Imposition of Devanagari Script for Konknni: Effects and Consequences by Pratapananda Naik, S.J.

 

Imposition of Devanagari Script for Konknni: Effects and Consequences

Pratapananda Naik, S.J.

In the past adversaries of Konknni tried to belittle Konknni saying that it had no script. Now Devanagari protagonists create uproar about Konknni scripts, dialects, literature and society. There is utter confusion in their minds between the Konknni language and the scripts employed to write it.

High time we learn from specialists to distinguish a language and script. Central Hindi Directorate of Govt. of India brought out an official book, written by eminent linguistic scholars like Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji, titled “Devanagari: Development, amplification and standardization”. They give their opinion on language, alphabet and script as a summary of their book thus:

·        Language is something that is intrinsic to personality.

·        Scripts are an abstraction thrice removed from direct experience.

·        Any alphabet can be written in any script and therefore it follows that any language can be written in any script, provided the alphabet represents the necessary sounds. If it has not, such sounds may be added and visual symbols invented or adopted to represent them.

·        The only basis on which to prefer a script should therefore be clarity, legibility and capacity for easy manual and mechanical manipulation.”

Speaking, listening and communication are the essence of every language. Writing is one of the means of recording speech, and script is only a means of reducing speech to writing. Script is just like a garment with no absolute value. The claim that Devanagari is the ‘natural script’ does not make much sense, because any script is a set of symbols arbitrarily chosen to represent speech sounds. If Devanagari script was created exclusively to represent Konknni sounds, then the term ‘natural script’ would make good sense.

Some seem to identify language with the script in which it is written. Konknni language can never be identified with Devanagari script. Just knowing the Devanagari script does not mean that one knows to read Konknni.

The proponents of Devanagari who defend its special claim as an Indian script, at the same time oppose Kannada script too, even though it is an older Indian script compared to Devanagari, and it was once in general use in Goa to write Marathi. The truth is that no one would be willing to change over to a new script just because a particular script is claimed to be better. One group trying to force a script on another is bound to make script an emotional issue.

Even when the Vedas were first written down, it was not in Devanagari, for the simple reason that Devanagari script did not exist then; it came into existence only between 8th to 10th century A.D.. Earlier, Sanskrit was written in Brahmi, then in the scripts derived from Brahmi such as Tamil, Kannada, and, eventually, in Devanagari. The name Devanagari itself has nothing sacred about it, as some defenders of this script seem to think.

For other major languages of India, the majority of a particular language is found in a particular State. For example, Marathi in Maharashtra, Kannada in Karnataka and so on. Though Konknni is the State Language of Goa only 30.93% of total Konknni population is found in Goa! Konknnis (Konknni speakers) are spread out mainly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala States. They use different dialects and scripts.

At the moment, Konknni is written mainly in three scripts, namely, Roman, Devanagari and Kannada. Of these three, the Roman script has the longest tradition of writing Konknni.  Kannada script comes second in the list. It flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries in Goa.  Today Kannada script is used for Konknni throughout Karnataka. The tradition of writing Konknni in Devanagari script starts with Fr. Sebestião Dalgado’s Konknni-Portuguese dictionary of 1893. But his larger Portuguese-Konknni dictionary of 1905 uses only Roman script for Konknni words. The Father of Konknni literature in Devanagari script Vaman Varde Valaulikar alias Shanai Gõybab wrote his first Konknni book in Devanagari script, only in 1910. Before that Gõybab himself wrote 13 books in Roman script. Shanai Gõybab’s later works used only Devanagari script to write Konknni.

Effects and Consequences:

1.      So far Konknni is survived because it is a vibrant spoken language. "One script, one dialect, one community" principle has not succeeded so far to unite Konknnis and in the future it will not succeed. If we force this ‘Unity in uniformity” principle Konknnis will survive but Konknni will perish. The protagonists of this principle implicitly believe that Aryans, Brahmins, Sanskrit, Hindi and Devanagari script are inseparable elements of the common umbilical cord and they are ‘holy/pure/standard/natural/best’ for all!!!

 

2. Should promotion of Devanagari involve killing Kannada and Roman scripts?  What is essential is to preserve the Konknni language and encourage speaking this language. When languages like Marathi and Kannada are afraid of losing out to the onslaught of English, what chance has a small language like Konknni to hold its own? As it is, many Konknnis are giving up speaking Konknni. When we know for certain that Konknni written in Kannada script has the highest readership, followed by Konknni written in Roman script, why should anyone be hell bent on making Devanagari the sole script of Konknni? If they do that, all those who read in Kannada and Roman scripts are bound to give up Konknni once and for all. Then we will have only one script - Devanagari, but at what cost?

