Gojri (, ), also known as Gujari, Gujri, Gojari, or Gojri, is a variety of Rajasthani spoken by the Gurjars and other tribes of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In India, the language is mainly spoken in

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat,

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

, Punjab, Delhi and other parts of the country. In Pakistan it is mainly spoken in

Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir (; ), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entitySee: * * * and constituting the western portion of the larger Ka ...

, Malakand Division , and Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and

Gujranwala Division Gujranwala Division is an administrative division of Punjab province, Pakistan. The division, headquartered at the city of Gujranwala, consist of 6 districts, covers an area of 17,207 km2. According to the 1981 census, the population was 7,52 ...

, Gujrat Division and Pothohar region of Punjab. The government of the erstwhile Indian state of

had recognized Gujari by including it in the sixth schedule of the state constitution. As per classification of languages of British India, G.A. Grierson in the first Linguistic Survey of India categorised Gujari language under Western Pahari group of Languages. In Pakistan, the language is understood by Gujjars across the country and is spoken in upper or hilly areas including the

Hazara Hazara may refer to: Ethnic groups * The Hazaras, a Persian-speaking people of Afghanistan and Pakistan * Aimaq Hazara, Aimaq's subtribe of Hazara origin * Hazarawals, a Hindko-speaking people of the Hazara region of northern Pakistan * Hazar ...

, Malakand and Peshawar divisions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in

. A number of organisations and institutions in Pakistan work for the development of Gujari, including a Gujari-language news channel. It is also spoken in two provinces in southeastern Afghanistan.

Literary traditions

Gujari folklore is very large, including songs, ballads and folktales, known as Dastans. Hundreds of folk songs have been recorded and published, including "Nooro", "Tajo", "Nura Beguma", "Shupiya", "Kunjhdi", "Mariyan". A modern tradition of creative writing encompasses poets such as Sain Qadar Bakhsh, Noon Poonchi, and others. Others such as Mian Nizam ud Din, Khuda Bakhsh Zar, Zabih Rajourvi, Shams ud Din Mehjoor Poonchi,

Mian Bashir Ahmed Mian Bashir Ahmed Larvi (November 1923 – 14 August 2021) was the eldest son of renowned saint Mian Nizam ud Din, the founder President of Gujjar-Jat Conference a socio political body established in 1932. He was a politician and a Caliph of I ...

, Javaid Rahi,

Rafiq Anjum A pediatrician by profession, Dr. Rafique Anjum (alternate spelling Dr Anjum Awan) is an Urdu/Punjabi and Gojri poet, Islamic scholar and researcher of Jammu and Kashmir. He received state level award for Excellence in Literature in 2007, and is ...

, Milki Ram Kushan, Sarwari Kassana, Naseem Poonchi have also made remarkable contributions to Gujari through poetry, prose and criticism.

Institutions and media

All India Radio and

Doordarshan Doordarshan (abbreviated as DD; Hindi: , ) is an Indian public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. One of India's largest bro ...

Kendra run various Gujari programmes. Radio Kashmir Jammu, Srinagar, Poonch in India and seven radio stations of Pakistan and PTV air Gujari programmes and news bulletins accepted across Jammu and Kashmir. Books have been published in Gujari, including encyclopedias, poetry, fiction and non-fiction, on topics including dictionaries, grammars, nature, folklore, art and architecture, agriculture, sociology and research. The National Academy of Letters, Sahitya Akademi, recognized Gujari as one of the major Indian languages for its National Award, Bhasha Samman, and other programmes. The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages established a Gujari Department in its Central Office in the 1970s and published in Gujari. They organized seminars, conferences, etc. for the development of the Gujari Language. Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education made curriculum in Gujari up to Middle Standard for teaching Gujari in schools. The University of Jammu Council approved the opening of Gojri Research Centre in Jammu and University of Kashmir that have been awarded doctorate degrees on completing research projects on the language. In Pakistan administered Kashmir, the Gujari Academy has been established and postgraduate studies departments were set up in various universities and regional research centers.

