Mareeha Ahmad_Sajid Raza Balti_Reimaging Linguistic Diversity of Pakistani Languages

MA: Hi everyone, my name is Mareeha and for a part of our project, Reimagining the Linguistic Diversity of Local Languages in Pakistan, a part of the Linguistics course offered at FCCU, Language Documentation, I'm going to be interviewing a speaker from Baltistan, Sajid, who is a Balti speaker and I'll be asking him about himself and his language. Assalamu Alaikum. Sajid, before we begin, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

SR: Assalamu Alaikum. My name is Mohammad Sajid Raza., I am from Skardu, Husnabad.

MA: Okay. And what do you study in FC?

SR: In FC, my major is Economics.

MA: Okay, where are you from?

SR: I am from Skardu. There is a village called Husnabad.

MA: Can you tell me a little about your village?

SA: When you go to Kargil and then Husnabad comes. Husnabad is a famous viewpoint which is called Masood Rock. That's why it's known as Husnabad.

MA: In Balti, if you can share any story related to your hometown, or if you have any incident that you would like to share with us.

SR: At a young age, Ali Sher Khan Anchan, the ruler of Skardu, faced a pivotal moment when his father passed away. His uncle, Anarcha Raja of Shigar, seemingly offered shelter, but the ulterior motive was to eliminate Ali and seize control of Skardu. Ali's mother, upon learning of her brother's sinister plan, instructed trusted guardians to safely relocate Ali away from his uncle's reach. Ali Sher Khan Anchan disappeared into a forest on the outskirts of the Mughal Empire. One day, he encountered a wild animal, and in self-defence, he slew it. As news of his bravery spread, Emperor Akbar, upon hearing the tale, summoned Anchan to his court. Impressed by Anchan's courage, Akbar decided to train him in his custodianship. As Anchan reached the age of marriage, Gulab Khaton, also known as Maldek Valmok in Balti who was the niece of Akber, was wed to him. This strategic marriage was orchestrated by Akbar, recognizing Anchan's royal lineage. Following his marriage, Akbar instructed Anchan to return to Skardu and reclaim his position as the ruler. Akbar provided support in the form of troops, engineers, architects, and other professionals. Anchan successfully reclaimed his throne, and the engineers, including Gangu who crafted a canal known as Gungu Ki Khurang, made valuable contributions to Skardu's society.

MA: Can you tell me something about your family?

SR: My family is a Rundu family. I am the son of Munak, and my father is Almar. I have five brothers. I am the minister of Rondoo. Rondoo is a district. My family name is Monak.

MA: Do you have a family name?

SR: Yes. There are three ministers in Skardu.Chikpola Kanapa, Chikpola Monak and Chikpola Boro. I am the oldest. There are three ministers in Skardu. One is Boro, one is Kanapa and a Munaf. We are from Munaf.

MA: I have heard that Balti is spoken in many other languages, like Farsi and Arabic. Do you speak any other language other than Balti?

SR: Before the advent of Islam, the people of Baltistan practiced Budhmat and Bondmat, the ancient religions of the region. During that time, the Balti language was written in its original script. However, with the arrival of Islam, the script was altered, purportedly in the belief that it resembled Buddhist scripts. This change occurred because those who introduced Islam to Baltistan came from the Middle East and Central Asia. As a result, after the spread of Islam, Balti began to be written in Farsi.

MA: Do they still speak Farsi there?

SR: They don't speak Farsi, Farsi is written.

MA: But they don't speak it?

SR: No, they don't.

MA: Do they just write, like Balti, like the way it is written, is in Farsi? Do they use the script?

SR: The script is in Farsi, but they don't speak it.

MA: Any other language, like Arabic?

SR: They use some Arabic words, but they don't speak it. But in Baltistan, there are different languages, like Hunza, Burashiski, Shina, etc.

MA: Do you understand these languages?

SR: These languages are completely different from Balti. Balti is from Tibet, and these people are from India and Dhardi. MA: If we talk about your culture, your clothes, can you tell us a little bit about it? Or is there any important piece of clothing like a cap or jewellery?

SR: Balti is not a very big city. In ancient times, women in Baltistan traditionally wore frock and pyjama. Over time, this has evolved, and now they embrace attire similar to that worn by women in Pakistan. Men, on the other hand, commonly wear shalwar kameez, a style prevalent across the region. Notably, men in Baltistan adorn a distinct accessory – the desi Khoi, a woollen cap with a spherical shape.

MA: Now it's different?

SR: Now it's a Pakistani culture.

MA: So people start wearing shalwar kameez like we do?

SR: Yes, they start wearing shalwar kameez.

