Hindi Aur Urdu

The dispute between Hindi and Urdu has been going on for an age. Maulvi Abdul Haq, Dr. Tara Chand, and Mahatma Gandhi understand this conflict, but it remains beyond my comprehension. Despite my best efforts, its meaning has not penetrated my mind. Why do Hindus waste their time advocating for Hindi? Why are Muslims so desperate to protect Urdu...? A language is not manufactured; it forms on its own, nor can human efforts ever destroy a language. When I wanted to write something on this fresh and heated topic, the following dialogue took shape.

Munshi Narayan Prasad: Iqbal Sahib, will you drink this soda?

Mirza Muhammad Iqbal: Yes, I will drink it.

Munshi: Why don't you drink lemon?

Iqbal: No particular reason, I just like soda. Everyone in our house drinks soda.

Munshi: So, it seems you hate lemon.

Iqbal: Not at all... why would I hate it, Munshi Narayan Prasad? It's just that since everyone at home drinks this, it has become a bit of a habit. There is no special reason; in fact, I think lemon is tastier than soda.

Munshi: That is exactly why I am surprised. Why would you leave a sweet thing and prefer something salty? Lemon not only has sweetness dissolved in it, but it also has a fragrance. What do you think?

Iqbal: You are absolutely right... but...

Munshi: But what?

Iqbal: Nothing... I was just going to say that I will drink the soda.

Munshi: Again, the same ignorance... One would think I am forcing you to drink poison. Oh brother, what is the difference between lemon and soda anyway? Both bottles were manufactured in the exact same factory. The exact same machine sealed the water inside them. If you take the sweetness and fragrance out of the lemon, what is left?

Iqbal: Soda... salty water...

Munshi: Then what is the harm in drinking it?

Iqbal: No harm at all.

Munshi: Then take it, drink.

Iqbal: What will you drink?

Munshi: I will send for another bottle.

Iqbal: Why would you send for another bottle? What is the harm in drinking soda?

Munshi: N... no harm at all.

Iqbal: Then take it, drink this soda.

Munshi: What will you drink?

Iqbal: I... I will send for another bottle.

Munshi: Why would you send for another bottle? What is the harm in drinking lemon?

Iqbal: N... o... har... m... at all... And what is the harm in drinking soda?

Munshi: N... o... har... m... at all.

Iqbal: The thing is, soda is just a bit better.

Munshi: But I think that lemon... is just a bit better.

Iqbal: That may be so... but I have always heard from my elders that soda is better.

Munshi: Now what can be done about that... I, too, have always heard from my elders that lemon is better.

Iqbal: What is your own opinion?

Munshi: What is your own opinion?

Iqbal: My opinion... my opinion... my opinion is simply that... but why don't you share your opinion?

Munshi: My opinion... my opinion... my opinion is simply that... but why should I express my opinion first?

Iqbal: We won't be able to express our opinions like this. Let's do this: place a lid over your glass. I will cover my glass too. Once we do this, we can sit down comfortably and decide.

Munshi: That cannot be done... the bottles have already been opened. Now we have to drink them. Come on, decide quickly. Otherwise, all their fizz will escape... their entire life force is in their fizz, after all.

Iqbal: I agree... and you also concede this much, that there is no difference between lemon and soda.

Munshi: When did I ever say that there is no difference between lemon and soda? There is a vast difference... a difference of heaven and earth! One has sweetness. It has fragrance. It has tartness. That means it has three things more than soda. Soda is nothing but fizz, and even that is so sharp it burns the nose. Compared to that, how delicious is lemon! Drink one bottle, and you feel refreshed for hours. Soda is generally drunk by the sick... and you yourself just admitted that lemon is tastier than soda.

Iqbal: True. But I never said that lemon is better than soda. Being tasty does not mean it is beneficial. Pickles are very tasty, but you are well aware of their harms. Just because something has tartness or fragrance does not prove it is very good. Ask any doctor, and you will find out how harmful lemon is for the stomach. Soda, however, is a proper drink... I mean, it helps with digestion.

Munshi: Look, this can be resolved by mixing both the lemon and the soda together.

Iqbal: I have no objection.

Munshi: Then pour half your soda into this empty glass.

Iqbal: Why don't you pour half your lemon first... I will pour the soda afterward.

Munshi: That makes no sense. Why don't you pour the soda first?

Iqbal: I want to drink Soda-Lemon mixed.

Munshi: And I want to drink Lemon-Soda mixed.

