Scholars revel in scripting their literary works. Languages, the vehicle for their works, many-splendored until the land’s politicos indulged in dividing the masses by instigating various linguistic groups to erupt in the cause of their respective tongues. Lobbying, by well-marked vested interests, for enforcing Hindi as the only official language of administration for the entire nation during the initial post-independence years, but ultimately leading to the policy of English keeping company with Hindi at the national level and the three-language formula in non-Hindi regions is now history. The three-language formula continues to suffer from the hierarchy issue of which language should be used below which other language in the signages both in public spaces and in government offices. Such a matter was resolved in Canada years ago when that country’s Francophiles agitated for the cause of French to be exclusive official language in their regions. In Karnataka, Kannada leads Hindi and English on the signboards.

Sanskrit, considered in the scholarly circles as an Indo-European language, and also as an ancient Indian language as well as the origin of most of India’s tongues, has suffered disfavour by many sections of society for reasons not far to seek. The fact that it is one of the 22 official languages of India doesn’t amount to much, given the popularly accepted verdict that it is a dead language. Mysuru has the dubious distinction of hosting a publisher of India’s only Sanskrit daily, even as sustaining it for long is suspect.

Speakers of all hues among the vote-seeking fraternity (read political whole-timers) take fascination to use the expression “six crore Kannadigas” giving the false meaning that Kannada is the tongue of the entire population of the State, in a laughable attempt to impress their captive audiences. The lament that the number of residents of Bengaluru who speak in daily commerce tongues other than Kannada is rising at an alarming pace is voiced from public platforms and on various occasions not resulting in any makeover towards the above expression of six crore Kannadigas in Karnataka. The other lament that the quality of literary works by contemporary writers, barring exceptions, has gone down in our times is only heard without triggering any action on the part of littérateurs of Karnataka.

People of the land whose tongues are many owe it to their respective languages as well as themselves to communicate in daily life, read literary works and also dailies, write to lure readers and also respect the littérateurs amidst them. At a recent event of book release in city, one of the speakers opined that language will grow only when used in literature. The connect between the two is more complex than what was made out to be. Scholars have to debate the matter for its better perception.