Revival

In lower or plain areas of Pakistan, Gujjars have a major concentration in districts like Islamabad, Attock, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Lahore and Layyah. However, due to the revolution of time, the majority of them have forgotten or stopped speaking Gujrai. Gojri Bahali Programme (Gojri Revival Programme) has been launched in these areas to encourage Gujjars to restart speaking Gujari. Though this programme has a particular focus on these areas, it extends to the whole of Pakistan. Under this programme, Gujjars are being persuaded to readopt Gujari as their mother language. They are also being asked to mention it in the mother language column of various forms at educational institutions; when applying for computerised national identity card; and while filling out their particulars when seeking employment. Under this programme, the federal government will be asked to add Gujari in the mother language column of the population census. Similarly, the University of Gujrat will be asked to set up Gojri Department. The programme is the initiative of Muhammad Afsar Khan, a Kundoana Gujjar from

Chakdina Chakdina, also called Dinachak, is a village in Kharian Tehsil of Gujrat District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is situated at about five km westwards from the town of Lalamusa. It is located at 32°42'0N 73°53'0E with an altitude of 233 metres (76 ...

village in Gujrat district. Kundoana Gujjars are a branch of

Khatana Gurjar or Gujjar (also transliterated as ''Gujar, Gurjara and Gujjer'') is an ethnic nomadic, agricultural and pastoral community, spread mainly in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, divided internally into various clan groups. They were tradit ...

Gujjars and trace their descent from Kundo, a famous Gujjar who lived during the reign of Mughal King

Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...

or immediately before him in Gujrat district. His grave survives to date in Makiana village in Gujrat tehsil.

Some important Gujari books

Dictionaries : * '' Gojri Dictionary'' 6 Volume Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * '' Concise Gojri Dictionary'' Ed. Javaid Rahi, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * '' Hindi- Gojri Dictionary'' Ed. Javaid Rahi,

Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, is a community-supported nonprofit organization set up in 2000 with the objective to project tribal issues before authorities and to promote ethno- Cultural aspects of tribes. The Foundation was establishe ...

* '' Folk-Lore Dictionary'' 2 VOL of Gujjar Tribe Ed. Javaid Rahi,

* '' Hindi- Gojri Dictionary'' Ed. Javaid Rahi,

* '' Gojri English Dictionary'' Ed.Dr. Rafiq Anjum Books / Author/ Javaid Rahi * '' Lok-Virso'' – (Research )Awarded by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages(1999) * '' Jammu Kashmir ke Qabaila-aur-unki Zubanein'' (Research /Urdu) –(2010) * '' Gujjar Tribe of Jammu and Kashmir'' (Research English) (2015) * '' Gujjar Shanakhat Ka Safar'' (History and Culture Urdu-2005) * '' Gojri Lok Geet'' -2018 * ''Gujjar Aur Gojri'' (2004) * ''Gujjar Tarekh'' (2009) * ''Tagore ki Chunam Shairi'' (2011) Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * ''Gojri Grammer'' (2012) Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * ''Qadeem Gojri Lughat'' (2013) Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * ''The Gujjar Tribe of J&K'' (2012) Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * ''The Gujjars'' vol 1 to 6 (2013–16) Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * ''The Gujjars Tribe of Jammu and Kashmir'' Research Book

Gujari journals

Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages * ''Sheeraza Gojri-Bi-Monthly'' * ''Maharo Adab Gojri'' * ''Shingran Ka Geet'' * ''Gojri Ka Lal'' * ''Qadawar'' * ''Paneeri'' * ''Gojri Look Geet'' * ''Gojri Look Kahani'' * ''Gujjar Aur Gojri'' * ''Gojri Zaban-o-Adab'' GOJRI BOOKS Published by NGOs * ''Akhan Gojri Quotations'' JK Gojri Anjuman 2004 Edited by Dr. Rafeeq Anjum * ''Gojri Kahawat Kosh Gojri Quotations'' JK Gojri Anjuman 2004 Edited; by Dr. Rafeeq Anjum * ''Anjum Shanasi Biography'' JK Gojri Anjuman 2007 Edited * ''Sajra Phull ( Hakeem)'' Selected poetry JK Gojri Anjuman 2007, Edited * ''Peehng (Mukhlis)'' Selected poetry JK Gojri Anjuman 2007, Edited by Dr. Rafeeq Anjum * ''GOJRI BOOKS'' Published by BAZM E ADAB KALAKOTE * ''SAJAR BOOT'' – book series * گوجری سیرت النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم(لشکار محمد) مصنف مفتی محمد ادریس ولی ہسوال گوجر

References

*1992: Rensch, Calvin R., ''Hindko and Gujari'' - National Institute of Pakistani Studies, 305 pp. . *2012: Javaid Rahi, ''The Gujjar Tribe of Jammu & Kashmir'' -Gulshan Books, Srinagar J&K 190001, 305 pp. ISBN -13, 8183391030.