3. If the proponents of Devanagari believe that all the problems of Konknni would come to an end with opting for that script, should answer the following:  Most of the majority community in Goa know Devanagari, but why do they still prefer to read Marathi and not Konknni in Devanagari? When a Konknni daily was started it was hoped that this would change, but has that happened?  Why is the majority community averse to making the state language Konknni compulsory for all school going children?

4. Language, scripts and dialects have become emotional and cultural dimensions of people in Goa. Logic and facts are pushed to the back seats. Vast majority of Catholics think that Marathi is the language of Maharashtra and of Hindus. Devanagari script is imposed on them. Local Hindus do speak Konknni but identify with Marathi as the language of the religion and culture. Roman script is considered as foreign and Devanagari as the ‘natural’ script. This misconception prevails because language and script is associated with a particular religion. Locals while speaking Konknni use their own dialects. Devanagari and Roman scripts are used to write Konknni in Goa. Due to the effort of the Church, a particular dialect of Konknni (Bardeshi) in Roman script is fairly standardized. A similar process is also continues in Devanagari script (Antruzi dialect) due to education process.  However, both Christian and Hindu communities have not totally identified with written Konknni in any script. Due to this language suffers.

5. In the Official Language Act (OLA) 1987 of Goa, if the definition of Konknni (‘Konkani language’ means Konkani language in DevaDevanagari script) was avoided, then both Roman and Devanagari scripts would have flourished side by side in Goa. Here the Devanagari proponents put the fear in the mind of the leaders of the Catholic community that if they demand for Roman script, Marathi would become the official language. Without becoming the official language of Goa, Marathi gets practically all the rights and privileges which Konknni in Devanagari script enjoys in the OLA. In this language politics, Roman script was kept out of the OLA and denied any rights or privileges.

6. Marathi is used in Goa exclusively by the Hindu community for written communication, religious and cultural areas. If Marathi has a place in the OLA, and Konknni in Devanagari script which the majority of Goans do not want has secured a place in it, then the Roman script which is the most popular script has a right to be in the Goa OLA. The question is not the script but the dialects in use. Devanagari script is heavily dominated by the Antruji dialect of Saraswats of Ponda region. While the Roman script promoted by the Catholics use Bardeshi dialect of North Goa. Both these Konknni dialects vary at the phonetic, lexical, morphological, syntactic and semantic domains. Since Konknni is the language of identity both these groups want to maintain their identity through their own different scripts and dialects. In this sense in Goa the Konknni language, its scripts and dialects are at the crossroads. It is a language politics for identity (linguistic, cultural, social, psychological), power, prestige and economical control. The good of Goa and citizens is far more important than mere language, dialect or script controversy.

7. After the passing of the OLA, the woes of users of Konknni in Roman script increased. Government established Goa Konkani Akademi (GKA) for the promotion of Konknni language.  GKA promoted Konknni literature in Devanagari script only, while the literature in Roman script was neglected.  Kala Akademi, which was giving literary awards to Konknni books in Roman script, stopped considering them for literary awards from 1987.  The writers of Konknni in Roman script were frustrated, and production of Konknni books in Roman script decreased year after year.  The lovers of Konknni in Roman script were sidelined in all respects. This attitude of the leaders of Konknni created a divide among the Konknnis in Goa.

8. Devanagari protagonists accuse Roman script supporters that after many years they are awakened and now demand a share in grants and awards. One could counteract this argument by saying, “What is wrong in democracy to demand equal share in grants, honour and awards?” In the recent years due to the constant pressure of supporters of Roman script, the State Government has started to give grants to Dalgado Konknni Akademi, a NGO which was established in 1988 to preserve and promote Konknni in Roman script. Besides, the State Government established its own autonomous institution Tiatr Academy to promote the popular form of Konknni theatre called Tiatr. The government also gives some financial help for the cultural functions organized by the supporters of Roman script. The supporters of Roman script want not just monetary benefits; they want equal citizenship right for their dialect and script. They do not ask for charity but for recognition, equality and justice.

9. Article 29 of the Constitution of India says:

“Protection of interests of minorities.- (1) Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same.”

Article 347 reads:

“Special provision relating to language spoken by a section of the population of a State.-On a demand being made in that behalf the President may, if he is satisfied that a substantial proportion of the population of a State desire the use of any language spoken by them to be recognized by that State, direct that such language shall also be officially recognized throughout that State or any part thereof for such purpose as he may specify.”

