Hindi hain hum, watan hai Hindostan hamara

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Hindi hain hum, watan hai Hindostan hamara

Who's not familiar with these great lines from Iqbal.
And these pre-shiqwa and Jawab-e-shiqwa lines of Allama have been the hallmark of contrived, and yet at once natural, Indian nationhood.

But do we all understand what it means?
At least not those who have been entrusted to promote Hindi as Rajbhasha.
All central government Ministries and Departments have a Hindi department to promote usage of Hindi in official work.
Unlike the popular perception that they promote "klisht Hindi", that's not the case. Bolchal ki Hindi is also fine, although some may frown upon it.
So far, so good.

But I detest the way they work, or rather have been programmed to work.
Complete bureaucracy. A letter with merely the no. or the signature in Hindi is counted as a Hindi communication.
But you can't ridicule it, else you get hauled up by some Hindi committee or suchlike.

A example. Some ten year or so earlier, every Hindi meeting had this legend pasted everywhere:
"Hindi hain hum, watan hai Hindostan hamara"
I would always ask the Hindiwalas, "Why this slogan? To promote Hindi or the idea of Hindostan?"
The reply would invariably be a confused one, "Hindi, sir, and also Hindostan". I am sure the one who decided to splash these lines all over Hindi meetings and conference had no idea that Hindi here meant those who call Hindostan their home,
it had nothing at all to do with the Hindi language.

I love Urdu. I am not formally educated in the language. I laboured through the script when I was young but I have forgotten it and use Devnagari or even Roman. But that's not been a barrier.

I also love the beautiful poetry in Hindi (Braj and Avadhi etc.) from the middle ages and later. I have not read much from the modern poets but Bachchan, Nirala and Dinkar stand out in the little bit that I have read. Are there poets to match Meer, Ghalib, Firaq, Iqbal, Faiz, Majaz and all? I am not sure.

 

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