Teach Yourself Cutchi - Part 1 - By Mr J M I Sait
The series is being produced in five different languages, English, Malayalam, Hindi, Urdu and Guajarati with the dual intention of providing a re-education medium for the emigrant Cutchi population and as a guide for others who wish to visit or work in Cutch. The series is designed primarily as a language tutor, but is also an introduction to the geography, history and culture of Cutch. It is intended to strengthen the ongoing efforts of the Government of Gujarat, public and private institutions and individuals to propagate the Cutchi language. The five languages will cover practically the whole migrant Cutchi population. Nevertheless, other languages will be considered for inclusion in the series if there is sufficient demand .
AUTHOR’s PREFACE : Cutchi is both live and dead. It lives strong among the Cutchi population in the state of Kerala in India and a few African countries, particularly with Keralite migrants of Cutchi descent and a few members of the older generation. It has gone dead among many other Cutchi communities as a consequence of local assimilation due to more than one reason. Cutchi has no script in use now, though it is said that it had one of its own before the advent of British rule in India. For a while Cutchi speakers used Sindhi, Urdu and Gujarati scripts while keeping Cutchi dialect alive. In course of time this also came to a halt as the medium of instruction in schools shifted to the local language— Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati—and the language in business circles followed suit. With the increasing change over to English in commerce and education a section of the society has moved further away. Nevertheless, the sentiment of the community of Cutchi descent has been maintained as a unique thread of tradition. Voices have been raised from different corners of the world demanding a revival of Cutchi as a language and for the rediscovery of a script for it. Various attempts are being taken by individuals and institutions towards this end. The present exercise is one motivated by the same intent on a broader base. It is hoped that the Cutchi Community will welcome it as an attempt to fill the gap. It should however, be noted that a language is best learnt from the mouth of a native. This work, therefore, is only a guide to enable the reader to start an interaction.
The reconstruction of Cutch after the devastating earthquake of 2001 has put it on a different pedestal. Reconstruction brought a boom with which large number of business-men and professionals move into the area. Already, being a district with a common border with Pakistan, Cutch had acquired strategic importance resulting in the deployment of service personnel, many accompanied by their families. The Gujarat Tourism Development Department and the Tourism Development Corporation have put in great efforts to attract visitors to the area.
With global interest in traditional arts and artifacts picking up fast commerce in Bandhini fabrics and handicrafts have also increased in phenomenal measures. All these developments call for a knowledge of Cutchi for the better communication , although Hindi and Gujarati are well understood and widely employed.
The present Teach Yourself Cutchi Series is designed to meet the needs of these various classes of visitors while also contributing to the revival of the language.
To be continued.
A Magazine for the Cutchi Memon Community of Kerala
