India is beautiful for its medley. A beautiful string of languages, customs, geographical diversities make India multi colored. These varieties meliorate the society and the country as a whole. This ‘Mini world’ can boast of its deep rooted, diverse linguistic traditions that stretches back to 5000 years.
Each region has its own vernaculars. When North Indians urge to speak in Hindi, South Indians use Dravidian languages like Malayam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada according to their domain. Meanwhile in west, they have Bengali, Oriya etc. Apart from these there are many regional languages as well as tribal languages also. Official records estimate two hundred languages to be present in this country.
World offers pros and cons to all that matters it. Language being primer in the docket has got the ability to sensitize a nation. Hindi is the official language of India. Assuredly, Hindi is spoken by the largest group of people, but has failed to gain the total majority of the country and sparked the key to the language issue of the country. Reluctance to the adoption of Hindi as the national language burst forth every time.
The imposition of Hindi was considered as the North Indian imperialism by the south which worsened the situation further.
Impressive literary traditions of Hindi and other Indian languages hinder people from studying these languages and using extensively. The loyalty towards one’s own linguistic group has strengthened the reluctance further.
In 1950, the States in India were reorganized on linguistic basis. Thus geographically India promoted distinctiveness to each linguistic group earlier which has grown in an alarming phase causing tension between the states now. Psychologically languages have given a sense of homogeneity and regionalism to the people.
As for now there is no national language for India and the constitution has designated Hindi and English as the official languages. Along with these, constitution has recognized 22 languages as official languages.
English on the other hand is being used extensively by people now-a-days. English served as a linking language since colonial reign. It has become the warp and woof of the communication. Majority of the Indians switched to English especially the working sector and students. This has pacified the language issues of the country.
Languages revolutionized Indian societies and its benefits could not be ignored. Decades not only civilized but added cultural innovations to history. Linguistic integrations has to be achieved at its popular level by the unified endeavor of its citizen.
India has been called “as a tower of veritable languages” or a “Museum of languages”. The beauty of the country lies in this variedness. People should note the languages as a part of societal changes. Linguistic problems must be analyzed and address it at various levels as elements of heritage of the country.