MA: How do you feel when you see such things changing? How do you feel about the way the culture is changing? Because your culture is the same as the old one, right?

SR: Yes, it is the same. The culture has changed. When we see that our culture has changed, because people are recognized by the culture, when we see that our culture has changed, it is very sad because the culture we belong to is disappearing.

MA: Now let's talk about food. When you were growing up, what was your favourite food? If you have a recipe to share, please do share it.

SR: Similar to other aspects, Baltistan boasts rich traditional cuisine. One of my favourite dishes is Prapo, a traditional delicacy. The preparation involves kneading the dough, boiling it, and once it reaches the right consistency, adding walnuts or other nuts.

MA: Is it a paste or?

SR: No, it is made into a boat-shaped dough.

MA: A ship?

SR: Yes, a ship.

MA: Like we call dumplings?

SR: Yes, it is made in a way that the dough is soaked in water. When it is soaked in water, we take it out and leave it for a while. Then we make a paste of walnuts. We make chutney and mix it with the spices. So this is a very traditional dish.

MA: Do people come to the area for sightseeing? Like we go to Kashmir for sightseeing, do people come there? Yes, a lot of people come.

SR: There is no limit for tourists. I noted that in one day, 40-50 cars came to checkpost. So tourists come a lot. Tourists come and ask about it. They want to know what is in your culture. Many people make it.

MA: If we talk about your oral tradition, your songs, ghazals, and poems, can you tell me about your poem or ghazal? Yes, I can tell you.

SR: The poem is about the Balghazi people. The Balghazi people are very different from the Balinese. But the Balghazi people are very good. [In Gulam Hussain Balgari's poignant verses, he unveils the heartbreak of his beloved's betrayal, expressing the lingering pain from the time they shared. Left on the sidelines, he waits, still grappling with the shock of abandonment. Despite the hurt, he longs to glimpse his lost love, harbouring a wish not to dishonour but to understand. Questioning the premature departure, he laments the broken promise of eternal togetherness, asking why fate led his beloved astray. Bulgari, in a final lament, curses a destiny that seems indifferent, noting how love often slips away, written on lines of fate upended, leaving one to ponder the mysteries of heartache. The poet says that when he saw tears in his eyes, his beloved came to him and started to comfort him. He reminds us that we had promised not to leave each other. He says that we had only this much support. There is a poem in Urdu about this. He says that we will not live a moment without you. We are left without a promise. The last example is from his school. I will read it to you. I don't know what to say. So, Balghari says, Balghari is a poet himself, okay? Balghari says, Balghari, maybe the lines of your hands are upside down, okay? Because we see the decision of fate through the lines of the hands. Maybe the lines of your hands are upside down. Because of this, whoever you love, he leaves you. This is what he says.]

MA: And the poet whose name is written here, right?

SR: Yes, yes, Balghari is from Ghulam Hussain Baghdadi

MA: And how old is this Ghazal?

SR: It is not very old, it is around 50-60 years old

MA: Do you have the same music as we have here?

SR: Yes, we have music, we have culture and dance as well

MA: Talking about festivals, what festivals do you have? Can you tell me about it in detail?

SR: [The people of Baltistan observe diverse festivals, including Mayfung and Novroz. Historically, Baltis adhered to their unique calendar, marking Mayfung (meaning "leave the fire") as the New Year celebration. According to this calendar, Mayfung occurs on December 21st. This festival signifies the conclusion of the longest night of the year and the commencement of the Balti New Year, also known as Losar. To celebrate, people carry fire in their hands and ascend to the mountaintop, accompanied by music. .In addition to Mayfung, the people of Baltistan also celebrate Novroz, which coincides with the Iranian New Year on March 21st. This festival has its roots in Iran and holds significance as the New Year celebration.]

SR: According to that, our new year started on 21st December.

MA: 21st December? 21st?

SR: Yes, 21st December. The new year started on 21st December. Yes, the new year started. That day was called Mayfung. In Mayfung, they used to make different traditional dishes. At that time, they used to make sweets. And one of the specialities of Mayfung is that the days are longer. The days are longer on 21st December and the nights are shorter. The days are longer on 21st December and the nights are shorter. So, because of this reason, it's so cold there. When the day is long, it is said that the light is also more, which causes the heat to come in. So, leaving the eye of the moth means leaving the eye. So, in the month, they light a torch, so they go to a mountain. There are different mountains, the longest one, and they climb up and throw the torch down. It means that the winters are over, the summers are coming, so they leave it. And the Nowruz is from Iran, in our culture. The Nowruz, on the 21st of December, celebrate Iran too, it's a new day, it means a new day. In our culture, we have a tradition of colouring the eggs.

