Why Gujarati?
Gujarati is the 26th most spoken language in the world. There are 65 million Gujarati speakers and growing. For some of us it is our mother tongue or Matru bhaasaa. This is the first language some of us heard when we came into this world.
Gujarati is not the sweetest of languages as it can sound rude at times.
There are so many different dialects of Gujarati. To name a few, Surati, Kathiyavadi, Parsi, Gamdiyu, Amdavadi, Mehsaana, Charotar, and many others.
I have always loved everything Gujarati
I’m always looking for ways to share the love I have for this culture and language. Lately, I have been thinking, what can be done to increase people’s curiosity about Gujarati. There are many of us who are working towards this goal directly or indirectly. Gujarati movies and nataks (plays) are becoming more modern and popular. Of course, Garba songs and their inclusions in Bollywood movies help as always.
What is stoping us from speaking in Gujarati at home or in our social settings?
You have seen French, Chinese, Mexican, German folks speaking their native language around you so why are you not speaking in Gujarati more often? This is something we all have to think about. For me, there were times when I was trying to fit in so hard that I was a little ashamed of speaking in Gujarati, I had to prove that I belonged here, I was like everyone else.
It sounds so strange now that I think about it, because really who was I trying to impress? It is actually so beneficial for our brains to be able to switch from language to language. The more I am surrounded by Gujarati, it is easier to switch back and forth. Like reading Gujarati books, magazines, or watching Gujarati Nataks or films, singing Gujarati Garbas or even watching silly videos done in Gujarati.
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