Chhattisgarhi Language: Origin, Dialects, Literature & Media — Practice

Question 1

To which language group does Chhattisgarhi belong?

Accepted Answer

It is an Indo-Aryan language of the Eastern Hindi group, descended from Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, closest to Awadhi and Bagheli, and written in Devanagari.

Question 2

What is the first Chhattisgarhi film?

Accepted Answer

Kahi Debe Sandesh (1965), written, directed and produced by Manu Nayak. It dealt with untouchability and premiered in Durg and Bhatapara in April 1965.

Question 3

When was the Chhattisgarhi Rajbhasha Aayog set up?

Accepted Answer

The Official Language Act was passed on 28 November 2007, and the Commission began work on 14 August 2008. 28 November is celebrated as Chhattisgarhi Language Day.

Question 4

Distinguish the languages of Chhattisgarh by family. (~100 words)

Accepted Answer

Chhattisgarhi, spoken across the plains, is an Eastern Hindi language of the Indo-Aryan family. Halbi, the link language of Bastar, Bhatri of Bastar and Sadri of Jashpur and Surguja are also Indo-Aryan but are separate languages. Gondi of the south and Kurukh, spoken by the Oraon in the north, belong to the Dravidian family. This mix of two families reflects the state's position between the Hindi belt and the tribal heartland of central India.

Question 5

Outline the periods of Chhattisgarhi literature. (~100 words)

Accepted Answer

Scholars divide it into three periods. The Gatha Yug, about 1000 to 1500, is mostly oral ballads and songs. The Bhakti Yug, about 1500 to 1900, is devotional poetry, including the Kabirpanth tradition associated with Dharamdas. The Adhunik Yug, from about 1900, brought printed poetry, prose and drama, with Pandit Sundarlal Sharma's Chhattisgarhi Dan Lila as a landmark and Narendra Dev Verma among later poets. Oral genres such as Suwa, Karma, Pandavani and folktales remain central.

Question 6

Who wrote the first grammar of Chhattisgarhi?

Accepted Answer

Hiralal Kavyopadhyay in the 1880s, translated and published in English by G. A. Grierson. It was one of the earliest grammars of a regional Hindi variety.

Question 7

Name the state song of Chhattisgarh and its composer.

Accepted Answer

Arpa Pairi ke Dhar, composed by Narendra Dev Verma and adopted as the state song in November 2019. The title refers to the Arpa and Pairi rivers of the plain.

Question 8

Discuss the role of institutions, media and cinema in the development of Chhattisgarhi. (~175 words)

Accepted Answer

Chhattisgarhi grew through institutions and media as much as through literature. The Official Language Act of 2007 made it an official language with Hindi, and the Rajbhasha Aayog, working since August 2008, promotes its use in administration, education and publishing, with 28 November marked as Language Day. The state song, adopted in 2019, gives it a public symbol. The press had early roots in Chhattisgarh Mitra, begun at Pendra in 1900, which encouraged modern prose. Cinema began with Kahi Debe Sandesh in 1965, a film on untouchability, and revived with Mor Chhainha Bhuinya after statehood, while theatre such as Habib Tanvir's used Chhattisgarhi performers. Remaining challenges are teaching in schools, standardisation across varieties, and inclusion in the Eighth Schedule. Together these institutions give the language public space and confidence.

Question 9

Trace the development and official recognition of the Chhattisgarhi language. (~175 words)

Accepted Answer

Chhattisgarhi belongs to the Eastern Hindi group of Indo-Aryan languages, descending from Ardhamagadhi Prakrit through Apabhramsha, and it is written in Devanagari. It has many varieties, including Surgujia, Bilaspuri, Kawardhi and Bhulia, and about 1.6 crore native speakers in the 2011 Census. Hiralal Kavyopadhyay wrote its first grammar in the 1880s, and Grierson translated it into English. Its literature developed through the Gatha, Bhakti and modern periods, with a rich oral tradition of songs, ballads and folktales. After statehood in 2000, the Chhattisgarh Official Language Act of 2007 made it an official language with Hindi, and the Rajbhasha Aayog began work in August 2008. The language is not in the Eighth Schedule, and its inclusion remains a pending demand. Recognition, teaching in schools and a shared standard are the main tasks ahead.

Practice — Chhattisgarhi Language: Origin, Dialects, Literature & Media

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