MA: Like Easter, Christians make Easter here.

SR: Yes, we colour the eggs and give them to the children. And we give it to the families. So, we have a local holiday on that day.

MA: Interesting. What do you think, how big is the role of the language in such festivals?

SR: The language is the only way to understand the culture. In Mayfang, the language is the main source of communication and in making the food. The whole culture is related to the language.

MA: In some festivals, people pray a lot. For example, when there are marriages, the songs are like that. Punjabi marriages, even though they are exchanging their vows in Urdu, the songs are in Punjabi. So, you see, the language has taken on such a big role. That's why, when there are festivals, I'm sure, the songs are also there. So, they must be in Balti.

SR: In festivals, there are no songs, because the elders are sitting there. But there is Qasida. But the Qasida is not in our language.

MA: Yes. What is Qasida?

SR: Qasida is a word that has been used in Islam. Qasida is a word that is used in Manqabat.

MA:I don't know what it is. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

SR: There is a Naat, which is the Naat of Hazrat Mohammad S.A.W. In Qasida, in Baltistan, Mir Shamsuddin Iraq, because of this, many people became Shia So in Qasida, the 12 Imams are praised.

MA: What is your favourite word or phrase in your language?

SR: In Malay, we can also say a proverb, or we can also say a proverb, which means that the neighbour is a mother. This is also true in our area because when there is a joyous occasion, a sad occasion, or a funeral, or a wedding, the first thing that our neighbours do is to come. So they help them. In the happy moments, everyone is there but when there is a tragedy, the neighbours are the ones who do everything. That's why like a mother looks after her children, the neighbours look after their families.

MA: Do you have any words in your language that people need to remember? As I mentioned in Urdu, pure Urdu, we are forgetting our actual language, the Adbi essence of the language so we hold onto these words. Are there words like that in Balti?

MA: Every word has a different meaning. For example, you need to change the car, you need to change the car, you need to change the mirror, you need to change the hospital, you need to change the school, you need to change the school, In Balti, there are different names for almost all things, which are not used anymore. Now we use cars, we have cars and planes. Cars were called shayans in the village. Planes were called khulushayans. Other than that, planes were called khulushayans. Mirrors were called miloong. Electricity was called khuluk. These are not used anymore. School was called Sabsa.

MA: Now you use Urdu words for these things?

SR: Yes, you use English for school, you use it for hospitals. So all that is almost finished.

MA: But the old people, like they must be using these words a lot.

SR: I think, after 1980, these words have been used very rarely. So now, the elders, if they use these words, then the children are also used less.

MA: Now, if we talk about the script of Balti, can you tell me a little bit about how the script of Balti changed, why it changed, and if we should bring it back or is it being brought back? If we should bring it back or if it is being brought back?

SR: I remember that I was reading the script. The script was in the front, and kept writing for 700-800 years. It is so old. Through Saeed-ud-Din Iraqi and Saeed-Muhammad Noor Hamdani. They brought Islam. They spoke Farsi, which is obvious. So, Islam came through Farsi. The next script was called as a memory of the [inaudible].. And now people are trying very hard to bring back the script. . And it was brought back to India by a man named Yusuf Husnabadi. He worked for 10-15 years to bring back the Balti script. He had asked for a script from Ladakh, and he only got one page of the script. So, later he did some research, and in 2006 or 2004, he got the entire script from Germany.

MA: From Germany?

SR: Yes, from Germany.

MA: How did it get to Germany?

SR: He comes to Tibetan, right? Someone sent him from Germany. Or it was in Germany? It was i n a book. It was a book. He got the whole book. He says that he didn't sleep for two days. He was so happy. He worked hard for 10-12 years to find the script. When he found it, it was being matched with the one in Ladakh. He said I couldn't sleep for two days. Hd was so happy.

MA: That was the original script, right?

SR: Yes, that was the original script.

MA: Are they trying to bring it back?

SR: Yes, we are trying to bring it back. We are trying to teach it in universities. We are trying to teach it in schools. Many people don’t know how to write it. There are about 10-12 people who know how to write.

MA: If we talk about FC, I asked you earlier how many people speak Balti in SC. You said there is only one person, me and him. So you must speak Balti less here. Most people don't even speak it. You must have to speak in English and Urdu. I am not sure if you have seen other universities in Lahore, but there they dont really speak in different languages. There they mostly speak Urdu or English or Punjabi because it is in Lahore. Because the rest are local languages. Like the Pashtuns here speak their own language. Balochis speak in their own language community. Mostly it is their majority. How do you feel as a person in FC. when you see so many people speaking their own language. Do you feel that more Balti people should come here? How do you feel being in FC? As a person who speaks English, Urdu and Balti.

