The Origin

Kashmiri language started developing in the Kashmir Valley sometime towards the fag end of 5th. century AD. It got the royal patronage during the reign of Lallitaditya in 7th. Century and by the by the beginning of 9th. century, this language, during the reign of Awantivarman obtained a status of a full fledged language for which Shardha script was chiefly in vogue.Sanskrit script in Devanagri was also in use side by side.The language of that era is now termed as 'Old Kashmiri'.This language developed strictly on the pattern of Sanskrit but with an "easy to understand" grammar.General vocabulary like nouns and adjectives etc. was Sanskrit based and its fluidity like verb constructions scheme etc. was akin to Sanskrit scheme of "allankars" and "vibhuktis" prior to 4th century AD Sanskrit was the common language of the people of Kashmir.

Even elsewhere in India with the dwindling of Rishi culture and gradual vanishing of Sanskrit scholars,many a number of regional languages mushroomed every where replacing the tedious grammar and other intricacies of Sanskrit,by a simpler spoken languages suited locally to each region,sphere and smaller dwellings. The valley of Kashmir was no exception.

The so called "old kashmiri" language in Shardha script flourished till end of the 13th. century AD. during which period volumes of treatises, novels, story books and translations of Hindu scriptures from Sanskrit to Kashmiri were prepared by able authors. The whole literature was written on Burge sheets(Bhoj Patra) and on homemade kashmiri papers and remained in the safe custody of Brahmans of the valley. The tendency during those days was to somehow avoid the boring and tedious grammar of Sanskrit. Writers were more than willing to switch over to Kashmiri for carrying on their literary pursuits.

To quote an instance Jaghdhara Bhatta, a renowned grammarian of artistic taste could not relish the words of school of Panini on account of their terseness. Consequently he composed "Balabodhini" an artistic work for the sake of his son Yashodhara. But irony of fate is that such a piece of literary work has not seen the day of light, even though a press copy of it was being prepared by the Kashmir Research Department during the 4th. decade of 20th. century AD. Prior to Jaghdhar Bhatta, the scores of Kashmiri scholars composed similar types of works and tremendous progress had been achieved in all walks of literature making in kashmiri language.

With days to come, the popularity of kashmiri language was gaining momentum on all fronts. Even the top class Sanskrit scholars began to quote versus and prose passages from those"Prakratic" kashmiri language of the common people, in their works in Kashmir shaivism. This became a common tradition for nearly five hundred years from 9th.century to 13th. century AD. to express Shaive philosophy in mystic hymns, in the then spoken language of the people. The great Shaiva philosopher of all times to come Abhinavgupta has amply qupted verses and prose passages from those prakrata and aphabhramsa sources in his works like "Tantrasara" and "Paratrisica-Vevarna". Srikantha, the other great Shaiva philosopher composed "Mahanaya-Prakasha" in the 13th. century AD. in purely kashmiri apabhramsa language, which work dealt with the practical yoga of Shaivas than with the theory of Shivism Lallishwari later expressed the same philosophy in charming poetic style in the then modified kashmiri language. She used to chant her sayings(wakhs) on streets and amid localities. No one them took any serious note of those sayings ad people generally discarded those wakhs as insane utterances. It was much later that her sayings were understood, valued and appreciated by people around. Her sayings were not, therefore, recorded in her lifetime but were passed on from one generation to another on "Shruti-Smrati" chain and hence got adulterated and amended from time to time.

Another almost contemporary the great saint poetess of Kashmir, Roeph Bhawani also composed wakhs on the subject of self realization in the then prevalent kashmiri language. Her wakhs differ from those of Lallishwari in content as the wakhs of Roeph Bhawani were recorded during her life time by her kins and hence remained intact even uptil now.

Another equally important factor in kashmiri language is "wanvun". It has its origin right from the days old kashmiri language was in its making. Our lady folk carried it along with them right from their first and subsequent migration and where chanting it, in course, on important occasions like marriage ceremonies etc. , while in exile. Most of its lyrics was in old kashmiri. However, during the beginning of 18th. century AD. it was modified and reconstructed in simpler language prevailing then in the valley. In the present migration our woman folk did not realize its important on our ceremonies, with the result that, this valuable literary legacy has completely faded out in oblivion.

Due to repeated mass migration, owing foreign incursions on the valley, the entire kashmiri literature got either misplaced or destroyed. Nothing what-so-ever could be saved by the fleeing pandits as for them the question of self security was of more importance than any literature. Along with our kashmiri literature, our thousands of years old Sanskrit and Shardha literature, also met a violent death, with never to be reborn. The whole sale devastation as decreed by the destiny, was implemented in a phased and planned manner from 14th. century AD. till to date.

To Be Continued in next post...

By CL Nagri