In democracy, there will not be peace and unity as long as injustice prevails and one group wants to dominate others and suppress their voice. 

10. According to the researcher Sammit Khandeparkar (2006: 52)

“So when somebody says that Konknni is the state language of Goa, I find it problematic, because it essentially obscures the fact that Christians on whose mass support Konknni became the state language do not use Devanagari script. So also the majority of Hindus whom we now identify as Bahujan Samaj, do not identify with this official Konknni. And therefore I find Konknni Movement extremely hegemonic.”

11. Since the inception of Goa Konknni Akademi, not a single Roman script writer or supporter has been appointed as the President of it.

12. Supporters of Roman script have so far not opposed the Konknni in Devanagari script. Then why the Devanagari lobby opposes the inclusion of Roman script in OLA? In 1987 when Marathi was included in the OLA, the Devanagari supporters did not oppose it. Why? The logic is simple. If the Roman script is given its due place, the use of Konknni in Devanagari script will be reduced and eventually it might die a natural death.

13. So far not a single book published in Roman or Kannada scripts has been given Sahitya Akademi (SA) award or published books in these scripts by SA. Why the Devanagari lobby is silent about this injustice? They used Devanagari as a tool to suppress and oppress the minority community to perpetuate their supremacy in the field of language and literature and to grab awards, felicitations, positions, jobs, power and government funds.

14. In the words of Tomazinho Cardozo, (2006: 23) a well-known Konknni writer in Roman script, “Analyze the numerous committees constituted by various authorities for the development of Konknni language at the state level as well as at the national level. Observe the Advisory Boards of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi or the Governing Councils of Goa Konkani Akademi or the Committees of All India Sahitya Parishad since 1939.  You will find that they consisted of 80% of the supporters of Devanagari script while the remaining 20% were from other scripts such as Roman or Kannada.  Under these circumstances how could these committees decide anything which goes against the interest of Devanagari script?”

15. Godfrey J. Gonsalves (2006: 30), a journalist comments, “Over 29.86% of the nearly 13.5 lakhs Christians will eventually be denied their heritage and existence with the elimination of the Roman script.  Today in matters of employment it is clear that knowledge of Konknni means written in Devanagari script, thus denying Christians their legitimate right to employment. The Directorate of Official Languages gives grants as passed in the fiscal budget to Konknni and Marathi through the Goa Konkani Akademi and Goa Marathi Academy.  In the case of Konknni in Roman script mere assistance is promised – which amounts to doles, and not as our legitimate rights as deservedly ought to be ours.”

16. Adv. Nelson Lopes (2006: 19) has aptly pointed out “The Catholic community has been emotionally blackmailed in the name of Konknni over the years.  They have received no tangible benefits in return.  Whereas, the Devanagari activists enjoy Government support and occupy positions and jobs at the expense of Roman script supporters. They conveniently switch their allegiance and loyalties to Marathi and Konknni as and when it suits them.”

17. Most of the Konknni publications and activities are done Konknnis who use Kannada script for Konknni. Devanagari proponents more afraid of Kannada script users than Roman script users. If Kannada script is also accepted by the Sahitya Akademi, then Devanagari will be in the obituary list only.

18. Why are the votaries of Devanagari so upset about Roman script these days?  Did they not dissuade the Roman script writers and readers from claiming their rightful place on the Konknni scene soon after liberation and during the language agitation, pleading that otherwise Konknni itself would lose out?  Then why should they now try to elbow those who had cooperated with them for the cause of the Konknni language? Is it not a repetition of the good old story of the camel and the Arab’s tent?  Otherwise why should they have a special session of All India Konknni Parishad made up of defenders of Devanagari script?

19. In the words of sociology researcher Dr. Jason K. Fernandes (2006: 47- 48),

“We have to realize that Goa is displaying the fervour of nation building, somewhat late in the day, but not surprisingly, since it is only some 40 odd years since it was decolonized. To Goa’s advantage, it has the opportunity to learn from the mistakes and violence committed around the world, and in India, to avoid them and to gain from the theoretical advances in linguistic and language and culture theory. The fear of the destruction of Goa’s ‘unique’ identity, and the merger with Maharashtra is insensible and that threat long past, and this is what the Devanagari vaadis no doubt motivated by good intentions must realize.