The dispute between Hindi and Urdu has been going on for an age. Maulvi Abdul Haq, Dr. Tara Chand, and Mahatma Gandhi understand this conflict, but it remains beyond my comprehension. Despite my best efforts, its meaning has not penetrated my mind. Why do Hindus waste their time advocating for Hindi? Why are Muslims so desperate to protect Urdu...? A language is not manufactured; it forms on its own, nor can human efforts ever destroy a language. When I wanted to write something on this fresh and heated topic, the following dialogue took shape.

Munshi Narayan Prasad: Iqbal Sahib, will you drink this soda?

Mirza Muhammad Iqbal: Yes, I will drink it.

Munshi: Why don't you drink lemon?

Iqbal: No particular reason, I just like soda. Everyone in our house drinks soda.

Munshi: So, it seems you hate lemon.

Iqbal: Not at all... why would I hate it, Munshi Narayan Prasad? It's just that since everyone at home drinks this, it has become a bit of a habit. There is no special reason; in fact, I think lemon is tastier than soda.

Munshi: That is exactly why I am surprised. Why would you leave a sweet thing and prefer something salty? Lemon not only has sweetness dissolved in it, but it also has a fragrance. What do you think?

Iqbal: You are absolutely right... but...

Munshi: But what?

Iqbal: Nothing... I was just going to say that I will drink the soda.

Munshi: Again, the same ignorance... One would think I am forcing you to drink poison. Oh brother, what is the difference between lemon and soda anyway? Both bottles were manufactured in the exact same factory. The exact same machine sealed the water inside them. If you take the sweetness and fragrance out of the lemon, what is left?

Iqbal: Soda... salty water...

Munshi: Then what is the harm in drinking it?

Iqbal: No harm at all.

Munshi: Then take it, drink.

Iqbal: What will you drink?

Munshi: I will send for another bottle.

Iqbal: Why would you send for another bottle? What is the harm in drinking soda?

Munshi: N... no harm at all.

Iqbal: Then take it, drink this soda.

Munshi: What will you drink?

Iqbal: I... I will send for another bottle.

Munshi: Why would you send for another bottle? What is the harm in drinking lemon?

Iqbal: N... o... har... m... at all... And what is the harm in drinking soda?

Munshi: N... o... har... m... at all.

Iqbal: The thing is, soda is just a bit better.

Munshi: But I think that lemon... is just a bit better.

Iqbal: That may be so... but I have always heard from my elders that soda is better.

Munshi: Now what can be done about that... I, too, have always heard from my elders that lemon is better.

Iqbal: What is your own opinion?

Munshi: What is your own opinion?

Iqbal: My opinion... my opinion... my opinion is simply that... but why don't you share your opinion?

Munshi: My opinion... my opinion... my opinion is simply that... but why should I express my opinion first?

Iqbal: We won't be able to express our opinions like this. Let's do this: place a lid over your glass. I will cover my glass too. Once we do this, we can sit down comfortably and decide.

Munshi: That cannot be done... the bottles have already been opened. Now we have to drink them. Come on, decide quickly. Otherwise, all their fizz will escape... their entire life force is in their fizz, after all.

Iqbal: I agree... and you also concede this much, that there is no difference between lemon and soda.

Munshi: When did I ever say that there is no difference between lemon and soda? There is a vast difference... a difference of heaven and earth! One has sweetness. It has fragrance. It has tartness. That means it has three things more than soda. Soda is nothing but fizz, and even that is so sharp it burns the nose. Compared to that, how delicious is lemon! Drink one bottle, and you feel refreshed for hours. Soda is generally drunk by the sick... and you yourself just admitted that lemon is tastier than soda.

Iqbal: True. But I never said that lemon is better than soda. Being tasty does not mean it is beneficial. Pickles are very tasty, but you are well aware of their harms. Just because something has tartness or fragrance does not prove it is very good. Ask any doctor, and you will find out how harmful lemon is for the stomach. Soda, however, is a proper drink... I mean, it helps with digestion.

Munshi: Look, this can be resolved by mixing both the lemon and the soda together.

Iqbal: I have no objection.

Munshi: Then pour half your soda into this empty glass.

Iqbal: Why don't you pour half your lemon first... I will pour the soda afterward.

Munshi: That makes no sense. Why don't you pour the soda first?

Iqbal: I want to drink Soda-Lemon mixed.

Munshi: And I want to drink Lemon-Soda mixed.