Preserving Kashmir’s mother tongue through homes, families, education, and everyday conversations to protect cultural identity, emotional belonging, traditional wisdom, and the living heritage of future generations
Kashmiri language is not just a language spoken in our homes. It is the identity, history, emotions, and cultural soul of Kashmir. Every word of Kashmiri carries the fragrance of our land, our traditions, our elders, and our centuries-old heritage. From the lullabies sung by mothers to the wisdom shared by grandparents during winter evenings, Kashmiri has always been deeply connected to the life of our people. But sadly, today, this language is slowly disappearing from many homes in Kashmir itself.
A painful reality can now be seen everywhere. Many Kashmiri parents proudly teach their children English and Urdu from the beginning but ignore their own mother tongue. Some even feel embarrassed speaking Kashmiri in front of others. In many households, children can barely speak Kashmiri fluently, while parents proudly record them speaking English and upload it on social media as a symbol of “modern upbringing.” This mindset is slowly damaging our cultural roots.
There is nothing wrong with learning English or Urdu. In fact, both languages are important for education, communication, and future careers. Every child should learn them properly. But the question is: why should learning another language come at the cost of forgetting our own? A child can learn English in schools, coaching centres, books, and on the internet.
Urdu is already widely spoken and understood across society. But Kashmiri can only survive when it is spoken inside homes and passed from one generation to another. The first language a child should emotionally connect with is the language of their mother and homeland. A mother tongue is not simply about words; it shapes feelings, belonging, and identity.
When Kashmiri disappears from homes, children slowly lose connection with their roots, traditions, folk stories, local sayings, and the emotional warmth hidden within the language. A generation that cannot speak its mother tongue properly eventually becomes disconnected from its own culture.
One of the most concerning things today is how speaking Kashmiri is sometimes treated as backwards by sections of society. Some youngsters feel shy speaking Kashmiri publicly because they fear mockery or judgment. Foreign accents and foreign lifestyles are celebrated, but their own identity is overlooked. The increasing fascination with “flexing” English has given rise to a harmful mindset where individuals value foreign culture over their native culture.
Social media has also played a major role in this cultural shift. Young children spend more time-consuming outside content than interacting with their own traditions and language. Slowly, Kashmiri words are being replaced in daily conversations, and many traditional expressions are disappearing from common use. If this trend continues, future generations may understand Kashmiri only partially or may hear it only from elderly people.
Many poets, scholars, saints, and authors have come from Kashmir, who have expressed their emotions and knowledge in the language of Kashmir. Our poetry, our village jokes, and the emotions within our expressions are not completely translatable into any other language. All languages possess their souls, but Kashmiri is the soul of Kashmir.
Saving the Kashmiri language is not an achievement to be done by delivering lectures alone. It begins within our homes. We need to talk to our kids in Kashmiri starting from a very young age. Institutions should organize Kashmiri discussions, literature, poetry, and cultural activities. The youth needs to get over the embarrassment and speak Kashmiri with confidence on social media and in everyday conversation.
A nation or community that forgets its mother tongue slowly weakens its own cultural foundation. Kashmir’s identity is not preserved only through its landscapes or traditions but also through its language. If Kashmiri disappears, a large part of our collective memory and heritage will disappear with it.
The responsibility now lies with us. We can either allow Kashmiri to fade slowly into silence, or we can protect it proudly for future generations. The language of our mothers must never become a forgotten voice in our own homeland.
firdousjavid1@gmail.com
