Rajasthani Language history and challenges (part 2)

In the first section of this blog, we talked about history and distribution of Rajasthani language, now in part two, we will bring light to a group of languages spoken in Rajasthan.

• Rajasthani Language: Cluster of Dialects

Rajasthani is not a single language, it is a collection of various dialects of Rajasthan. It is a compilation of more than 9 languages which are spoken in Rajasthan, and it’s adjacent areas. These dialects are as following.

• Marwari: This dialect is most spoken in Rajasthan. Estimation is approximately 40 to 45 million people of Rajasthan speak Marwari. It is mainly spoken in Marwar part of the Rajasthan. Districts like Jodhpur, Bikaner, etc. falls in Marwar.
• Malvi: Almost 10 million people from Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh speaks in this language.
• Dhundhari: Dhundhari dialect is spoken in Dhundhar part of Rajasthan.
• Harauti: Approximately 4 to 5 million habitants of Harauti region express themselves by this dialect.
• Mewari: Approximately 5 million people from Mewar region speaks this Mewari dialect.
• Mewat: Mewat comprises of some part of Rajasthan and Haryana where at least half million people do talk in Mewati language.
• Mewari: Three million inhabitants from this region speaks in this Shekhawati dialect. 
• Bagri: Northwest of Haryana, some part of southern Punjab along with northern Rajasthan inhabitants use this dialect.
• Nimbadi: approximately 2.2 million speakers in the Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Official Status to Rajasthani Language

Rajasthan’s language is one of the ancient languages of the Indian subcontinent. A lot of literature is written in it. Not only writing but a tonne of folk songs, music, dramas, stories and plays are written in it. But still, Rajasthani language did not get official status from the government.  In 1873 a westerner Samuel H. Kellog, who translated the Bible in Hindi language, considered Rajasthani dialects a subgroup of Hindi language. George A. Grierson felt that all Rajasthani dialects should be jointly called Rajasthani Language.
Today some progress is being made in this field. Rajasthani is now recognised as a distinct language by Sahitya Academy and university grants commission. Now many universities are teaching this as their subject. Rajasthan board of secondary education included it as an optional subject in its course.
However, national recognition is still lagged, in the year 2003 Rajasthan state legislative assembly passed a unanimous resolution to insert recognition of Rajasthani into the 8th schedule of Indian constitution. All MPs from Rajasthan and chief minister Vasundhara Raje have voiced their support to Rajasthani language for this cause.

• Challenges Ahead 

Rajasthani language is facing a lot of challenges in front of it. No official work is happening in Rajasthani language. Due to this, Rajasthani language is being ignored by educated people. Even some people do not want their children to talk in Rajasthani Language. They prefer Hindi or English instead of Rajasthani language. Because of this discrimination, Rajasthani language is going towards decay.
It is the responsibility of all the Rajasthani people especially youth to preserve this and use this language in their daily conversations. Our history and culture are very generous regarding content. Rajasthani language does not lack behind any language. It just needs to be preserved and being proud of it.