How the British Engineered Hindi: A Colonial Language, Not a Cultural Heritage
“Those who scream ‘Hindi is our mother tongue’ forget that their ‘mother’ was midwifed by colonialism.”
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) claims to be the custodian of Indian culture. Ironically, it also champions Hindi—a language systematically constructed by British colonizers. Far from being a naturally evolved or indigenous language, modern Hindi is a colonial artifact, crafted to serve imperial goals of administrative efficiency and sociopolitical control.
While ancient languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Bengali, and Pali evolved over centuries through organic use and literary traditions, Hindi—especially in its present standardized form—was born in colonial offices, classrooms, and courtrooms.
1. The Colonial Creation of Hindi (1837–1900)
1837: British Replace Persian with Hindustani (later called Hindi)
Before British intervention, Persian was the dominant administrative language. In 1837, the British replaced Persian with what they termed Hindustani—a mix of local dialects spoken in North India.
But this wasn’t a neutral linguistic shift. It was a strategic move to disconnect the Muslim elite (who used Persian or Urdu) and forge an identity closer to the Hindu majority. The British:
- Removed Persian/Arabic vocabulary from Hindustani.
- Introduced Sanskritized equivalents.
- Pushed the Nagari (Devanagari) script over the Persian script.
The result? A newly branded version of Hindustani—Hindi—that conveniently aligned with British “divide and rule” strategies.
1868: Hindi in Schools — Education as a Tool of Linguistic Control
By 1868, Hindi in Devanagari was introduced into North Indian government schools, not because it was the language of the people, but because it was being shaped to become one.
Through curriculum design, teacher recruitment, and official patronage, the British created future generations who would grow up speaking a “Hindi” that their grandparents never used in formal communication.
This was not education—it was linguistic social engineering.
1900: Hindi Gains Official Recognition
By the dawn of the 20th century, the divide was complete:
- The British officially declared Hindi (Devanagari) and Urdu (Persian) as separate languages.
- Administrative and court documents began accepting Hindi as distinct from Urdu.
- The resulting binary not only split language—it fractured social and religious unity.
Key References:
Christopher King, One Language, Two Scripts (1994)
Alok Rai, Hindi Nationalism (2001)
2. Hindi’s Post-Colonial Legacy: From Colonial Tool to National Weapon
Post-independence India should have dismantled colonial constructs. Instead, Hindi became the new tool of central control.
The RSS and its political offshoots glorified Hindi—not as a cultural expression, but as a unifying force for Hindu majoritarian nationalism, often ignoring or suppressing the linguistic rights of non-Hindi speakers.
This transformation meant the further marginalization of several native languages—especially in the so-called Hindi heartland.
3. Victims of Hindi: The Disappearing Languages of the Hindi Belt
What we call “Hindi-speaking states” are in fact home to diverse, ancient, and vibrant languages. Many of them are older than Hindi itself—but they are being actively erased or downgraded as “dialects”.
| Language | Region | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bhojpuri | Bihar, UP, Jharkhand | Millions of speakers, but no official status in India (recognized abroad in Mauritius, Fiji) |
| Awadhi | Eastern UP | Language of Ramcharitmanas, now ignored in education |
| Braj Bhasha | Western UP, Rajasthan | Once literary hub of Krishna Bhakti poetry, now marginalized |
| Bundeli | Bundelkhand (UP & MP) | Rich folk culture, pushed aside in favor of Hindi |
| Bagheli | Eastern MP | Losing ground to Hindi in schools and media |
| Rajasthani languages | Rajasthan (Marwari, Mewari, etc.) | Grouped under “Hindi” in the census despite distinctiveness |
| Haryanvi | Haryana | Urbanization & Delhi influence erasing its identity |
| Chhattisgarhi | Chhattisgarh | Recognized regionally, but Hindi dominates governance |
| Magahi | Bihar, Jharkhand | Ancient language, now with no official recognition |
| Kannauji | Central UP | Fading in formal use due to Hindi standardization |
4. Hindi as a Post-Independence Governance Tool
❌ Education Policy
- Hindi imposed in central syllabi, ignoring native tongues
- Non-Hindi states coerced into adopting Hindi-centric exams
❌ Media & Entertainment
- Bollywood treats Hindi as national default
- Other Indian languages are labeled “regional” or “vernacular”
❌ Census & Policy Manipulation
- Grouping native languages as “dialects of Hindi” inflates its status
Conclusion: A Manufactured Language, A Manufactured Majority
Hindi as we know it is not the voice of Bharat—it is the echo of empire. Born in colonial offices and nurtured by post-colonial nationalism, Hindi has displaced not just Urdu but entire civilizational languages.
The tragedy? A country with over 1,600 mother tongues now pushes one standardized language created for the convenience of colonial rulers—and calls it “national pride.”
“Hindi is not under threat.
But thousands of India’s native languages are—because of Hindi.”
✊🏽 What Needs to Be Done
- Official recognition of native languages like Bhojpuri, Magahi, Marwari
- Decentralized language policy to protect linguistic autonomy
- Balanced multilingualism—not Hindi dominance—as India’s future
Author’s Note:
Don’t fall for the myth that Hindi unites India.
Hindi replaced, erased, and divided.
Real unity comes from respecting all Indian languages—not manufacturing one to rule them all.