SR: I feel a little bit sad. But I have been here for a long time. But there are different religions, different cultures, different traditions. There are people who speak Urdu and English. There is a difference in culture between Pashtun and Baloch. When we talk to each other, we speak in Urdu and English. If there was a big community, we could talk in the community. Because language is something that brings people together. So there is not so much of a difference. As you can see, Pashtun and Pashtun. So, we don't have as many Baltis,, but we get to see a lot of new things. There were a lot of people in this, whose mindsets we didn't know. Like, what is Baloch's mindset? What is the mindset of Pathan? So, we get to see this, and we get to know, and we get to learn a lot. And after seeing their culture, we get to know, what is their culture, and what is our culture is. We like researching about the culture and studying about it.

MA: And how do you feel about your Balti? You must have spoken a lot with your parents there. When you came here, you must have felt that your Balti had become weak. You don't use Balti that much, right?

SR: Yes, yes. We use Balti very little. We use it very little in the university. But in Lahore, I meet a lot of people, so it doesn't matter.

MA: Are there a lot of people in Lahore?

SR: Yes, there are more students than in Pakistan.

MA: How do you meet them? How do you know them?

SR: We know them since childhood. Some are school fellows, some are relatives. But the good thing is that there are not many Balti's in Lahore. So if you recognize them by their face, you can easily find them. Because we are from the same place.

MA: Okay, now I want to go to the last question. How do you feel that we can preserve your language?

SR: Yes, this is a very good question. How do we interpret this? In fact, there are many words that have been lost. When we ask people, they say, we don't know the meaning of this. Even if they are our fathers or grandfathers, they don't know. Very few people know who research on this or have any connection with the literature. In Baltistan, there are two or three channels, which I will name. They give gifts and jokes and ask me about the Balti language. They ask me what is electricity in Balti. They say that if I give the right answer, we will give you a gift. So, if no one knows the answer, they get a gift. When the video becomes interesting, people start to wonder what Balti means. And then they tell us the answer. They say that electricity is called Balti. So, this is a useful production.

MA: This is a fun way to learn, right? Learning by yourself, like how to read books, is easier for people.

SR: Yes, yes. People ask me what is the meaning of these words. So I, myself, have come to know of 3-4 words like this.

MA: So what is it called?

SR: Rinchen production. Rinchen. In Balti, Rinchen means dear.

MA: Is this a TV channel?

SR: No, it's on YouTube and social media.

MA: Okay. And there are a lot of festivals in FC, right? Like the cultural nights? As a person who belongs to these communities, how do you feel about these festivals?

SR: As I have told you before, there are not only people from Balti but also people from Gilgit-Baltistan. So, FC allows us to do an event even though there are very few people. We can learn a lot from them. We can showcase our culture through dance, music, and art.

MA: Okay. I have all the information I need. Is there anything you would like to tell us? Or do you think we haven't talked about it?

SR: Baltistan is not a new place. It is a very old place. I will tell you about its history. It is the Skardu centre of Baltistan. If you go to Kargil, Ladakh, you will see people with Tibetan faces. Rondoo is a place that goes from Rondoo to Gilgit. So if you go to that side, you will see more of the Darjeeling people, the people of Gilgit, the people of Gilgit, and the people of Aryan. So Skardu used to do business from that side. When you go from Skardu to Kargil, they used to do business from India. Okay, ahead of Kargil. Apart from that, Skardu is Shigar. K2 is also in Shigar. You must have heard of K2. K2 is close to China. It is similar to China. We used to trade from Shigar to Yarkand. And through Gilgit to Bhadakhshan, which is now in Tajikistan. We used to trade from these places. So this is a trade map of Skardu. In this area, the language is also spoken. In Tajikistan, the language spoken is Wakhi. In India, there are some regions where Balti is spoken. Yes, in Ladakh. In Ladakh, and in some places in China, it is spoken. And in Burman, it is spoken. If you add China and Burman, it's two crores.

MA: And are there differences between those two?

SR: Yes, there are differences. Their dialect is a little different, so it is a little difficult to understand.

MA: But the words are the same?

SR: The words are the same, almost the same.

MA: Okay. So, is there anything else you want to say?

SR: That's it.

