ಚಳಿಗಾಲದ ಆತ್ಮಾವಲೋಕನ- ಭಾಗ 3

ಚಳಿಗಾಲದ ಆತ್ಮಾವಲೋಕನ- ಭಾಗ 3

ಚಳಿಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಲೆಗಳು ಅರಳುತ್ತವಂತೆ. ಅಂತೆಯೇ ಈ ಋತುವಿನಲ್ಲೇ ಕನ್ನಡ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಉಕ್ಕಿ ಹರಿಯುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ನೀವು ಭಾವಿಸುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಯಾರ ಅಡ್ಡಿಯೂ ಇಲ್ಲ ! ಕಳೆದುಹೋದ ದಿನಗಳ ಕಹಿ ನೆನಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ವರ್ಷದ ಹನ್ನೆರಡು ತಿಂಗಳು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರು ಮನನ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕಾಗಿರುವ ಕೆಲವು ಸಂಗತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಲೇಖಕರು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವಾಗಿ ದಾಖಲಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಲೇಖಕರು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಮಲ್ಲೇಶ್ವರಂ ಬಡಾವಣೆ ನಿವಾಸಿ ಸಂಜಯ್‌. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ-ಕನ್ನಡ ಕಳಕಳಿಯ ಯುವ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗನ ಚಿಂತನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಲೇಖನ ಮಾಲಿಕೆಯ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ‘ ಚಳಿಗಾಲದ ಆತ್ಮಾವಲೋಕನ’ ಸರಣಿ ದಟ್ಸ್‌ಕನ್ನಡ ವಾಹಿನಿಯ ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ ವಿಶೇಷ ! ಬರಹಗಳನ್ನು ಉದ್ದೇಶಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿ ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್‌ 31 ರಿಂದ ಒಂದು ವಾರ ಕಾಲ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಗುವ ಈ ಮಾಲಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ಗಮನವಿಟ್ಟು ಓದಿ. ಕನ್ನಡದ ನೆನಪು ಮಸುಕು ಮಸುಕಾಗಿರುವ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಗೆಳೆಯ ಗೆಳತಿಯರಿಗೆ ಓದಲು ಹೇಳಿ- ಸಂಪಾದಕ ಸಂಜಯ್‌ ಮೈಸೂರುಮಠ, ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು [email protected]

The introductory story was of course an exaggeration, but here are some observations which depict the true gravity of the situation.

In a cosmopolitan city like Bangalore, English is an irreplaceable value addition, but has gone on to become a substitution. However I would say condemning English or any other language in the name of Kannada is hypocrisy. It would be an extreme and impractical measure to think of replacing English completely with Kannada, we have to take a more balanced approach with the convenience of non-Kannadigas in mind.

Considering that a person who cannot speak Kannada can manage perfectly well in Bangalore, why should one even make an effort to learn Kannada? Su. Ram. Ekkundi, a late Kannada poet had said "Learning the language of the land is like saying Thank you to your host when you go to someones house and accept his or her hospitality. It is ones primary duty." We can only let non-Kannadigas know about this, but should not put them into any discomfort if they currently do not feel like learning the language. Hence it must never be forced on others. Kannadigas should start a conversation in Kannada, and if the other person is feeling uncomfortable, switch to the language of his choice. The only time I don’t do this is when the other person is also a Kannadiga and wants to start talking in English. The most important change required is in the Kannadigas themselves.

I have faced a couple of occasions when a non-Kannadiga condemned Kannada, claiming his own language is better. On such occasions, I did not argue, because such arguments are foolish, a waste of precious mental energy and time. They are as foolish as arguing that a lotus is better than a rose. Every Indian language is like a beautiful flower. I do not believe in starting a conflict and becoming fanatic about protecting my language. The best way I can protect my language is to speak it, not to force others to speak it nor to prove that it is better than what they are speaking.

ಮುಖಪುಟ

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