The Hindi-Urdu controversy, also known as the Hindi-Urdu dispute, was a linguistic and cultural debate that emerged in British India during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It centered around the status and identity of the Hindi and Urdu languages, both of which are derived from the same linguistic roots but are associated with different religious and cultural communities.
Linguistic Background
Hindi and Urdu are two registers of the Hindustani language, which originated in the Indian subcontinent and is primarily based on the Khariboli dialect of Delhi. Historically, Hindi developed in the Hindu-majority regions of North India, while Urdu emerged in Muslim-majority areas, particularly in the Mughal courts and among the Muslim elite.
The Controversy
The Hindi-Urdu controversy arose primarily due to political, religious, and cultural tensions in British India. Key points of contention included:-
Script and Vocabulary: Hindi was traditionally written in the Devanagari script and drew heavily from Sanskrit vocabulary, reflecting its close association with Hindu culture. In contrast, Urdu was written in the Perso-Arabic script and borrowed extensively from Persian and Arabic vocabulary, reflecting its Islamic cultural heritage.
Religious and Cultural Identity: Hindi was perceived as the language of the Hindu community, while Urdu was associated with Muslims. This linguistic divide reinforced religious and cultural identities and contributed to the polarization between Hindu and Muslim communities in India.
British Colonial Policies: The British colonial administration’s language policies also fuelled the controversy. The British initially promoted Urdu as the official language of administration and education in areas with significant Muslim populations. However, with the rise of Indian nationalism and the Indian independence movement, there was a push for the promotion of Hindi as a symbol of Hindu cultural revival and national identity.
Resolution
The Hindi-Urdu controversy persisted throughout the pre-independence period, with competing demands for the recognition and promotion of Hindi and Urdu as official languages. However, efforts were made to bridge the linguistic divide and promote linguistic harmony:-
Partition of India: The partition of India in 1947 resulted in the creation of two separate nations, India and Pakistan, along religious lines. This division led to the formalization of Urdu as the national language of Pakistan (with Hindi as one of the official languages of India), further cementing the linguistic and cultural identities of the two nations.
Language Policies: In independent India, the government implemented language policies aimed at promoting Hindi as the official language while recognizing the linguistic diversity of the country. The Constitution of India adopted Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union but also provided for the use of English as an associate official language to facilitate communication between different linguistic communities.
In conclusion, the Hindi-Urdu controversy was a complex linguistic and cultural debate that reflected the broader socio-political tensions in colonial and post-colonial India. While the controversy highlighted the religious and cultural identities associated with Hindi and Urdu, efforts were made to bridge the linguistic divide and promote linguistic harmony in independent India through language policies and constitutional provisions.