MA: Okay, thank you so much for taking out your time for us. For telling me so much, I think it was a very informative interview. I got to learn a lot. I am sure those who will watch it later will also get to learn a lot. Thank you so much. I will be in contact with you. I will be in contact with you for the transcripts and captions. I will be in contact with you for the transcripts and captions. Thank you so much. 00:01:00MA: Hi everyone, my name is Mareeha and for a part of our project, Reimagining the Linguistic Diversity of Local Languages in Pakistan, a part of the Linguistics course offered at FCCU, Language Documentation, I'm going to be interviewing a speaker from Baltistan, Sajid, who is a Balti speaker and I'll be asking him about himself and his language. Assalamu Alaikum. Sajid, before we begin, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

SR: Assalamu Alaikum. My name is Mohammad Sajid Raza., I am from Skardu, Husnabad.

MA: Okay. And what do you study in FC?

SR: In FC, my major is Economics.

MA: Okay, where are you from?

SR: I am from Skardu. There is a village called Husnabad.

MA: Can you tell me a little about your village?

SA: When you go to Kargil and then Husnabad comes. Husnabad is a famous viewpoint which is called Masood Rock. That's why it's known as Husnabad.

MA: In Balti, if you can share any story related to your hometown, or if you have any incident that you would like to share with us.

SR: At a young age, Ali Sher Khan Anchan, the ruler of Skardu, faced a pivotal moment when his father passed away. His uncle, Anarcha Raja of Shigar, seemingly offered shelter, but the ulterior motive was to eliminate Ali and seize control of Skardu. Ali's mother, upon learning of her brother's sinister plan, instructed trusted guardians to safely relocate Ali away from his uncle's reach. Ali Sher Khan Anchan disappeared into a forest on the outskirts of the Mughal Empire. One day, he encountered a wild animal, and in self-defence, he slew it. As news of his bravery spread, Emperor Akbar, upon hearing the tale, summoned Anchan to his court. Impressed by Anchan's courage, Akbar decided to train him in his custodianship. As Anchan reached the age of marriage, Gulab Khaton, also known as Maldek Valmok in Balti who was the niece of Akber, was wed to him. This strategic marriage was orchestrated by Akbar, recognizing Anchan's royal lineage. Following his marriage, Akbar instructed Anchan to return to Skardu and reclaim his position as the ruler. Akbar provided support in the form of troops, engineers, architects, and other professionals. Anchan successfully reclaimed his throne, and the engineers, including Gangu who crafted a canal known as Gungu Ki Khurang, made valuable contributions to Skardu's society.

MA: Can you tell me something about your family?

SR: My family is a Rundu family. I am the son of Munak, and my father is Almar. I have five brothers. I am the minister of Rondoo. Rondoo is a district. My family name is Monak.

MA: Do you have a family name?

SR: Yes. There are three ministers in Skardu.Chikpola Kanapa, Chikpola Monak and Chikpola Boro. I am the oldest. There are three ministers in Skardu. One is Boro, one is Kanapa and a Munaf. We are from Munaf.

MA: I have heard that Balti is spoken in many other languages, like Farsi and Arabic. Do you speak any other language other than Balti?

SR: Before the advent of Islam, the people of Baltistan practiced Budhmat and Bondmat, the ancient religions of the region. During that time, the Balti language was written in its original script. However, with the arrival of Islam, the script was altered, purportedly in the belief that it resembled Buddhist scripts. This change occurred because those who introduced Islam to Baltistan came from the Middle East and Central Asia. As a result, after the spread of Islam, Balti began to be written in Farsi.

MA: Do they still speak Farsi there?

SR: They don't speak Farsi, Farsi is written.

MA: But they don't speak it?

SR: No, they don't.

MA: Do they just write, like Balti, like the way it is written, is in Farsi? Do they use the script?

SR: The script is in Farsi, but they don't speak it.

MA: Any other language, like Arabic?

SR: They use some Arabic words, but they don't speak it. But in Baltistan, there are different languages, like Hunza, Burashiski, Shina, etc.

MA: Do you understand these languages?

SR: These languages are completely different from Balti. Balti is from Tibet, and these people are from India and Dhardi. MA: If we talk about your culture, your clothes, can you tell us a little bit about it? Or is there any important piece of clothing like a cap or jewellery?

SR: Balti is not a very big city. In ancient times, women in Baltistan traditionally wore frock and pyjama. Over time, this has evolved, and now they embrace attire similar to that worn by women in Pakistan. Men, on the other hand, commonly wear shalwar kameez, a style prevalent across the region. Notably, men in Baltistan adorn a distinct accessory – the desi Khoi, a woollen cap with a spherical shape.

MA: Now it's different?

SR: Now it's a Pakistani culture.

MA: So people start wearing shalwar kameez like we do?

SR: Yes, they start wearing shalwar kameez.

