Sheikhgal or Watali is an unclassified

Indo-Aryan language The Indo-Aryan languages (or sometimes Indic languages) are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family. As of the early 21st century, they have more than 800 million speakers, primarily concentrated in India, Pa ...

of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Its speakers, the formerly nomadic Watals, are found throughout

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

, particularly in the districts of

Srinagar Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...

( Parimpora,

Nowhatta Nowhatta, () known as Navyut () in Kashmiri language, Kashmiri, is a town of historical importance situated at a distance of 5 km from Lal Chowk, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India. Nowhatta is famous b ...

Dargah A dargah ( fa, درگاه ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargah'' दरगाह درگاہ, bn, দরগাহ ''dorgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often ...

, Natipora,

Hawal Hawal is a notified area of district Srinagar, the summer capital of union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is situated in the heart of the Srinagar just about from Lal Chowk. Known for Hawal is known for Hari Parbat, Islamia Co ...

Baramulla Baramulla (), also known as Varmul () in Kashmiri, is a town and a municipality in the Baramulla district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Baramulla district. It is on the b ...

(

Bandipora Bandipore () or Bandipora is the headquarters of district of Bandipore in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located on the northern banks of Wullar Lake—the second-largest freshwater lake in Asia. Bandipora has a ter ...

, Khawja Bagh,

Sopore Sopore, known as Suyyapur in antiquity, is a city in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is north-west of Srinagar, and north-east from the city of Baramulla. Sopore Town has Asia's second largest fruit mandi (wholesale m ...

and

Tangmarg Tangmarg is a town and tehsil in Baramulla district in Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In 2014, Tangmarg was granted a sub division and trifurcated into three Tehsils (Tangmarg, Kunzer and Karhama), with Sub Divisional Magistrate ...

Pulwama Pulwama (known as Panwangam in antiquity, and later as Pulgam) is a City and notified area council in the Pulwama district of the Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located approximately south of the summer capital of ...

( Lolaab and

Lassipora Lassipora, also known as Lassipur, is a sub tehsil in Pulwama district of Jammu Kashmir, India. It is located 8 km towards southeast of Pulwama and 19 km towards west of Anantnag Anantnag (/ə'nʌntna:g/ or /-nɑːg/ ), also cal ...

) and

Kupwara Kupwara is a town and a municipal council in Kupwara district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Municipal council Kupwara is an Urban Local Body with 13 elected members (also in Delimitation in progress for wards), which adm ...

( Kanthpora,

Kulgam Kulgam (), known as Kolgom () in Kashmiri, is a town, an administrative division and capital of the Kulgam district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located at a distance of from the summer state capital of Jammu ...

, Haihama,

Magam Magam is a tehsil in central Kashmir's Beerwah sub-district. It is also a town, notified area committee, and a block in Budgam district in the Indian administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is away from sub-district headqua ...

Handwara Handwara is a sub-district and a town in Kupwara district of Kashmir. It was known as Uttar Machipora until the division of Baramulla district in the 1980s resulting in the formation of two new districts: Kupwara and Bandipora. It is located on ...

, Tarathpora). Among its speakers the language is also known as Opedigal or Phiri kathi. Although attitudes towards the language are generally negative, the community is compact; and Sheikhgal is the dominant language within the home. However, in other domains (market, workplace etc.) the language of wider communication

Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to: * People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir * Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley * Kashmiri language, their language People with the name * Kashmiri Saikia Baruah ...

is the preferred choice, even with other speakers of Sheikhgal. Within the family, there is a slight shift away from using Sheikhgal (85% of those interviewed by Mullick speak Sheikhgal with their spouses but only 69% do so with their children).

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Further reading