Friday, December 26, 2008

BHILI : THE MOTHER TONGUE OF THE BHILS


According to the George Grierson, Rev. Thompson, Dr. Nemichand Jain, Dr. Stephen Fuchs and many linguists of India the Bhils had their own language spoken over a large region of the Bhils. In the course of time others imposed their own language and literature on them. What is Bhili known under various forms is changed version of the original Bhili. But the syntax, cultural elements, forms of expressions and many other elements still preserved and promoted by the Bhils.

Bhili and its oral heritage such as myths, legends, folktales, proverbs, riddles, mimicries, and its usage is most interesting among all the languages of India. One greatest harm being done by the Government of India is discouragement of the tribal languages. Of course some of the languages of the tribes are spoken by the negligible number of its users let us say. That is not the point of reference to preserve an ethnic group's language alone. Tribes like Bhils, Gonds, Santhals, Oraons, Warlis, Bhilalas, just to mention a few have large number of tribals and non tribals to speak their languages. Since the non tribals who are responsible for these linguistic heritage of India do not encourage the age old beautiful tribal heritage is vanishing due to the negligence of the cultural policy makers alone.

For the Bhils of Madhya Pradesh, Rajastan, Gujarat and Maharashtra where the Bhilanchal territory falls, it is most convenient and possible to develop the Bhils , their culture, economy, language, literature, art, music, paintings, costumes, music and many other elements concerned with their society through Bhili which is again neglected and ignored. Among these one such thing can be easily and must be preserved, developed and promoted in written and oral forms of Bhili for education, development, cultural heritage etc. Bhili the mother tongue of the Bhils. Then come all other languages because they learn it from their Bhil mothers.

How much linguistic harm and disrespect or dishonour to their cultural rights or linguistic rights is being done by the responsible non tribals. Ignoring by the state governments and Government of India is one can say a greatest linguistic and cultural harm is continuously being done to them in the context of their human rights or tribal human rights or Adivasi human rights. Commonly one can say that this is the language of the 1.5 million Adi Nivasi Bhil peoples language. Then why Government is ignoring the language that is Bhili which belongs to the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of India.....?

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