Gojri, also known as Gujari is a variety of Rajasthani

Rajasthani language

Rajasthani Rajasthani Rajasthani (Devanagari: , Perso-Arabic: is a language of the Indo-Aryan languages family. It is spoken by 50 million people in Rajasthan and other states of India and in some areas of Pakistan. The number of speakers may be up to 80 million worldwide...

 spoken by the Gujjar

Gujjar

The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....

s of Northern-Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 and Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

.
Rajasthani

Rajasthani language

Rajasthani Rajasthani Rajasthani (Devanagari: , Perso-Arabic: is a language of the Indo-Aryan languages family. It is spoken by 50 million people in Rajasthan and other states of India and in some areas of Pakistan. The number of speakers may be up to 80 million worldwide...

, Marwari

Marwari language

The Marwari language , also variously Marvari, Marwadi, Marvadi), is spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Marwari is also found in the neighboring state of Gujarat and Haryana and in Eastern Pakistan...

 and Gujarati

Gujarati language

Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...

 are evolved from Gujari. The language was known as Gujjar bhakha or Gurjar Apabhramsha lately. It was used as literary language as early as 12th century. The poet Bhoja referred to Gaurjar Apabhramsha (Gurjar Apabhramsha) in 1014 AD.

The language is mainly spoken in the Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...

, Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...

, Rajasthan

Rajasthan

Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

, Haryana

Haryana

Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...

, Uttaranchal, Punjab

Punjab (India)

Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...

, Gujarat and many other parts of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. The language is also spoken by Gujjar

Gujjar

The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....

s of Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. Many Gujari words origniate from Turkish

Turkish language

Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...

. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...

 has recognized Gujari by including it into sixth scheduled of the constitution.

History

Gojri is an offshoot of Indo-Aryan Group of languages, and during the dawn of Sanskrit and Persian poetry and prose in the Indian sub-continent several noted poets and Sufi saints used Gojri to spread their message. Noted poet-musician Hazrat Amir Khusro formally made mention Gojri language in the list of eighteen Indian languages of his time. Researchers and historians are of considered opinion that Gujri language is the mother of Rajasthani and Gujarati languages

According to well researched document the poets and saints who used this language to spread their message were: Saint Noor-ud-Din; Sat Guru (1094 CE); Amir Shah Miran Ji (1494 CE); Shah Bhajan (1397-1508 CE); Qazi Mehmood Daryaee (1419-1545 CE); Ali Jevan Gham Dhani (1565 CE); Burhan–ud-Din Janam (1572 CE); Khub Mahammad Chashti (1539-1614 CE); Adil Shah Sani Jagat Guru (1411 CE); Qutab Shah (1556-1611 CE); Mulana Afzal Pani Patti (1625 CE); Amin Gujrati (1657 CE) Miran Ji Hashmi (1688 CE) etc. These poets and saints known all over India for their unique socio-cultural fraternity used Gojri in their verses to communicate and spread the message of brotherhood, peace and secularism.

As it continues to be a significant language in the subcontinent, Gojri has richly contributed to literary traditions and treasure in the forms of Mathnavis, prose, folklore and religious literature.

Gojri is being widely spoken and is in fact mother tongue of over 20 Million people residing in various parts of India particularly in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...

, Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...

, Rajasthan

Rajasthan

Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

, Punjab

Punjab (India)

Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...

, Haryana

Haryana

Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...

, Delhi

Delhi

Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

, Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

, Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

, Gujarat and Uttaranchal.

Literature and Communications

Internationally noted linguistic researcher Sir G. A. Gareirson, while analysing various languages of India, has written a full volume on the Gojri language. In his work Sir Garreirson has accepted and outlined universal influence of Gojri and its impact on other Indian languages. Oxford University compiled the first ever grammar of the Gojri language in 1905. The Linguistic Survey of India has surveyed various aspects of Gojri Language and its influence on other languages. In its research project, the Linguistic Survey of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 has described Gojri as one of the main languages instrumental in developing and flourishing other languages. The Central Institute of Indian Language Mysoor Karnatika, under Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, has published various books on the linguistic aspect of Gojri language.

Institutions working for Gojri

The All India Radio and Doordarshan Kendra are already running various Gojri programmes. The Radio Kashmir Jammu, Srinagar, Poonch in India and Seven Radio Stations of Pakistan and PTV have since long been airing Gojri programmes and news bulletins which has wide acceptance across the state of Jammu and Kashmir. A large number of Gojri books have been published in various in various subjects which include encyclopedias, dictionaries, grammar, poetry, prose, flora and fauna, folklore, art and architecture, agriculture, sociology and research documents. The National Academy of Letters, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi has also recognised Gojri as one of the major Indian languages for its prestigious National Award, Bhasha Samman and other programmes. The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages has a well established Gojri Department in its Central Office which is in operation for last 30 years. Hundreds of books in Gojri, dictionaries and other research works have been published by this institutasion and organised hundreds of Seminar, conference etc. for the development of Gojri Language. Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education made curriculum in Gojri up to Middle Standard for Teaching Gojri in Schools. The University of Jammu Council has also approved the opening of Gojri Research Centre in Jammu and University of Kashmir have awarded several Doctorate Degrees on completing research projects on Gojri. In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the Gojri Academy has been established and Post Graduate Studies Department has been set up in various Universities, Regional Research Centers.

Organizations working for Gojri:

• Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation
  Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation
  Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation , a National Organisation was set up in 1998 with the objective to promote Socio-Economic and Cultural aspects of Tribals residing in India.As an independent agency on Research and Culture the organisation is a specialized body working on Tribal Research...
  
    Poonch
• Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust Jammu
• Anjmun Gujjran Srinagar
• Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman Taraqi Gojri Adab Rajouri
• Bhartya Gurjar Pareshad Uatter Pardesh.
• Anjuman Gojri Zuban-o-Adab Tral Kashmir
• Organisation of Himalyan Gujjars Poonch
• Adbi Sangat Wangat Kashmir
• Adbi Majlis Gojri Jammu
• Sarwari Memorial Gojri Society Jammu
• Gojri Dramatic Club Jammu
• Gujjar Writers Association Uri Baramulla.
• Gojri Anjumun Badgam
• Gujjar Manch Kathua
• Bazm-i-Adab Kalakote Rajouri
• Gojri Development Center Karnah Kupwara

Halqa.e.Gojari Adab Gilgit

Demographics

The communities that speak Gojri as second language include:

• Muslim Jats of Jammu and Kashmir
• Backward classes of Poonch/Rajouri/Udhampur/Doda/Baramulla/Kupwara
• Gaddi Tribe of Kashmir
• Mir and Qurieshi Tribe of Poonch and Rajouri Districts in India
• Pakhtoons
• Hazarwi Tribes
• Peer Panchal Tribes
• Bakerwals
• Ajhries
• Paharis (Muslms)
• Some Dogri Sipeaking People of Udhampur
• Some Kashmiri Speaking people of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Baramulla, and Kupwara
• Punjabis of POONCH & RAJOURI
• Hindko Speaking

External links

• Dr. R.P. Khatana. Gujari Language and Identity in Jammu and Kashmir.