MA: How do you feel when you see such things changing? How do you feel about the way the culture is changing? Because your culture is the same as the old one, right?

SR: Yes, it is the same. The culture has changed. When we see that our culture has changed, because people are recognized by the culture, when we see that our culture has changed, it is very sad because the culture we belong to is disappearing.

MA: Now let's talk about food. When you were growing up, what was your favourite food? If you have a recipe to share, please do share it.

SR: Similar to other aspects, Baltistan boasts rich traditional cuisine. One of my favourite dishes is Prapo, a traditional delicacy. The preparation involves kneading the dough, boiling it, and once it reaches the right consistency, adding walnuts or other nuts.

MA: Is it a paste or?

SR: No, it is made into a boat-shaped dough.

MA: A ship?

SR: Yes, a ship.

MA: Like we call dumplings?

SR: Yes, it is made in a way that the dough is soaked in water. When it is soaked in water, we take it out and leave it for a while. Then we make a paste of walnuts. We make chutney and mix it with the spices. So this is a very traditional dish.

MA: Do people come to the area for sightseeing? Like we go to Kashmir for sightseeing, do people come there? Yes, a lot of people come.

SR: There is no limit for tourists. I noted that in one day, 40-50 cars came to checkpost. So tourists come a lot. Tourists come and ask about it. They want to know what is in your culture. Many people make it.

MA: If we talk about your oral tradition, your songs, ghazals, and poems, can you tell me about your poem or ghazal? Yes, I can tell you.

SR: The poem is about the Balghazi people. The Balghazi people are very different from the Balinese. But the Balghazi people are very good. [In Gulam Hussain Balgari's poignant verses, he unveils the heartbreak of his beloved's betrayal, expressing the lingering pain from the time they shared. Left on the sidelines, he waits, still grappling with the shock of abandonment. Despite the hurt, he longs to glimpse his lost love, harbouring a wish not to dishonour but to understand. Questioning the premature departure, he laments the broken promise of eternal togetherness, asking why fate led his beloved astray. Bulgari, in a final lament, curses a destiny that seems indifferent, noting how love often slips away, written on lines of fate upended, leaving one to ponder the mysteries of heartache. The poet says that when he saw tears in his eyes, his beloved came to him and started to comfort him. He reminds us that we had promised not to leave each other. He says that we had only this much support. There is a poem in Urdu about this. He says that we will not live a moment without you. We are left without a promise. The last example is from his school. I will read it to you. I don't know what to say. So, Balghari says, Balghari is a poet himself, okay? Balghari says, Balghari, maybe the lines of your hands are upside down, okay? Because we see the decision of fate through the lines of the hands. Maybe the lines of your hands are upside down. Because of this, whoever you love, he leaves you. This is what he says.]

MA: And the poet whose name is written here, right?

SR: Yes, yes, Balghari is from Ghulam Hussain Baghdadi

MA: And how old is this Ghazal?

SR: It is not very old, it is around 50-60 years old

MA: Do you have the same music as we have here?

SR: Yes, we have music, we have culture and dance as well

MA: Talking about festivals, what festivals do you have? Can you tell me about it in detail?

SR: [The people of Baltistan observe diverse festivals, including Mayfung and Novroz. Historically, Baltis adhered to their unique calendar, marking Mayfung (meaning "leave the fire") as the New Year celebration. According to this calendar, Mayfung occurs on December 21st. This festival signifies the conclusion of the longest night of the year and the commencement of the Balti New Year, also known as Losar. To celebrate, people carry fire in their hands and ascend to the mountaintop, accompanied by music. .In addition to Mayfung, the people of Baltistan also celebrate Novroz, which coincides with the Iranian New Year on March 21st. This festival has its roots in Iran and holds significance as the New Year celebration.]

SR: According to that, our new year started on 21st December.

MA: 21st December? 21st?

SR: Yes, 21st December. The new year started on 21st December. Yes, the new year started. That day was called Mayfung. In Mayfung, they used to make different traditional dishes. At that time, they used to make sweets. And one of the specialities of Mayfung is that the days are longer. The days are longer on 21st December and the nights are shorter. The days are longer on 21st December and the nights are shorter. So, because of this reason, it's so cold there. When the day is long, it is said that the light is also more, which causes the heat to come in. So, leaving the eye of the moth means leaving the eye. So, in the month, they light a torch, so they go to a mountain. There are different mountains, the longest one, and they climb up and throw the torch down. It means that the winters are over, the summers are coming, so they leave it. And the Nowruz is from Iran, in our culture. The Nowruz, on the 21st of December, celebrate Iran too, it's a new day, it means a new day. In our culture, we have a tradition of colouring the eggs.

