Unveiling the Beauty and Richness of Ahirani Language: Exploring its History, Culture and Influence
In India, every state has its unique language, spoken as the first language by its residents. For instance, West Bengal speaks Bengali, while Punjab’s primary language is Punjabi. On the other hand, Maharashtra’s language is Marathi.
However, each state has several other languages as well, spoken across various regions. Speaking of Maharashtra, apart from Marathi, the state is home to many other languages like Malvani, Konkani, Warhadi, etc. One such is Ahirani language.
Spoken widely in northern Maharashtra (especially the districts of Dhule, Jalgaon and Nandurbar – Khandesh), the Ahirani language is a distinct and prominent language with unique linguistic characteristics.
If Ahirani has captured your interest and you’d like to explore more about it, let’s look at Ahirani language history and explore its beauty in this blog.
About Ahirani Language
Ahirani (a dialect of the Khandeshi language) is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken in the Khandesh region of Maharashtra and to some extent, in the neighboring states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
As mentioned earlier, the language is widely spoken in the northern Maharashtra districts of Nandurbar, Dhule, and Jalgaon. However, it is also spoken to some extent in Nashik. Research suggests that one can find Ahirani speakers even in the Dharni tehsil of Amravati district, located around the Melghat Tiger Reserve Forest area. However, Ahirani is addressed as Gavali Boli in that region.
Khandeshi is written in the Devanagari alphabet.
Ahirani Language History
The name Ahirani is derived from the people who speak it. These are Ahirs (cattle herders) living in the Khandesh region. These people arrived in Khandesh in large numbers with their cattle and settled in the region. Initially, the locals attempted to imitate their dialect while interacting with them. Although the Lewa, Pardeshi, etc., had their unique dialect, they began speaking mixed Ahirani outside the Khandesh territory. Ahirani is part of the larger dialect of Khandeshi.
Some experts suggest that Ahirani is as old as the Ramayana, as one can find traces of the language during that era. They suggest that Ahirani is nearly 6,000 years old and has existed as an independent language for a long time. Hence, as opposed to the common belief, Ahirani is not merely a dialect of Marathi.
While having a resemblance with Marathi (although standard Marathi and Ahirani have differences in their basic structure), Ahirani also exhibits proximity to languages like Rajasthani and Gujarati.
Inclusion of Ahirani in Google Keyboard!
This is considered one of the biggest wins for a language otherwise restricted to a particular region or a few districts of a state. In 2018, the language became the first Marathi dialect to be included in the Google Keyboard.
Significance of Ahirani Language Translations
Ahirani is spoken by nearly two million people across various districts of Maharashtra. If you are a business owner eyeing the Ahirani-speaking markets of Maharashtra, Ahirani localization can help you cultivate a prospect base by using the Ahirani language as a medium.
Besides, the inclusion of Ahirani in Google Keyboard can help complement your efforts in leveraging the language’s outreach in terms of geography and speaker base. Ahirani language translation can prove beneficial in various ways. Some of them include the following.
- Creating outreach worth millions across multiple districts
- Establishing a local language connection with the natives
- Competing with local brands via language as a powerful medium
- Enhancing local business opportunities
- Driving local engagement via an Ahirani website and/or mobile app
- Paving the way for more local business and revenue in the long run
With its extensive expertise in the Ahirani language and its unparalleled translation and localization capabilities, Filose can help you get closer to the Ahirani prospect base. We nurture Ahirani language experts and translators who understand the language’s nuances and are well aware of the local culture. Our experts deliver incredibly accurate Ahirani translations that make your brand appear and sound like a native one. They help you create local resonance to drive more meaningful and productive engagements. Email us at sales@filose.com to explore more about our Ahirani language translation expertise and support.
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