Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, and Persian breath in the herd of the City of Begums
An outsider visiting Bhopal for the first time may have the feel of arriving at a foreign land because of the manner of talking of its residents and the city’s topography. After a few days, such feelings give way to subtle love for the place, which he finds soothing, and the residents are friendly and kind.
He soon finds a lot in common in the city with his birthplace. That is the culture of Bhopal. The Bhopalis have learned to conceal their seductive charms. This is why the traces of the rough Afghan culture may initially disappoint an outsider who takes pride in Nafast (elegance) and Nazakat (queasiness).
To the stranger, the city may appear like a big Indian village with a few noisy markets, mediaeval mosques, the huge Upper Lake, and the Lower Lake.
After a few days, when the stranger ventures into the real life of the city, he finds many English-speaking people around him. The number of such people is not less than other big cities known for their English culture.
The city’s engagement with the English language began in 1818, when the princely state became a British protectorate after the Third Anglo-Maratha War through the Treaty of Dependence. The British influence continued together with the rule of the four famous Begums (1819-1926). It brought about a fine melange of European administrative styles, architecture, and education with local Muslim and Hindu traditions. Ergo, the city saw a cultural syncretism. The rulers of the city maintained close contact with the British rulers. But they maintained their autonomy, reforming administration and introducing Western education.
The British officials stationed in the city used the English language for official correspondence, legal, and educational objects.
Many people learned English, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, and Persian. Gradually, the elite society began to adopt the British lifestyle, and English-medium schools started coming up. The British influence ended in 1949 when Bhopal became part of the Indian state.
As happened in other cities, the English language found its way to Bhopal through the political, administrative, and educational influence of the British Raj in the early 19th century, and the first pure English-medium school came up in 1932. And dozens of English medium schools have come up since then.
Today, nearly 8% of Bhopalis speak native English, and over 10% of them can speak and understand the English language. The percentage of English-speaking people is high in terms of the number of populations the city has.
The English language officially set its footsteps in Central India after the introduction of the English Education Act 1835 by Lord Macaulay.
Because learning English ensured highly paid government jobs, the residents of Bhopal, too, opted for English education. As English was initially the crucial language in administration and courts, it became the key language in Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Indore.
A cultural chauvinist sees Bhopal as intellectually unattractive. But when he digs this factor out, he regrets his oversight. So to cosy up to Bhopal, a stranger needs to use his head as well as his heart.
Arup Chakraborty
