SAVE THE KASHMIRI SOUL

Kashmir is not only a stunning valley of great mountains and shining lakes it is also a cradle of a thousand-year old civilisation that has given the world its distinctive art, culture, language, architecture, and spiritual tradition.

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And yet today the soul of this great heritage is silently being worn away by the onslaught of neglect, modernisation, conflict, and apathy.

From ancient wooden shrines to the declining echo of Kashmiri from homes and schools, the cultural fabric of the valley is unraveling ata desperate rate. While policymakers are concerned with infrastructure and tourism, they tend to overlook the fact that the soul of Kashmir is not just its backdrop beauty but its deeply embedded cultural heritage. If we don't act fast, the damage can prove to be irreversible.

One of the most striking indicators of cultural decline is the gradual disappearance of the Kashmiri language. It has been the mother tongue of more than six million people, yet its visibility in public life has receded. It is no longer the preeminent language in administration, education, or even domestic life in urban settings. English and Urdu have assumed centre stage in official and academic domains, and Kashmiri is confined to informal speech if that.

This erosion of language imperils not only communication but also the loss of folklore, oral history, proverbs, and centuries of ethos. Language is the heart of aculture, and losing itis equivalent to losing one's memory. The government needs to take more seriously the incorporation of Kashmiri in early education, create quality learning material, and investin teachers’ training. Additionally, social encouragement is key young people must feel pride, not shame, in speaking their mother tongue.