharmic traditions. Hindus form the majority in the country, and Hindi is spoken by millions of people. India has a variety of religions and languages. Apart from the religions like Islam, Christianity and other Dharmic traditions of India which are very well-known, there are also many people in India who follow Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Baha’i faith. Not many people know that India is also home to many other lesser known religions like Bathouism, Sarnaism, Sanamahism, Donyi-Polo and the religion of Santhal people.
Languages of India
India has 22 official languages, and English is an additional official language. Languages like Portuguese and French are also spoken among some people in India, especially in the parts which were former colonies of France and Portugal. But the actual language diversity of India is much greater. According to People’s Linguistic Survey of India (PLSI), India has over 780 languages and 66 different scripts and the researchers believe that there are at least one hundred more languages that couldn’t be reported in this survey. You will be surprised to know that Arunachal Pradesh alone has 90 languages, and West Bengal has the highest number of scripts among all states, totaling nine. Assam, with its 55 languages, Gujarat with its 48, and Maharashtra with its 39 are some of the most linguistically diverse states of India. However, in the 2001 Census of India, in which a different calculation method was used, it was reported that there are 1599 other languages and 122 major languages.
As far as Sanskrit is concerned, it is still spoken in a few villages of India, including Jhiri of Madhya Pradesh, Hoshalli and Mattur of Karnataka and Sasana of Orrisa. It is said that Sanskrit has a strong influence on many Indian languages and it is important to point out that even today, Sanskrit continues to be widely used in everyday prayers, wedding ceremonies, cremation ceremonies, and many other important Hindu religious events across India, regardless of their regional language.
But all is not well with India’s languages. Many of them are slowly disappearing. It is estimated that around 220 languages have disappeared in the last 50 years, and another 150 could become extinct in the next five decades. As a country, India is blessed to have such amazing diversity and pluralism and it is going to be interesting to see what steps the people of India take to protect their heritage and diversity.
Related Topics
Related News & Articles
Despite witnessing or hearing about unbelievable cruelties, my Dada has an almost diasporic longing to return to the subcontinent.
Recently posted . 896 views . 1 min read
What was once merely a rumour that flowed through the Tagorean grapevine has recently been proved to be a blissful reality bringing joy to many Tagore devotees. T...
Recently posted . 918 views . 2 min read
India is a land of such incredible things one could never get enough of. India, once the wealthiest country in the world attracted invaders from far across. Some ac...
Recently posted . 1K views . 4 min read
Residing in the heart of the beautiful state of Madhya Pradesh, the lovely city of Gwalior is known for its palaces and temples and offers a history-rich aesthetic ...
Recently posted . 1K views . 3 min read
At the age of 21, Satyendra earned a master’s degree from the University of Calcutta and he did so by securing 92% marks a record which stands unbroken up t...
Recently posted . 920 views . 3 min read
Trending News & Articles
Quatrain 75, Century X
Long awaited, he will not take birth in Europe,
India will produce the immorta...
Recently posted . 17K views . 2 min read
Secret's of Alauddin Khilji's sexuality
Several historians argue that the roots of ancient Indian history, especially linked to ...
Recently posted . 6K views . 1 min read
The kangaroo is a marsupial. A distinctive characteristic common to marsupials is that, with most, the young are carried around in a pouch. They are mainly found in...
Recently posted . 4K views . 1 min read
There are various challenging stories about Rani Padmavati otherwise known as Padmini. While from one viewpoint, the Rajputs keep up the holiness of everything iden...
Recently posted . 3K views . 1 min read
More in History & Classics
Of all realized masters I find that Rumi had a way of speaking from the heart that not many could parallel. His words radiate compassion, unconditional love for o...
Recently posted. 839 views . 1 min read
Campa Cola promised ‘the great Indian taste’ and was young India’s drink of choice.
Recently posted. 1K views . 0 min read
Recent allegations about a newly independent India under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru snooping on the kin of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is what conspiracy theorists and ...
Recently posted. 1K views . 2 min read
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 810 views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 2K views
In 1943, Netaji traveled to Tokyo, Japan via submarines and formed a trained army of about 40,000 troops as the Indian National Army, which was first formed under...
Recently posted. 877 views . 1 min read
In her 2014 memoir, Ginger Alden revealed then-fiance Elvis Presley's final words before his death in 1977. During a night of sleeplessness, Presley told Alde...
Recently posted. 381 views . 1 min read