Is mother tongue being superseded by authentic identity?

Kolkata: February 21, this week, was International Mother Language Day, as decreed by the United Nations. A historically powerful tool of ethnic identity, its scalable relevance in today’s age is under interesting scrutiny.

As many will be aware, the day marks the bloody revolution (1952) by natives of East Pakistan for the recognition of Bengali as an official language. In 1956, the Pakistan Government relented but the momentum of this movement eventually led to independence in 1971. The forceful imposition of Urdu became an identifiable surrogate for the oppressions of West Pakistan, including the denial of power to Sheikh Mujibur Rehman.

But the focus of my thinking is clearly India, the richly diversified nation which thrives on a pleasing cocktail of integration and individuality. Recent data suggest that regional roots are increasingly becoming precious for those submerged in the mainstream, leading to content, conversations, cuisines and pop culture. While those geographically stuck in the smaller demographic bastions seek English and Hindi as the points of socio-economic salvation, emulating a pattern from our colonised days.

One thing, though, in educated India is the increasing comfort of a dual identity. The ‘global’ facade, pertaining to work, education and engagement ( digital and physical) is what our mainstream systems urge us to adopt. This is necessary for economic self-development and the BPO evolution is a fine instance of citizens being pitchforked to a world filled with unfamiliar accents, in every sense. Being flexible by nature, we have done quite well in this transition, and have shone brightly in multi-cultural stages.

At the same time, our love for authentic identity is growing rather rapidly. Especially when rituals are liberated from generational compulsion, grandparental decree no longer commands the observance of a fast or festival. The youth are embracing rooted culture in self-discovery mode and are finding their own ways of celebrating or observing the intuitive and organic origins. What surely helps is the gentle propeller of cinema and now OTT, which acts as a generational bridge.

So Diwali is now pertinent not just as a closed-door fam jam but increasingly as a fashion demonstration and the transactional ritual of playing cards is converted to full-fledged booze bashes. Durga Puja is celebrated globally and even second-generation immigrants revel in the quaint rituals, endearing food and graceful music. Which incidentally need not be Bengali any more, but any source that acts as an agent of revelry. Karva Chauth is a pop culture case study, as a seemingly archaic act has now become a contemporary symbol of husband-wife bonding.

It is necessary to note that religion plays a significant but not all-encompassing role in this quest for authentic identity. Christmas, Eid and Diwali are now genuinely inclusive affairs - often through the pleasing conduit of dining tables. Biryani is enjoyed by one and all, Roasted Turkey is now universal and it will be tough to discover a single Indian who does not pop sweets on Diwali. Courtesy of the food blogging culture, traditions are easiest served on a platter and it is now possible for Indians everywhere to be mesmerised by a mind-blowing diversity, in culinary antecedents.

There are other significant aspects of the authentic identity that are cherished and pursued by everybody, across time cohorts. The ethnic dressing is undeniably fashionable and often comfortable while movies and content are increasingly real, invariably entertaining and increasingly contemporary. Elements like the Great Indian Wedding now permeate across classes and means while Holi, for its vibrancy, is celebrated across the diaspora as a pure-play carnival, with no context of religion. Music is another great adhesive and classical training is often a much-desired way to celebrate our timeless roots.

In this formula for ethnic identity, the role of the mother tongue is becoming increasingly less significant, both operationally and symbolically. Children brought up in cosmopolitan confines, be it metro-centric India or abroad, are sufficiently loaded with local value systems, but not necessarily proficient in the language of parentage. I have witnessed much hard core Bengalis participating in the Durga Pujas with vigorous enthusiasm, in Gurgaon and Mumbai, with a fairly elementary conversation competence in the language. A pattern replicated across communities, where traditions can be timeless while language is remarkably flexible.

When it comes to higher-order consumption, especially literature, the rise of the translation economy is an able indicator of this pattern. Geetanjali Shree’s Booker Prize-winning ‘Tomb of Sand’ gained currency when converted to English and it is significant that the prize was split with the translator, Daisy Rockwell. The authenticity of the Indian roots lies in the context and narration, while language is no longer a necessary enrichment. Across ethnicities, consumption of mother tongue literature is a diminishing pattern and the finest form of amplification is often the OTT serial.

But, importantly, this is not coming at the cost of the preservation of authentic identity, which has spontaneously evolved over the decades, co-created with citizen sensitivities. The language of rendering is less significant than the spirit of engagement and that is surely the more important matter. In truth, the delinking of language and culture has boosted the sustainability of the latter, as there is a limited loss in transmission and higher levels of inclusion.

In the imminent future, the mother tongue will honestly operate at two wholly opposite levels. As an easy form of basic in-home and societal conversations which can be scalable and as a niche, in the consumption of Literature and allied content. The latter will depend heavily on the traditions of such explorations and will move forward from that starting point. But it will no longer be the primary accelerator for prized local affiliations as they genuinely become language-agnostic and ritual-sensitive.

On the other hand, authentic identity is here to stay, for Indians at home and away. Rishi Sunak will be a catalyst and the decision of the USA to grant a Diwali holiday will make the diaspora even more integrated. As mentioned earlier, the momentum at home is well entrenched, fuelled by a heady mix of technology, creativity and culture.

Perhaps one day, the UN will consider the establishment of a World Authentic Identity Day, celebrating ethnicities without frontiers. Prolificity in the mother tongue can easily be a barrier for this larger cause and must be treated with deserving respect yet due caution.