Born in a metropolitan city to parents who belong to two different towns. Educated in another city and worked in yet another. Now, I’m married to someone who has a similar story. So here I am, propelled to write – in my bhasha.
Errr… “My bhasha”? What is my bhasha? Woh jo main bolti hoon? Ya woh, jisme likhati hoon? Ya woh, jo main samajhti hoon?
And when with a deaf and mute person, what’s my language? There are no exchange of words, but we still communicate. So what’s my bhasha?
Yet, I love my bhasha! My mother tongue is the language that everyone and anyone can understand! It’s the language of peace, it’s the bhasha of protest. It’s the conversation of love, it’s the zubaan of freedom. That’s my bhasha which I love.
In the profound words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sonam Kalra sings this beautiful rendition which best explains bol and our bhasha.
(This article was sent to The Quint by Setu Modawal for our Independence Day campaign, BOL – Love your Bhasha.
Would you like to contribute to our Independence Day campaign to celebrate the mother tongue? Here’s your chance! This Independence Day, khul ke bol with BOL – Love your Bhasha. Sing, write, perform, spew poetry – whatever you like – in your mother tongue. Send us your BOL at bol@thequint.com or WhatsApp it to 9910181818.)
Click here to visit the Bol microsite.