Illustrated Kashmiri Proverbs

We all are aware that language is a means to communicate but when the language is mother tongue then people feel at ease. It also helps in knowing about the culture of that region and keeps the culture

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

― Nelson Mandela

Mother Tongue is the first we learn or acquire naturally. It plays an important role as a means of communication and mark of identity. It gives us a distinct identity to our shared ancestry, culture, history, and roots.

Being Kashmiri, we have lost our home and the gradual loss of our mother tongue too. This loss of a language means loss of identity.

As the Kashmiris are living far and wide from their homeland all over the world, the younger generation is exposed to other languages Hindi, English, and other languages. 

Proverbs are part of every spoken language and reflect the economic, social, political, and religious atmosphere at that time.  These proverbs are passed to several generations and thus, there is a slight change in the wordings. We can say it is oral communication that was passed on to the generations. 

So, this Illustration book of Kashmiri proverbs is a reflection of those Kashmiri proverbs which were used in our homes and somehow are now lost.

A humble effort to keep the Kashmiri language alive in the form of Proverbs. It would be immensely helpful for our next generation to understand the richness of their mother tongue.

About Author Meetu Koul:-