Languages in Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Region and the Sharada Script

Abstract

Due to the immigrants from the Indian Plains, Tibet, Iran, and other central Asian nations, the regions of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh are diverse in terms of terrain, culture, and languages. In these areas, the languages are as varied as the civilizations. There are many different languages spoken in these areas; four of them are the primary languages, and many more are dialects of these four. Formerly, the official language of the J & K state was Urdu. The Indo-European Group of languages includes Urdu. However, Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory officially recognised Kashmiri as a language for the first time in 2020. Dogri and Hindi are spoken in Jammu, but Kashmiri is primarily spoken in the Kashmir Valley. The primary tongue of Ladakh State is Ladakhi. In the border regions of these regions, additional indigenous languages such Shina, Pahari, Gujari, Balti, and Brushaski are also spoken. Hindi is the native language of the Gujjars and Kashmiri Pandits who reside in Jammu and Kashmir. All of the classical Sanskrit literature is written in Sharada Script. From the eighth to the twelfth century, in and around Kashmir, GoddessSaraswati, the goddess of Vidya, is also known by the name Sharada (Learning). The major deity at the Sharada Peeth Temple, which is presently located in Pakistan, is Sharada, and the script bears her name. The present study is an effort to explore the languages of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Region with special refence to the Sharada Script.