Writers could consult with Urdu experts who really do know the vocabulary and grammar and can help in making usage correct. But it is not enough to know a few sounds and some common words to be writing in any language. In India, campaigns have often used Urdu words, and this advertisement is no exception. The most significant jingles or copy are those that hit the mind and the heart together. The language of advertising is powerful and can be evocative and memorable. In case it was not for Diwali, as claimed by FabIndia spokesman, even then a marketing slogan for new festive clothing line cannot be a forced slogan, pretending, at best, to sound poetic but ending up only being perfunctory. How can you celebrate (jashn) a custom (rivaj)? There is an existent phrase in Urdu for Diwali which is beautifully called Jashn-e-Chiraghan (the celebration of lights). The second issue is with the grammar – the coinage of the phrase Jashn-e-Riwaz make little sense. It is neither professional nor wise to use a language with improper and unsound knowledge. This omission (or wrong sound and spelling) only points to the ignorance of the copywriter and of those who approve of the content. It is always Rivaj and there can be no exception to that. However, when used in a major marketing campaign, the word should be correctly spelt. It is a small phonological distinction and is often ignored in practice especially because it does not exist in Devanagari as a sound. First, the word for tradition or custom in Urdu is Rivaj and not Rivaz – it does not have the ‘z’ sound. The problem with the coinage of the term – Jashn e Rivaz – is twofold. If the people, including the corporations and their creative directors, have little knowledge of the language, things can backfire badly. Words, language and culture are intertwined inextricably. The ‘Jashn-e-Riwaz’ advertisement which was pulled down by FabIndia after a Twitter backlash is not just symptomatic of growing intolerance and the lack of understanding of the syncretic fabric of India, but also has a deeper semantic problem.
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