MA: Like Easter, Christians make Easter here.

SR: Yes, we colour the eggs and give them to the children. And we give it to the families. So, we have a local holiday on that day.

MA: Interesting. What do you think, how big is the role of the language in such festivals?

SR: The language is the only way to understand the culture. In Mayfang, the language is the main source of communication and in making the food. The whole culture is related to the language.

MA: In some festivals, people pray a lot. For example, when there are marriages, the songs are like that. Punjabi marriages, even though they are exchanging their vows in Urdu, the songs are in Punjabi. So, you see, the language has taken on such a big role. That's why, when there are festivals, I'm sure, the songs are also there. So, they must be in Balti.

SR: In festivals, there are no songs, because the elders are sitting there. But there is Qasida. But the Qasida is not in our language.

MA: Yes. What is Qasida?

SR: Qasida is a word that has been used in Islam. Qasida is a word that is used in Manqabat.

MA:I don't know what it is. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

SR: There is a Naat, which is the Naat of Hazrat Mohammad S.A.W. In Qasida, in Baltistan, Mir Shamsuddin Iraq, because of this, many people became Shia So in Qasida, the 12 Imams are praised.

MA: What is your favourite word or phrase in your language?

SR: In Malay, we can also say a proverb, or we can also say a proverb, which means that the neighbour is a mother. This is also true in our area because when there is a joyous occasion, a sad occasion, or a funeral, or a wedding, the first thing that our neighbours do is to come. So they help them. In the happy moments, everyone is there but when there is a tragedy, the neighbours are the ones who do everything. That's why like a mother looks after her children, the neighbours look after their families.

MA: Do you have any words in your language that people need to remember? As I mentioned in Urdu, pure Urdu, we are forgetting our actual language, the Adbi essence of the language so we hold onto these words. Are there words like that in Balti?

MA: Every word has a different meaning. For example, you need to change the car, you need to change the car, you need to change the mirror, you need to change the hospital, you need to change the school, you need to change the school, In Balti, there are different names for almost all things, which are not used anymore. Now we use cars, we have cars and planes. Cars were called shayans in the village. Planes were called khulushayans. Other than that, planes were called khulushayans. Mirrors were called miloong. Electricity was called khuluk. These are not used anymore. School was called Sabsa.

MA: Now you use Urdu words for these things?

SR: Yes, you use English for school, you use it for hospitals. So all that is almost finished.

MA: But the old people, like they must be using these words a lot.

SR: I think, after 1980, these words have been used very rarely. So now, the elders, if they use these words, then the children are also used less.

MA: Now, if we talk about the script of Balti, can you tell me a little bit about how the script of Balti changed, why it changed, and if we should bring it back or is it being brought back? If we should bring it back or if it is being brought back?

SR: I remember that I was reading the script. The script was in the front, and kept writing for 700-800 years. It is so old. Through Saeed-ud-Din Iraqi and Saeed-Muhammad Noor Hamdani. They brought Islam. They spoke Farsi, which is obvious. So, Islam came through Farsi. The next script was called as a memory of the [inaudible].. And now people are trying very hard to bring back the script. . And it was brought back to India by a man named Yusuf Husnabadi. He worked for 10-15 years to bring back the Balti script. He had asked for a script from Ladakh, and he only got one page of the script. So, later he did some research, and in 2006 or 2004, he got the entire script from Germany.

MA: From Germany?

SR: Yes, from Germany.

MA: How did it get to Germany?

SR: He comes to Tibetan, right? Someone sent him from Germany. Or it was in Germany? It was i n a book. It was a book. He got the whole book. He says that he didn't sleep for two days. He was so happy. He worked hard for 10-12 years to find the script. When he found it, it was being matched with the one in Ladakh. He said I couldn't sleep for two days. Hd was so happy.

MA: That was the original script, right?

SR: Yes, that was the original script.

MA: Are they trying to bring it back?

SR: Yes, we are trying to bring it back. We are trying to teach it in universities. We are trying to teach it in schools. Many people don’t know how to write it. There are about 10-12 people who know how to write.

MA: If we talk about FC, I asked you earlier how many people speak Balti in SC. You said there is only one person, me and him. So you must speak Balti less here. Most people don't even speak it. You must have to speak in English and Urdu. I am not sure if you have seen other universities in Lahore, but there they dont really speak in different languages. There they mostly speak Urdu or English or Punjabi because it is in Lahore. Because the rest are local languages. Like the Pashtuns here speak their own language. Balochis speak in their own language community. Mostly it is their majority. How do you feel as a person in FC. when you see so many people speaking their own language. Do you feel that more Balti people should come here? How do you feel being in FC? As a person who speaks English, Urdu and Balti.

