The Very Poetic Gujarati Bol Is What Makes My Bhasha Beautiful

(This piece was first published on 16 August 2017 and is being republished in light of recent calls for ‘One Nation, One Language’.)

''Kem Cho?

Majama?''

I can guarantee you this is what you’ll hear from anyone when you tell them you’re a Gujarati. It’s a stereotype we deal with! But I’m not complaining. I’m proud that my language builds an easy connect with my fellow Indians, irrespective of the geographical area they belong to.

Moreover, even when it comes to drama and arts, Gujarati theatre has always been one of the pioneers in keeping the tradition alive. The language in its purest form is poetic and in-depth when it comes to bringing alive varied emotions – be it on stage or through dance, music and journalism. I love the way it sounds and how almost all words are similar in pronunciation & text to Hindi, making it very easy to understand.

How can I forget to mention the contribution of Hindi cinema in making Gujarati a well-known accent to the world, even if it belongs to the comic relief department. I am happy that Bollywood and TV have contributed a lot in portraying the Gujarati language and its culture in a respectful manner (well, most of the times). Even though we don’t sound the way they make us in reel, but nevertheless it has helped to popularise the bhasha.

A lot of my friends are ashamed of speaking their mother tongue and that’s very upsetting. Personally, our bhasha strengthens our identity and it’s this very bol that distinguishes us from others. Having born in a nation that is truly rich and diverse, I take immense joy in teaching Gujarati to my international colleagues.

You simply cannot take “Gujju-ness” out of a Gujarati, be it love for language, food or our lame jokes. Jai Shri Krishna!

(This article was sent to The Quint by Neelam Joshi for our campaign, BOL – Love your Bhasha.)