BULDHANA

Buldhana is a district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Its geographic location has influenced the district’s linguistic profile, with speech patterns shaped by regional usage and contact with neighboring areas. Varhadi, a language variety indigenous to Vidarbha, is widely spoken and commonly used in daily communication.

The district is home to several speech communities, each maintaining its own linguistic practices. Marathi is the predominant language across Buldhana, while Urdu, Hindi, Banjari, Bhili, and Kolhati are also spoken by various communities throughout the region.

Remarkably, the 2011 Census of India data reveals that several languages are spoken as mother tongues in the Buldhana district. At the time of the Census (2011), Buldhana district had a total population of approximately 25.86 lakh (25,86,258).

Of this population, 78.67% reported Marathi as their first language. This was followed by Urdu (10.99%), Hindi (4.75%), and Banjari (1.70%). Other languages spoken as mother tongues included Marwari (0.70%), Bhili/Bhilodi (0.49%), Gorboli/Goru/Gorwani (0.42%), Vadari (0.36%), and Sindhi (0.23%). Smaller linguistic groups included Telugu (0.23%), Gujarati (0.21%), Korku (0.19%), Pawri (0.17%), Paradhi (0.11%), Rajasthani (0.11%), Nimadi (0.10%), and Rathi (0.04%).

Bhilli, also known as Bhillori or Dehwali, is a language variety spoken by the Bhil community, who are regarded to be among the oldest living communities inhabiting India. The Bhils are spread across several states in western India, and their language reflects this geographic and cultural diversity. In Maharashtra’s Buldhana district, Bhili (locally referred to as Bhilodi) ranks as the sixth most commonly spoken mother tongue, as recorded in the 2011 Census. It remains a vital element of the region’s cultural and linguistic identity. Notably, the name “Buldhana” is believed to derive, in one widely accepted theory, from “Bhil Thana,” meaning “abode of the Bhils,” highlighting the community’s longstanding roots in the region.

The historical development of Bhilli has been explored by several scholars. Pushpa Gavit, in the volume Languages of Maharashtra (2017), notably mentions that the history of Bhilli shows that “it [likely] evolved from Shauraseni Prakrit Prakrit Abrahamsa.” (an old language family) Over time, it has developed into a cluster of related varieties, each shaped by the sub-group of Bhils who speak it and the languages spoken in nearby regions. As a result, Bhilli today shows influences from Khandeshi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Rajasthani.

Bhilli is marked by several distinct phonological (sound) features that set it apart from other regional languages:

• It does not include the vowel ए (e) or the consonants छ (chha), ळ (ḷa), and ष (ṣa).
  
• The cluster क्ष (kṣa) and the consonants ल (la) and न (na) are often replaced by ख (kha).
  
• The sound ह (ha) is frequently used in place of स (sa), श (sha), ष (ṣa), and ळ (ḷa).
  
• च (cha) often replaces झ (jha). So, for instance, the word झाड (jhaad) becomes चाड (chaad) in Bhilli.
  

These kinds of substitutions contribute to Bhilli’s unique sound pattern, one that often feels very different from others to outside ears.

Bhilli uses a pronoun system that includes forms not seen in Marathi, Hindi, or Gujarati, or might slightly vary from them when it comes to sound and the way they are spelled. These reflect both collective identity and grammatical uniqueness.

A common feature that can be seen in many Bhilli words is the use of the “-yo” suffix (word endings) in verbs, especially in past or completed actions. This gives the verbs a distinct rhythmic feel.

This “yo” ending is also used in many day names, giving Bhilli a recognizable and patterned structure in how it marks the calendar.

Reduplication (repeating part or all of a word) is a common feature in Bhilli. In some cases, this repetition is semantic (it adds or changes meaning), and in others, it is rhythmic or emphatic (used for effect or sound).

These constructions often rhyme or play with sounds, giving Bhilli a lively and oral quality, especially in conversation and storytelling.

Like many other languages, Bhilli includes expressive proverbs and idioms that reflect everyday life and the values of the community.

These idioms carry practical wisdom and often use physical imagery (like food or walking) to reflect deeper truths about behavior and responsibility.

Because the Bhil community reside across multiple states, the Bhilli language has naturally absorbed borrowed words from neighboring languages, most notably Gujarati, Marathi, and, at times, Rajasthani. These borrowed forms often appear in daily vocabulary and reflect the linguistic environments in which Bhilli is spoken.

For example, the word for “two” in Bhilli is “ben,” which closely resembles “be” in Gujarati. Similarly, the word हकाल (hakāl), meaning “morning,” is likely a regional variation of the Marathi word सकाळ (sakāl).

Varhadi is a language variety that is mainly spoken in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, in districts such as Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, and Yavatmal. This region is sometimes called ‘Varhad Pradesh,’ as noted by Deepdhwaja Kosode (2017). The Vidarbha region has a long history and is even mentioned in ancient texts like the Mahabharata as a legendary kingdom.

Varhadi is well known for a number of phonetic (sound) changes, differences in vocabulary, and grammatical features that make it distinct from other language varieties.

One of the most noticeable features of Varhadi is that the sound “ल” (la) is often replaced with “ड” (da). For example, the word ‘बोल (bol)’, which means ‘to speak’ in English, becomes बोड (bod) in Varhadi. This change is quite common and perhaps gives Varhadi speech a smoother and simpler sound in everyday use.

Another interesting feature, noted in the Amravati District Gazetteer (1968), is that long vowels, especially at the ends of words, are often shortened in Varhadi speech. This sound change perhaps makes words comparatively simpler and quicker to say. For example:

These forms come from longer versions जवळ (javal) and उडविला (udavila), but the final vowels are shortened in daily speech. In many words, the vowel 'a is used instead of ‘e’, especially in future tense verbs and some nouns. This can be seen in examples like

There is also a pattern where ‘i’ and ‘e’ are replaced by ‘va’ in some words. This results in forms like:

In addition, the sound ‘v’ is often weak or missing when it comes before ‘i’ and ‘e’. Because of this, words like vistav, vis, and vel are often heard in shortened forms:

These examples show how Varhadi simplifies pronunciation in everyday speech, making it distinct from other varieties. Such sound changes are a key part of what gives Varhadi its unique character.

Aside from pronunciation, Varhadi also has vocabulary that is both familiar and region-specific. Speakers of Varhadi use some words that are common across Marathi and Hindi, and some that are specific to the region. For example, आलू (ālu) for potato is used in both Varhadi and Hindi, while सिगल (sigal), meaning cup or container, is more region-specific.

Family terms in Varhadi reflect close relationships and often have local variants. Some of these, such as porgi and porga, are also used in other parts of Maharashtra, but forms like katti and katta show regional variation.

The terms for body parts in Varhadi, in many ways, reflect its unique phonetic features. For example, टेकुर (head) and केपज (forehead) highlight the differences from standard pronunciations of similar words in other regions.

Color terms in Varhadi also differ slightly from forms that one can usually find in Hindi or Marathi, often showing simplified or altered sounds.

Proverbs are an important part of oral tradition. They carry life lessons, humor, and cultural values passed down through generations. These sayings often reflect practical wisdom and comment on everyday situations that are spoken in Varhadi.

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 Bhagwan 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 are also found in Buldhana 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.