Comments on: Manipulating Census Data: From British Raj to Hindi Raj

By: Paras Malviya

Paras Malviya — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:42:21 +0000

Hello Ayyanger
I respectfully disagree to the comment that you can manage in all indian states including southern states with Hindi.
I have lived for years in South, and have found people knowing only local language or they know english(imposed language)
This makes me learn tamil during my student days being a north indian. And now from past 10 year in Maharashtra, I have learned marathi. I can manage in almost all indian states and have great respect to all the indian languages including Hindi, my mother tongue.
But I agree, that I have learnt these languages out of compulsion, but not out of choice.

By: Hari

Hari — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:53:19 +0000

Good points Bhagwad. India has no business promoting Hindi only at the United Nations. India is a lot bigger than Hindi or a certain brand of Hinduism (visitors are advised not to eat beef, kiss, hold hands or wear a short skirt during Commonwealth Games in New Delhi). We are slowly falling into the same trap that our neighbors are trying to get out of. Economic recovery has given birth to a new very intolerant version of Hinduism. I hope reason will prevail.

By: Hari

Hari — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:39:18 +0000

S.R. Ayyangar,

I have heard this argument before. It is “wishful thinking” than something that is based on facts or research.

Hindi as a language is only as effective in rural Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh or Assam as Tamil is in Uttar Pradesh or Haryana. My mother tongue is Malayalam. As a kid when I travel to rural Tamil Nadu my Malayalam got me nowhere although these two languages are very closely related. This is even true in southern parts of Tamil Nadu which is less than 100 kilometers from the Kerala border. In border towns you can get away with speaking in either of the two languages.

I face similar issues when I travel to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka as well. I find it hard to believe that somebody who speaks Hindi can communicate better in these southern states than I can with Malayalam.

I have also traveled to many places in north including Bihar. I did not have any trouble “managing”. I believe that you can “manage” in any language in India. There is nothing unique about Hindi in this regard. You can do it in English, Urdu, Malayalam or even sign language.

Verbal communication as they say is very overrated.

By: Bhagwad Jal Park

Bhagwad Jal Park — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:26:58 +0000

Language is a very touchy thing for Hindu fundamentalists. As is everything related to the imagined Hindu identity.

I never cease to be amazed at the things people use to separate themselves into groups. Skin color, caste, language, gender, nationality, economic status, location, ideologies etc.

After thinking about this, I’ve concluded that it’s in our nature to create groups one way or another. And we’ll just use whatever is at hand. If none of the above things are present,we’ll use eye color if we have to, but we must have segregation!

By: S.R.Ayyangar

S.R.Ayyangar — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:14:16 +0000

What ever be the debate on this topic, One can manage in all the Indian states if he knows Hindi but can not do so with languages like Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu etc.