Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

By Syed Shamsuddin   QUITE PROPITIOUSLY, a flurry of activities is getting underway in the context of revival of Shina language in its original form and diction. This is in addition to the marked efforts afoot to build a consensus among the literary circles formed by Shina speaking communities all across the Shina speaking areas – mostly inhabiting northern Pakistan and part of the Indian held Kashmir- to popularize and universalize a homogenized approach to a unified code aimed at sustaining and preserving this language which is sadly on the wane. To give a recent example, Shakil Ahmad Shakil carried out a research work culminating in his products like ‘dade shilokeh’ (grandmas’s tales) and Shina Grammar, Aziz-ur-Rehman Malangi’s Shina Diwan and to top them all is Haji Shah Mirza’s translation of the Holy Qura’an into Shina which is greatly contributive to the existing literature in Shina. There is no gainsaying that viewed in terms of it originality of form, diction and et...

By Syed Shamsuddin Gilgit-Baltistan, multi-cultural and multi-lingual in its demographic character, remains home to six languages, each of which is quite distinct and different from the other. The languages of Gilgit-Baltistan include Shina, Balti, Khowar, Brushaski, Wakhi, Gujjari and Domaki. Kashmiri, Kohistani Shina, Khowar, Kilasha or Kalasha and Phalway are some of the languages spoken in GB’s neighboring regions.  Some of these languages are classified as Dardic, while . According to researchers, Chitrali languages (Khowar, Kalasha, Yadgha, Phalola), Kohistani languages (Kalami, Torwali, Kalkoti), Indus Kohistani languages (Batairi, Chiliso) and Shina languages/dialects (Aoshoojo, Domaki, Phalola and Salvi) are classified as Dardic languages. Brushaski, Wakhi, and Balti, on the other hand, are categorized as non-Dardic languages. Some of these languages have grammar and alphabets. Others are still without alphabets and grammars. Nevertheless, all of these languages ar...

By  Syed Shamsuddin   HAVING COME ACROSS a very interesting, highly inspiring and admirable summation from Ghulamuddin,  encompassing the subject matter, which appeared on 21 st   February, i.e on the occasion of ‘International Day for Protection of Mother Languages, this scribe couldn’t help dilate upon and re-emphasize the centrality of the issue insofar as Gilgit-Baltistan is concerned. It is to be seen that there are six languages and dialects spoken across Gilgit-Baltistan which are all, on the wane and as such, are threatened of going extinct. Prima facie, getting to the top of them is ‘Domaki’ which. indeed, gets singled out as the most threatened for its being on the verge of fading out. As getting unfolded from the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 7097 languages are spoken around the globe out of which, almost half are feared to go wholly extinct towards the close of the present century. The chief reason for...