The Book
This tract looks at the politics of language in India through a study of the history of one language—Hindi. It traces the tragic metamorphosis of this language over the last century, from a creative, dynamic, popular language to a dead, Sanskritised, dePersianised language manufactured by a self-serving upper caste North Indian elite, nurturing hegemonic ambitions. From being a symbol of collective imagination it became a signifier of narrow sectarianism and regional chauvinism. The tract shows how this trans- formation of the language was tied up with the politics of communalism and regionalism.
The Author(s)
Alok Rai, currently teaching in the Humanities Department of IIT, Delhi. He holds research degrees from the Universities of Oxford and London, and is well-known as a critic and writer on comtemporary cultural matters.