SR: I feel a little bit sad. But I have been here for a long time. But there are different religions, different cultures, different traditions. There are people who speak Urdu and English. There is a difference in culture between Pashtun and Baloch. When we talk to each other, we speak in Urdu and English. If there was a big community, we could talk in the community. Because language is something that brings people together. So there is not so much of a difference. As you can see, Pashtun and Pashtun. So, we don't have as many Baltis,, but we get to see a lot of new things. There were a lot of people in this, whose mindsets we didn't know. Like, what is Baloch's mindset? What is the mindset of Pathan? So, we get to see this, and we get to know, and we get to learn a lot. And after seeing their culture, we get to know, what is their culture, and what is our culture is. We like researching about the culture and studying about it.

MA: And how do you feel about your Balti? You must have spoken a lot with your parents there. When you came here, you must have felt that your Balti had become weak. You don't use Balti that much, right?

SR: Yes, yes. We use Balti very little. We use it very little in the university. But in Lahore, I meet a lot of people, so it doesn't matter.

MA: Are there a lot of people in Lahore?

SR: Yes, there are more students than in Pakistan.

MA: How do you meet them? How do you know them?

SR: We know them since childhood. Some are school fellows, some are relatives. But the good thing is that there are not many Balti's in Lahore. So if you recognize them by their face, you can easily find them. Because we are from the same place.

MA: Okay, now I want to go to the last question. How do you feel that we can preserve your language?

SR: Yes, this is a very good question. How do we interpret this? In fact, there are many words that have been lost. When we ask people, they say, we don't know the meaning of this. Even if they are our fathers or grandfathers, they don't know. Very few people know who research on this or have any connection with the literature. In Baltistan, there are two or three channels, which I will name. They give gifts and jokes and ask me about the Balti language. They ask me what is electricity in Balti. They say that if I give the right answer, we will give you a gift. So, if no one knows the answer, they get a gift. When the video becomes interesting, people start to wonder what Balti means. And then they tell us the answer. They say that electricity is called Balti. So, this is a useful production.

MA: This is a fun way to learn, right? Learning by yourself, like how to read books, is easier for people.

SR: Yes, yes. People ask me what is the meaning of these words. So I, myself, have come to know of 3-4 words like this.

MA: So what is it called?

SR: Rinchen production. Rinchen. In Balti, Rinchen means dear.

MA: Is this a TV channel?

SR: No, it's on YouTube and social media.

MA: Okay. And there are a lot of festivals in FC, right? Like the cultural nights? As a person who belongs to these communities, how do you feel about these festivals?

SR: As I have told you before, there are not only people from Balti but also people from Gilgit-Baltistan. So, FC allows us to do an event even though there are very few people. We can learn a lot from them. We can showcase our culture through dance, music, and art.

MA: Okay. I have all the information I need. Is there anything you would like to tell us? Or do you think we haven't talked about it?

SR: Baltistan is not a new place. It is a very old place. I will tell you about its history. It is the Skardu centre of Baltistan. If you go to Kargil, Ladakh, you will see people with Tibetan faces. Rondoo is a place that goes from Rondoo to Gilgit. So if you go to that side, you will see more of the Darjeeling people, the people of Gilgit, the people of Gilgit, and the people of Aryan. So Skardu used to do business from that side. When you go from Skardu to Kargil, they used to do business from India. Okay, ahead of Kargil. Apart from that, Skardu is Shigar. K2 is also in Shigar. You must have heard of K2. K2 is close to China. It is similar to China. We used to trade from Shigar to Yarkand. And through Gilgit to Bhadakhshan, which is now in Tajikistan. We used to trade from these places. So this is a trade map of Skardu. In this area, the language is also spoken. In Tajikistan, the language spoken is Wakhi. In India, there are some regions where Balti is spoken. Yes, in Ladakh. In Ladakh, and in some places in China, it is spoken. And in Burman, it is spoken. If you add China and Burman, it's two crores.

MA: And are there differences between those two?

SR: Yes, there are differences. Their dialect is a little different, so it is a little difficult to understand.

MA: But the words are the same?

SR: The words are the same, almost the same.

MA: Okay. So, is there anything else you want to say?

SR: That's it.

MA: Okay, thank you so much for taking out your time for us. For telling me so much, I think it was a very informative interview. I got to learn a lot. I am sure those who will watch it later will also get to learn a lot. Thank you so much. I will be in contact with you. I will be in contact with you for the transcripts and captions. I will be in contact with you for the transcripts and captions. Thank you so much.