Some 50 or 60 years ago Kashmir was a place known for its unique culture. The fond things of Kashmir culture such as love, sympathy and hospitality of Kashmir people adorned with handicraft items like shawls pherans, carpets, embroidery works etc. were highly cherished by all from the other world. The adorable language of Kashmiris hosting and nourishing compassion was a great welding source to keep the cultural activities intact and in preservation.

“Losing the language means losing the culture. We need to know who we are because it makes a difference to who our children are.”—Dottie lebeau. language is fundamental to culture. It is the medium through which we communicate our values, ideas, beliefs. It cultivates feelings of group identity and solidarity. It is the channel by which customs and traditions and values are transmitted and preserved. If the language of a community is gone, then the entire culture of that community will be gone forever. Kashmir has a rich cultural heritage that goes back to the very ancient past.
The Kashmiri language is mainly spoken in Kashmir valley and in the Chenab valley. It belongs to the Dardic subgroup of the Indo-Aryan Language family. It is one of 22 languages that are mentioned in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution. With rapid modernization in the last few decades, the Kashmiri language is now in an endangered situation. Modern youth of Kashmir feel shy to speak in the Kashmiri language. They feel that by speaking in Kashmiri they will be considered as inferior among their peers. Most parents in Kashmir now speak in English or Urdu to their children. But why? What is so wrong with the Kashmiri tongue? The Kashmiri tongue has been utterly neglected and though many people in Kashmir can speak the Kashmiri language, there is a meager number of people who can write it.
Parents think that if they teach languages like Urdu and English to their children their children would become smart and intelligent. This narrow minded thinking of parents is a reflection of illiteracy. Also the notion that Kashmiri language breeds the qualities like vulgarity and arrogance among children is completely false. It depends upon the child and his surroundings which qualities he attains under the circumstances.. We should take the example of tribal people as the way of preserving their culture is astounding.
The occupation of Kashmir by many foreign rulers has had an impact on our native culture. The Mughal regime put emphasis on the Persian language and tried to spread it to every nook and corner of the Indian subcontinent. Similarly, during the Dogra reign, Urdu was made the official language and it further pushed the Kashmiri language to the margins. When Christian missionaries started modern education in Kashmir, they laid stress on English only and marginalized it.
I am myself an example of this as I was never taught Kashmiri language in my childhood and I am unable to write it . Some tribes are thousands of years old, still they live with their language and culture in a sound manner. This shows that culture is the identity and the way people recognise a particular community.
To put the Kashmiri language back on track, the first and foremost responsibility is of educational institutions. To teach students in English or Urdu is not a bad thing but it will only help students to learn their native language. Schools and colleges should organise workshops, seminars, writing competitions, quizzes, drama, debates and discussions about the Kashmiri language. The same method should be applicable for teachers under their training course. Individual efforts should also be taken to preserve our mother tongue.

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