If there is a very real threat today, it is of the splintering of Goa, to the disadvantage of all Konknni speakers, simply because the proponents of Devanagari Konknni refuse to share State privilege with the other variants of Konknni and the other languages of Goa.  Communication happens in numerous ways beyond the written word and the State should realise this. It would then be able to translate this reality into policy that would make official language in Goa a reality that benefits its subalterns rather than remain merely a sacred cow to be milked for the privileges it grants.  The debate is not only about script, what is at stake is a vision for the state. Will it be an inclusive one, favourable to the marginal segments of our community? Or will it succumb to the fascist visions of those in the thrall of dated nationalistic agendas?  The fate of the ‘other’ Konknnis will decide it.”

20. Jason Fernandes (2006: 42) comments, “The use of Devanagari and its insistence as ‘natural’ in both the Indian and the Goan contexts accompanies another dangerous argument – that to not use Devanagari and its accompanying spoken variant is to be ‘denationalised’; and it is not as if this argument has not already been made by the Devanagari vaadis be they Hindu or Catholic. Once this articulation has been made, you have to now cast yourself in another mode, decided by others and perform; dance to the tune of the ring-master if you like the analogy, to prove that one is national. Your actual loyalty and affiliations don’t really matter.

This argument of naturalness is a slippery slope, for once you argue that a given script is unnatural (since logically there is only one alternative to the natural), and a community identified with it, all else can now be classified as unnatural and un-national – if not actually anti-national – dress, habits, religion.  And this is no exertion of the imagination, since it has already been amply proved in the case of the Indian Muslims, no matter what they do….”

21. In Goa, the Devanagari protagonists are compelled to accept the presence and popularity of Roman script. But knowing fully the strength and influence of Konknni written in Kannada script in Karnataka and Mumbai, they conveniently ignore it!

22. Konknni written in Devanagari script solely survives on State and Central governments’ financial support and official recognition. If this support and recognition is extended officially and equally to Roman and Kannada scripts then Devanagari script for Konknni will reduce and ultimately will disappear. This reality haunts the Devanagari protagonists. For them the script has become an obsession and not the survival and development of Konknni.

23. Devanagari proponents argue that since the Roman script is a foreign script, those who advocate it lack patriotism. The truth is in the words of Eduardo Faleiro  (2006: 31 ) the ex-union minister of India, “Roman script does not diminish patriotism. A large number of countries that did not use the Roman script have adopted it for their national languages to strengthen national unity, regional communication and all aspects of modernisation. Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia are a few among many such countries.  In Turkey and Indonesia every signboard and every communication, whether official or otherwise, is in their own national language. Hardly anybody speaks English or any other European language in those countries.  The use of the national language is far more extensive there than anywhere in India.”

24. In this 21st century when computerization and globalization have widespread influence on everything in the world, should we not think of revitalizing and improving the use of Roman script for Konknni? Willy-nilly both in Goa and Karnataka, in a matter of years, most of our schools will have English as the only medium. Konknni speakers from Goa and Karnataka are spreading all over the world, and their numbers will increase by the day. In these changed circumstances, and in the interest of our children, taking up Roman script once again is going to be the most practical move, and this pragmatic step alone will help preserve the Konknni language in these circumstances. Otherwise, future generations will never think of coming back to our Devanagari and Kannada script Konknni. It is a matter of survival for Konknni and not of empty debate.

Concluding Remarks:

As Sammit Khandeparkar (2006: 53) rightly argues:

“Many protagonists of Konknni movement have argued against different scripts saying that having uniform script will lead to unity. But unity and uniformity are mutually exclusive concepts.  Five fingers of a hand are not uniform but they do get united to form the fist.  Similarly I believe is the case of five scripts of Konknni.  Each script has its own distinct flavor and there exists no reason to privilege one over the other.”

Those who care for Konknni should be open to the ground reality and not merely be led by theoretical idealism or language/script chauvinism. In democracy mutual respect, understanding and unity in multiplicity and other values must guide any action. In Goa, Roman and Devanagari scripts are used to read and write Konknni.

These two scripts represent two different standard dialects of Konknni. They could be compared to two wheels of a cart. For the survival of Konknni in Goa they are really essential. There cannot be true equality and harmony among the users of these two groups without justice. Justice will be given by amending the Official Language Act of 1987 to include Konknni written in Roman script side by side of Konknni written in Devanagari script. Let these two groups live in Goa with dignity as equal citizens maintaining their identity and liberty. Konknni without the Roman script and the Bardeshi dialect will lose its separate identity and simplicity. Similarly in Karnataka Konknni will survive only if Kannada script which is used up to now is continued.

According to a Hasidic saying, “The culture of the heart is greater than the culture of the mind”. Konknni is primarily a language of the heart.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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(This paper was presented on 27 August 2017 at the National Seminar on “The Imposition of Hindi in India” organized by Global Konknni Organization at Kalaangann, Mangaluru)