The Kashmiri Hindu community is over whelmed today and profusely thank our Finance Minister for conferring the respect that Ma Sharada in lipi form deserves.

 

 

Sharada script descended from the Gupta Brahmi system of writing. She is the mother of all Himalayan scripts. Tankri, Landa, Tibettan and Gurumukhi are daughters of Sharada. While the daughter scripts are flourishing, Sharada script native to Kashmir, is on the verge of extinction. Sharada script was systematically and deliberately detached from the education system, and, Nastaliq, the foreign script brought to Kashmir by the invaders, forced on local Kashmiris.

 

 

 

Sharada was in used in Kashmir from the 3rd century BCE as per the carbon dating of a Bhakshali manuscript found recently pushing back all previous claims of it being used between 8 th to 14th century BCE.

 

 

Thousands of Sharada manuscripts lying today in museums and libraries across the globe tell us that it was the prevalent script of its time, scholarly work in Vyavaharik as well as Paramarthic domains was done using Sharada script.

 

 

 

Below picture shows how Sharada was in common used so as to be inscribed on tombs, smartly, Nastaliq was introduced. This tomb is from the time when transition from Sharada to Nastaliq had just begun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Generations passed and Sharada remained limited to astrologers till the 1950s and now even that usage has been abandoned.

 

 

Many individuals and organizations have toiled post the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits to revive the usage of Sharada and bring it to the mainstream. There were very few scholars who strived through the period of exile to somehow breathe oxygen into the dying script but with very few takers, many were dejected and depressed visualizing the future and certain demise of this divine script.

 

 

The younger generation of Kashmiri Pandits then took it upon themselves to bring it to mainstream, groups like the Core Sharada and its volunteers took it upon themselves to take the script to the masses by way of online courses delivered free of charge with utmost dedication and sincerity.

 

 

 

Civilian movements have the strength and determination to accomplish tasks which appear impossible. Another dynamic civil society movement under the banner India 4 Kashmir, has time and again reiterated for revival of Kashmiri Hindu culture and ethos.

 

 

Saturday’s inclusion of Kashmiri poetry written in Sharada Script in a prestigious document “The Union Budget 2020” read by none other than Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman has given legitimacy and recognition to our efforts at reclaiming the most important element of our lost civilization, our beloved Sharada Lipi.

 

 

Sharada Lipi which was muted and handcuffed for centuries by the invaders has got its voice back and has been released from the fortress of cruel history.

 

 

Even after independence, no efforts were made by successive governments to reinstate Sharada Lipi in the educational institutions. We are thankful as a community that Sharada Lipi has got legitimacy and has been recognized by the Govt. of India led by Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi, in the most prestigious forum today dated February 1st , 2020.

 

 

Inspired and invigorated by todays events, we are encouraged to request the Govt of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development to kindly reintroduce Sharada lipi in the curriculum as the second language in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir and again bring it to the mainstream.

 

 

 

 

A beginning to recognize the importance of the script can be made by introducing names of cities and stations written in Sharada lipi.

 

 

Gradual but steady introduction of Sharada script at institutional levels will go a long way in reclaiming the glorious heritage of Kashmir.

 

 

Once again on behalf of the Kashmiri Pandit community I thank Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman for according the respect and recognition to Sharada lipi that it deserves.