DHARASHIV

Dharashiv is a district located in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. The district 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, Hindi, Urdu, and Banjari function as other significant languages of communication. The district's linguistic landscape also includes lesser-known varieties such as Kolhati.

Remarkably, the 2011 Census of India data reveals that several languages are spoken as mother tongues in Dharashiv district. At the time of the Census (2011), Dharashiv district had a total population of approximately 16.57 lakh (16,57,576). Of this population, 85.42% reported Marathi as their first language. This was followed by Hindi (5.91%), Urdu (4.25%), and Banjari (1.22%). Other languages spoken as mother tongues included Lamani/Lambadi (0.81%), Kannada (0.76%), Telugu (0.61%), Paradhi (0.40%), Vadari (0.28%), Marwari (0.11%), and Gujarati (0.07%).

The Kolhati language is spoken by the Kolhati community, a group historically associated with performance arts such as acting, dancing, singing, and gymnastics. Their language, like their traditions, has evolved through generations, reflecting both their unique cultural identity and social history.

There is a very interesting legend that is tied to the origins of this community. According to this story, when Bhagwaan Shiv narrated the origins of mankind to Devi Parvati, he described eighty-four different yonis (species) on Earth, with humans being one of them. Curious about the origins of different castes, Parvati inquired further, to which Shiva explained that every caste descended from a rishi. One particular verse, “Kumbhak Rushi prasidha jagati, Kolhati garbhaj” (transliterated as “Kumbhak Rishi is renowned in the world; the Kolhati community is born from him”), he says, suggests that Kumbhak Rishi is regarded as the progenitor of the Kolhati community. This legend is one of the reasons why many perceive the Kolhatis to be an ancient community. This perception, in many ways, adds to the richness and history of their linguistic traditions.

The Kolhati community is spread across various parts of Maharashtra. According to Arun Gajanan Musle in Languages of Maharashtra (2017), members of this community can also be found in the Dharashiv district.

Every language evolves uniquely, influenced by its speakers’ history, environment, and social interactions. The Kolhati language, like many others, has a vocabulary enriched by indigenous words as well as borrowings from surrounding languages.

Kinship terms, or words used to describe family relationships, vary widely across languages and cultures. In Kolhati, these terms carry distinct phonetic features and reflect cultural nuances in how family relationships are expressed.

They demonstrate the phonetic distinctiveness of Kolhati, particularly through aspirated consonants like /pʰ/ and vowel variations, which shape the rhythm and articulation of the language.

The way seasons are named in Kolhati offers insight into the community’s deep-rooted connection with nature. These seasonal terms, while distinct, exhibit similarities to those in Marathi and Hindi. This suggests a process linguists refer to as ‘borrowing’, which occurs when one language adopts words or structures from another.

The phrase "पाणी के दिन" (Paani ke Din) literally translates to “Days of Water,” capturing the essence of the monsoon season in a way that is unique to Kolhati culture. This construction is likely influenced by Hindi, yet it reflects how Kolhati speakers conceptualize and express their environmental cycles. Such expressions, in many ways, reveal how language preserves cultural perspectives and unique ways of understanding the world through words.