CHH. SAMBHAJI NAGAR

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, formerly known as Aurangabad, is a district located in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. Notably, the district was situated along ancient trade routes and has witnessed the rise of several dynasties, which have also found their way into local expressions and identities. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar is home to multiple speech communities (a group of people who use and understand the same language or dialect), each maintaining its distinct linguistic traditions. While Marathi serves as the predominant language throughout the district, Urdu and Hindi function as other significant languages of communication. The district's linguistic landscape also includes lesser-known varieties such as Dakkhani and Golla.

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 69.66% of the population in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district reported Marathi as their mother tongue. Urdu was spoken by 14.51%, followed by Hindi (10.55%), Banjari (2.51%), Marwari (0.81%), Gujarati (0.31%), Telugu (0.30%), Bhili/Bhilodi (0.22%), Vadari (0.12%), Punjabi (0.11%), Sindhi (0.10%), and Ahirani (0.08%).

Dakkhani, also known as Deccani (meaning of the Deccan region), is a distinct variety of speech found in parts of Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka. According to Languages of Maharashtra (2017), Dakkhani became widely used and culturally important during the rule of Adil Shah Ibrahim II in Bijapur. He was known as a patron of the arts, and under his reign, Dakkhani grew in importance, especially in royal courts and cultural settings across the Deccan.

This variety has been shaped by influences from Urdu, Persian, and Arabic, along with input from local languages spoken in the Deccan region.  In present times, Dakkhani is not commonly heard in everyday settings. As noted by Laxman Chavan (2017), it is mostly spoken within specific communities and is often used during religious or cultural occasions rather than in public or casual conversations. Chavan also mentions that Nagpur is one of the districts where Dakkhani-speaking communities can still be found today.

The vocabulary of Dakkhani includes words that are used in daily speech, especially during community interactions. Some words have clear links to Urdu or Arabic, while others show local pronunciation patterns. Below are a few examples: