176-418: The Marathi people ( / m ə ˈ r ɑː t i / ; Marathi : मराठी लोक , Marāṭhī lōk ) or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, Marāṭhī ) are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India . They natively speak Marathi , an Indo-Aryan language . Maharashtra was formed as a Marathi-speaking state of India on 1 May 1960, as part of a nationwide linguistic reorganisation of
352-426: A devaghar with idols, symbols, and pictures of various deities for daily worship. Ritual reading of religious texts known as pothi is also popular in some communities. In some traditional families, food is first offered to the preferred deity in the household shrine, as naivedya , before being consumed by family members and guests. Meals or snacks are not taken before this religious offering. In present times,
528-425: A devaghar with idols, symbols, and pictures of various deities for daily worship. Ritual reading of religious texts known as pothi is also popular in some communities. In some traditional families, food is first offered to the preferred deity in the household shrine, as naivedya , before being consumed by family members and guests. Meals or snacks are not taken before this religious offering. In present times,
704-483: A retroflex lateral flap ळ ( ḷa ) and alveolar ल ( la ). It shares this feature with Punjabi . For instance, कुळ ( kuḷa ) for the Sanskrit कुलम् ( kulam , 'clan') and कमळ ( kamaḷ ) for Sanskrit कमलम् ( kamalam 'lotus'). Marathi got ळ possibly due to long contact from Dravidian languages; there are some ḷ words loaned from Kannada like ṭhaḷak from taḷaku but most of
880-566: A "scheduled language". The Government of Maharashtra has applied to the Ministry of Culture to grant classical language status to Marathi language, which was approved by the Government of India on 3 October 2024. The contemporary grammatical rules described by Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad and endorsed by the Government of Maharashtra are supposed to take precedence in standard written Marathi. Traditions of Marathi Linguistics and
1056-706: A century. The Maharashtra Mandal of London was founded in 1932. A small number of Marathi people also settled in British East Africa during the colonial era. After the African Great Lakes countries of Kenya , Uganda and Tanganyika gained independence from Britain, most of the South Asian population residing there, including Marathi people, migrated to the United Kingdom, or India. Large-scale immigration of Indians into
1232-437: A century. The Maharashtra Mandal of London was founded in 1932. A small number of Marathi people also settled in British East Africa during the colonial era. After the African Great Lakes countries of Kenya , Uganda and Tanganyika gained independence from Britain, most of the South Asian population residing there, including Marathi people, migrated to the United Kingdom, or India. Large-scale immigration of Indians into
1408-414: A dispute with Karnataka regarding the districts of Belgaum and Karwar , both with a large population of Marathi people. For the first time, the creation of Maharashtra brought most Marathi people under one state with the mainly rural Kunbi-Maratha community as the largest social group. This group has dominated the rural economy and politics of the state since 1960. The community accounts for 31% of
1584-409: A dispute with Karnataka regarding the districts of Belgaum and Karwar , both with a large population of Marathi people. For the first time, the creation of Maharashtra brought most Marathi people under one state with the mainly rural Kunbi-Maratha community as the largest social group. This group has dominated the rural economy and politics of the state since 1960. The community accounts for 31% of
1760-639: A grant by the Hoysalas . These inscriptions suggest that Prakrit was a standard written language by the 12th century. However, after the Gaha Sattasai there is no record of any literature produced in Marathi until the late 13th century. After 1187 CE, the use of Marathi grew substantially in the inscriptions of the Yadava kings, who earlier used Kannada and Sanskrit in their inscriptions. Marathi became
1936-802: A large realm stretching from Gwalior to Cuttack . In the mid-17th century, Shivaji founded the Maratha Kingdom by conquering the Desh and the Konkan regions from Bijapur kingdom, and established Hindavi Swaraj ("self-rule of Hindu people"). The Marathas are credited to a large extent with weakening Mughal rule in India. After Shivaji's death, the Mughals invaded the Deccan in 1681. Shivaji's son Sambhaji , also his successor as Chhatrapati , led
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#17327651444062112-471: A large realm stretching from Gwalior to Cuttack . In the mid-17th century, Shivaji founded the Maratha Kingdom by conquering the Desh and the Konkan regions from Bijapur kingdom, and established Hindavi Swaraj ("self-rule of Hindu people"). The Marathas are credited to a large extent with weakening Mughal rule in India. After Shivaji's death, the Mughals invaded the Deccan in 1681. Shivaji's son Sambhaji , also his successor as Chhatrapati , led
2288-564: A part of the Mahabharata translation is available and the entire Ramayana translation is lost. Shridhar Kulkarni came from the Pandharpur area and his works are said to have superseded the Sanskrit epics to a certain extent. This period also saw the development of Powada (ballads sung in honour of warriors), and Lavani (romantic songs presented with dance and instruments like tabla). Major poet composers of Powada and Lavani songs of
2464-646: A platform for sharing literary views, and many books on social reforms were written. The First Marathi periodical Dirghadarshan was started in 1840. The Marathi language flourished, as Marathi drama gained popularity. Musicals known as Sangeet Natak also evolved. Keshavasut , the father of modern Marathi poetry published his first poem in 1885. The late-19th century in Maharashtra saw the rise of essayist Vishnushastri Chiplunkar with his periodical, Nibandhmala that had essays that criticised social reformers like Phule and Gopal Hari Deshmukh . He also founded
2640-522: A separate language dates to approximately 3rd century BCE: a stone inscription found in a cave at Naneghat , Junnar in Pune district had been written in Maharashtri using Brahmi script . The Gaha Sattasai is an ancient collection of poems composed approximately 2,000 years ago in ancient Marathi also known as Maharashtri Prakrit or simply Maharashtri . It is a collection of poetry attributed to
2816-402: A source of economic power and pride and were reluctant to part with it. The watandars were the first to oppose Shivaji because it hurt their economic interests. Since most of the population was Hindu and spoke Marathi, even the sultans such as Ibrahim Adil Shah I adopted Marathi as the court language for administration and record-keeping. Islamic rule also led to Persian vocabulary entering
2992-438: A source of economic power and pride and were reluctant to part with it. The watandars were the first to oppose Shivaji because it hurt their economic interests. Since most of the population was Hindu and spoke Marathi, even the sultans such as Ibrahim Adil Shah I adopted Marathi as the court language for administration and record-keeping. Islamic rule also led to Persian vocabulary entering the Marathi language. Per Kulkarni, for
3168-453: A special department for Marathi. Marathi Day is celebrated on 27 February, the birthday of the poet Kusumagraj (Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar). Standard Marathi is based on dialects used by academics and the print media. Indic scholars distinguish 42 dialects of spoken Marathi. Dialects bordering other major language areas have many properties in common with those languages, further differentiating them from standard spoken Marathi. The bulk of
3344-765: A stir in Marathi literature with its passionate depiction of a cruel society and thus brought in new momentum to Dalit literature in Marathi. Gradually with other writers like Namdeo Dhasal (who founded Dalit Panther ), these Dalit writings paved way for the strengthening of Dalit movement. Notable Dalit authors writing in Marathi include Arun Kamble , Shantabai Kamble , Raja Dhale , Namdev Dhasal , Daya Pawar , Annabhau Sathe , Laxman Mane , Laxman Gaikwad , Sharankumar Limbale , Bhau Panchbhai , Kishor Shantabai Kale , Narendra Jadhav , Keshav Meshram , Urmila Pawar , Vinay Dharwadkar, Gangadhar Pantawane, Kumud Pawde and Jyoti Lanjewar. In recent decades there has been
3520-483: A treatise in Marathi on Bhagawat Gita popularly called Dnyaneshwari and Amrutanubhava . Mukund Raj was a poet who lived in the 13th century and is said to be the first poet who composed in Marathi. He is known for the Viveka-Siddhi and Parammruta which are metaphysical, pantheistic works connected with orthodox Vedantism . The 16th century saint-poet Eknath (1528–1599) is well known for composing
3696-574: A trend among Marathi speaking parents of all social classes in major urban areas of sending their children to English medium schools . There is some concern that this may lead to the marginalisation of the language. Marathi is primarily spoken in Maharashtra and parts of neighbouring states of Gujarat (majorly in Vadodara , and among a small number of population in Surat ), Madhya Pradesh (in
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#17327651444063872-492: A vehicle for the propagation of religion and culture. Mahanubhava literature generally comprises works that describe the incarnations of gods, the history of the sect, commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita , poetical works narrating the stories of the life of Krishna and grammatical and etymological works that are deemed useful to explain the philosophy of sect. The 13th century Varkari saint Dnyaneshwar (1275–1296) wrote
4048-504: Is a classical Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by Marathi people in the Indian state of Maharashtra and is also spoken in other states like in Goa , Karnataka , Tamil Nadu , Telangana , Gujarat , Madhya Pradesh , Chhattisgarh , and the territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu . It is the official language of Maharashtra, and an additional official language in
4224-462: Is also spoken by Maharashtrian migrants to other parts of India and overseas. For instance, the people from western India who emigrated to Mauritius in the early 19th century also speak Marathi. There were 83 million native Marathi speakers in India, according to the 2011 census, making it the third most spoken native language after Hindi and Bengali. Native Marathi speakers form 6.86% of India's population. Native speakers of Marathi formed 70.34% of
4400-739: Is common, while sometimes in the Varhadii dialect, it corresponds to the palatal approximant y (IPA: [j]), making this dialect quite distinct. Such phonetic shifts are common in spoken Marathi and, as such, the spoken dialects vary from one region of Maharashtra to another. Zaadi Boli or Zhaadiboli ( झाडिबोलि ) is spoken in Zaadipranta (a forest rich region) of far eastern Maharashtra or eastern Vidarbha or western-central Gondwana comprising Gondia , Bhandara , Chandrapur , Gadchiroli and some parts of Nagpur of Maharashtra. Zaadi Boli Sahitya Mandal and many literary figures are working for
4576-482: Is considered the forerunner of the Indian National Congress established in 1885. The most prominent personalities of Indian nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th century, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak , on opposite sides of the political spectrum, were both Marathi. Tilak was instrumental in using Shivaji and Ganesh worship in forging a collective Maharashtrian identity for
4752-404: Is considered the forerunner of the Indian National Congress established in 1885. The most prominent personalities of Indian nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th century, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak , on opposite sides of the political spectrum, were both Marathi. Tilak was instrumental in using Shivaji and Ganesh worship in forging a collective Maharashtrian identity for
4928-402: Is performed before a family formally establishes residence in a new house. Satyanarayana Puja is a ceremony performed before commencing any new endeavour or for no particular reason. Invoking the name of the family's gotra and the kuladevata are important aspects of these ceremonies for many communities. Like most other Hindu communities, the Marathi people have a household shrine called
5104-402: Is performed before a family formally establishes residence in a new house. Satyanarayana Puja is a ceremony performed before commencing any new endeavour or for no particular reason. Invoking the name of the family's gotra and the kuladevata are important aspects of these ceremonies for many communities. Like most other Hindu communities, the Marathi people have a household shrine called
5280-520: Is slightly different from the Devanagari alphabets of Hindi and other languages: there are additional letters in the Marathi alphabet and Western punctuation is used. William Carey in 1807 Observed that as with other parts of India, a traditional duality existed in script usage between Devanagari for religious texts, and Modi for commerce and administration. Although in the Mahratta country
5456-545: Is still read with interest by Veerashaiva people of Marathwada. Apart from this, the Pararamrhasya, a spiritual book composed by him on Shatsthalsiddhanta, is also recited. Marathi was widely used during the Sultanate period. Although the rulers were Muslims, the local feudal landlords and the revenue collectors were Hindus and so was the majority of the population. To simplify administration and revenue collection,
Marathi people - Misplaced Pages Continue
5632-529: Is the official language of Maharashtra and additional official language in the state of Goa . In Goa , Konkani is the sole official language; however, Marathi may also be used for any or all official purposes in case any request is received in Marathi. Marathi is included among the languages that are part of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India , thus granting it the status of
5808-487: Is usually appended to Sanskrit or Kannada in these inscriptions. The earliest Marathi-only inscriptions are the ones issued during the Shilahara rule, including a c. 1012 CE stone inscription from Akshi taluka of Raigad district , and a 1060 or 1086 CE copper-plate inscription from Dive that records a land grant ( agrahara ) to a Brahmin. A 2-line 1118 CE Prakrit inscription at Shravanabelagola records
5984-491: The Ahmadnagar Sultanate . Adilshahi of Bijapur also used Marathi for administration and record keeping. Marathi gained prominence with the rise of the Maratha Kingdom beginning with the reign of Shivaji . In his court, Shivaji replaced Persian, the common courtly language in the region, with Marathi. The Marathi language used in administrative documents also became less Persianised . Whereas in 1630, 80% of
6160-636: The American Marathi mission and the Scottish missionaries led to the development of a peculiar pidginised Marathi called "Missionary Marathi" in the early 1800s. The most comprehensive Marathi-English dictionary was compiled by Captain James Thomas Molesworth and Major Thomas Candy in 1831. The book is still in print nearly two centuries after its publication. The colonial authorities also worked on standardising Marathi under
6336-701: The Bharatiya Janata Party in recent years have not dented Maratha caste representation in the Maharashtra Legislative assembly. After the Maratha-Kunbi cluster, the scheduled caste (SC) Mahars are numerically the second-largest community among the Marathi people in Maharashtra. Most of them embraced Buddhism in 1956 with their leader, B. R. Ambedkar. Writers from this group in the 1950s and 1960s were pioneers of Dalit Literature . The Portuguese-occupied enclave of Goa
6512-485: The Bharatiya Janata Party in recent years have not dented Maratha caste representation in the Maharashtra Legislative assembly. After the Maratha-Kunbi cluster, the scheduled caste (SC) Mahars are numerically the second-largest community among the Marathi people in Maharashtra. Most of them embraced Buddhism in 1956 with their leader, B. R. Ambedkar. Writers from this group in the 1950s and 1960s were pioneers of Dalit Literature . The Portuguese-occupied enclave of Goa
6688-683: The Chola dynasty . The Yadava dynasty of Deogiri , ruled Maharashtra from the 13th century to the 14th century. The Yadavas were defeated by the Khaljis in 1321. After the defeat of Yadavas, the area was ruled for the next 300 years by a succession of Muslim rulers including (in chronological order): the Khaljis , the Tughlaqs , and the Bahmani Sultanate and its successor states called
6864-522: The Deccan sultanates , such as Adilshahi , Nizamshahi , and the Mughal Empire . The early period of Islamic rule saw the imposition of a Jaziya tax on non-Muslims, temple destruction and forcible conversions. However, the mainly Hindu population and their Islamic rulers came to an accommodation over time. For most of this period Brahmins were in charge of accounts, whereas revenue collection
7040-916: The Devanagari character is well known to men of education, yet a character is current among the men of business which is much smaller, and varies considerably in form from the Nagari , though the number and power of the letters nearly correspond. It is written from left to right. Devanagari used to write Marathi is slightly different from that of Hindi or other languages. It uses additional vowels and consonants that are not found in other languages that also use Devanagari. Maratha The Marathi people ( / m ə ˈ r ɑː t i / ; Marathi : मराठी लोक , Marāṭhī lōk ) or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, Marāṭhī ) are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India . They natively speak Marathi , an Indo-Aryan language . Maharashtra
7216-873: The East India Trading Company and then under the British Raj , from 1858. During this era Marathi people resided in the Bombay presidency , Berar , Central provinces , Hyderabad state and in various princely states that are currently part of present-day Maharashtra. The 1951 census of India had 4.5 million people in the erstwhile Hyderabad state who stated Marathi as their mother tongue. Significant Marathi populations also resided in Maratha princely states far from Maharashtra such as Baroda , Gwalior , Indore , and Tanjore . The British colonial period saw standardisation of Marathi grammar through
Marathi people - Misplaced Pages Continue
7392-627: The East India Trading Company and then under the British Raj , from 1858. During this era Marathi people resided in the Bombay presidency , Berar , Central provinces , Hyderabad state and in various princely states that are currently part of present-day Maharashtra. The 1951 census of India had 4.5 million people in the erstwhile Hyderabad state who stated Marathi as their mother tongue. Significant Marathi populations also resided in Maratha princely states far from Maharashtra such as Baroda , Gwalior , Indore , and Tanjore . The British colonial period saw standardisation of Marathi grammar through
7568-748: The Harivamsa , the Yadava kingdom called Anaratta is described as mostly inhabited by the Abhiras (Abhira-praya-manusyam). The Anartta country and its inhabitants were called Surastra and the Saurastras , probably after the Rattas (Rastras) akin to the Rastrikas of Asoka's rock Edicts, now known as Maharashtra and the Marathas. During the ancient period, around 230 BC, Maharashtra came under
7744-493: The Hindustani speaking areas or from Southern India , however, a significant number of immigrants to Mauritius were Marathis. Since the state of Israel was established in 1948, around 25,000–30,000 Indian Jews have emigrated there, of which around 20,000 were from the Marathi speaking Bene Israel community of Konkan. Indians, including Marathi People, have migrated to Europe and particularly Great Britain for more than
7920-432: The Hindustani speaking areas or from Southern India , however, a significant number of immigrants to Mauritius were Marathis. Since the state of Israel was established in 1948, around 25,000–30,000 Indian Jews have emigrated there, of which around 20,000 were from the Marathi speaking Bene Israel community of Konkan. Indians, including Marathi People, have migrated to Europe and particularly Great Britain for more than
8096-667: The Indian states . The term "Maratha" is generally used by historians to refer to all Marathi-speaking peoples, irrespective of their caste ; However, it may refer to a Maharashtrian caste known as the Maratha which also includes farmer sub castes like the Kunbis . The Marathi community came into political prominence in the 17th century, when the Maratha Empire was established by Shivaji in 1674. According to R. G. Bhandarkar ,
8272-551: The Indo-Aryan language family are derived from early forms of Prakrit . Marathi is one of several languages that further descend from Maharashtri Prakrit . Further changes led to the formation of Apabhraṃśa followed by Old Marathi. However, this is challenged by Bloch (1970), who states that Apabhraṃśa was formed after Marathi had already separated from the Middle Indian dialect. The earliest example of Marathi as
8448-550: The Jnanpith Award . Also Vijay Tendulkar 's plays in Marathi have earned him a reputation beyond Maharashtra . P.L. Deshpande (popularly known as PuLa ), Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar , P.K. Atre , Prabodhankar Thackeray and Vishwas Patil are known for their writings in Marathi in the fields of drama, comedy and social commentary. Bashir Momin Kavathekar wrote Lavani's and folk songs for Tamasha artists. In 1958
8624-606: The Mangs was 8%. Majority of Marathi Hindu belong either to the cultivator caste cluster of Maratha and Kunbi , or one of the former village servant ( Bara Balutedar ) castes which include Shimpi (Tailor), Lohar (Iron-smith), Suthar (carpenters), Mali (florists and cultivators), Dhobhi or Parit (washer), Gurav (village priest), Kumbhar (potters), Sonar (Goldsmith), Teli (oil pressers), Lingayats , Chambhar (cobbler), Mang (rope makers), Koli (fishermen or water carriers) and Nabhik (barbers). The Mahar were one of
8800-520: The Marathi language rather than Sanskrit for their devotional and philosophical compositions. The decline of Islamic rule in Deccan started when Shivaji (1630–1680) founded the Maratha Kingdom by annexing a portion of the Bijapur Sultanate . Shivaji later led rebellions against Mughal rule, thus becoming a symbol of Hindu resistance and self-rule. The Marathas contributed greatly to weakening imperial Mughal rule and went on to rule over
8976-453: The Marathi language rather than Sanskrit for their devotional and philosophical compositions. The decline of Islamic rule in Deccan started when Shivaji (1630–1680) founded the Maratha Kingdom by annexing a portion of the Bijapur Sultanate . Shivaji later led rebellions against Mughal rule, thus becoming a symbol of Hindu resistance and self-rule. The Marathas contributed greatly to weakening imperial Mughal rule and went on to rule over
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#17327651444069152-524: The Saurastras , probably after the Rattas (Rastras) akin to the Rastrikas of Asoka's rock Edicts, now known as Maharashtra and the Marathas. During the ancient period, around 230 BC, Maharashtra came under the rule of the Satavahana dynasty , which ruled the region for 400 years. The Vakataka dynasty then ruled Maharashtra from the 3rd century to the 5th century AD, and the Chalukya dynasty from
9328-696: The Shindes , Gaekwad , Pawar , Bhonsale of Nagpur, and the Holkars . The Confederacy at its peak stretched from northern Karnataka in the south to Peshawar (modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ) briefly during the Maratha–Afghan War in the north, and to Orissa in the east. However, after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, in which the Marathas were defeated by the Afghans under Ahmed Shah Abdali ,
9504-409: The Shindes , Gaekwad , Pawar , Bhonsale of Nagpur, and the Holkars . The Confederacy at its peak stretched from northern Karnataka in the south to Peshawar (modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ) briefly during the Maratha–Afghan War in the north, and to Orissa in the east. However, after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, in which the Marathas were defeated by the Afghans under Ahmed Shah Abdali ,
9680-599: The Varhadi Marathi . Marathi was designated as a classical language by the Government of India in October 2024. Marathi distinguishes inclusive and exclusive forms of 'we' and possesses three genders : masculine, feminine, and neuter. Its phonology contrasts apico-alveolar with alveopalatal affricates and alveolar with retroflex laterals ( [l] and [ɭ] (Marathi letters ल and ळ respectively). Indian languages, including Marathi, that belong to
9856-684: The Vidarbha region from the Central Provinces and Berar . The enlarged state also included Gujarati -speaking areas. The southernmost part of Bombay State was ceded to Mysore . From 1954 to 1955, Marathi people strongly protested against the bilingual Bombay State , and the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was formed to agitate for a Marathi-speaking state. At the same time, the Mahagujarat Movement
10032-409: The Vidarbha region from the Central Provinces and Berar . The enlarged state also included Gujarati -speaking areas. The southernmost part of Bombay State was ceded to Mysore . From 1954 to 1955, Marathi people strongly protested against the bilingual Bombay State , and the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was formed to agitate for a Marathi-speaking state. At the same time, the Mahagujarat Movement
10208-563: The Yadava dynasty . Other family deities of the people of Maharashtra are Bhavani of Tuljapur , Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur , Mahalaxmi of Amravati , Renuka of Mahur , Parashuram in Konkan, Saptashringi on Saptashringa hill at Vani in Nasik district, and Balaji . Despite the system of worshipping kuladevatas, the worship of Ganesha , Vitthala , and other popular avatars of Vishnu such as Rama or Krishna are extremely popular across
10384-457: The Yadava dynasty . Other family deities of the people of Maharashtra are Bhavani of Tuljapur , Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur , Mahalaxmi of Amravati , Renuka of Mahur , Parashuram in Konkan, Saptashringi on Saptashringa hill at Vani in Nasik district, and Balaji . Despite the system of worshipping kuladevatas, the worship of Ganesha , Vitthala , and other popular avatars of Vishnu such as Rama or Krishna are extremely popular across
10560-410: The kuladevata . This deity is common to a lineage or a clan of several families who are connected to each other through a common ancestor. The Khandoba of Jejuri is an example of a kuladevata of some families; he is a common kuladevata to several castes ranging from Brahmins and Dhangar to Dalits . The practice of worshiping local or territorial deities as kuladevatas began in the period of
10736-408: The kuladevata . This deity is common to a lineage or a clan of several families who are connected to each other through a common ancestor. The Khandoba of Jejuri is an example of a kuladevata of some families; he is a common kuladevata to several castes ranging from Brahmins and Dhangar to Dalits . The practice of worshiping local or territorial deities as kuladevatas began in the period of
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#173276514440610912-606: The mid-9th century CE, called the ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, Amoghavarsha , "one of the four great kings of the world". From the early 11th century to the 12th century, the Deccan Plateau was dominated by the Western Chalukya Empire and the Chola dynasty . The Yadava dynasty of Deogiri , ruled Maharashtra from the 13th century to the 14th century. The Yadavas were defeated by
11088-460: The naivedya is offered by families only on days of special religious significance. Many Marathi people trace their paternal ancestors to one of the seven or eight sages, the saptarshi . They classify themselves as gotras, named after the ancestor rishi . Intra-marriage within gotras (Sagotra Vivaha) was uncommon until recently, being discouraged as it was likened to incest. Most Marathi families have their own family patron or protective deity or
11264-459: The naivedya is offered by families only on days of special religious significance. Many Marathi people trace their paternal ancestors to one of the seven or eight sages, the saptarshi . They classify themselves as gotras, named after the ancestor rishi . Intra-marriage within gotras (Sagotra Vivaha) was uncommon until recently, being discouraged as it was likened to incest. Most Marathi families have their own family patron or protective deity or
11440-428: The schwa , which has been omitted in other languages which use Devanagari. For example, the word 'रंग' (colour) is pronounced as 'ranga' in Marathi & 'rang' in other languages using Devanagari, and 'खरं' (true), despite the anuswara , is pronounced as 'khara'. The anuswara in this case is used to avoid schwa deletion in pronunciation; most other languages using Devanagari show schwa deletion in pronunciation despite
11616-535: The 17th and the 18th century were Anant Phandi, Ram Joshi and Honaji Bala . The British colonial period starting in early 1800s saw standardisation of Marathi grammar through the efforts of the Christian missionary William Carey . Carey's dictionary had fewer entries and Marathi words were in Devanagari . Translations of the Bible were the first books to be printed in Marathi. These translations by William Carey,
11792-416: The 17th century, when the Maratha Empire was established by Shivaji in 1674. According to R. G. Bhandarkar , the term Maratha is derived from Rattas, a tribe which held political supremacy in the Deccan from the remotest time. The Rattas called themselves Maha Rattas or Great Rattas, and thus the country in which they lived came to be called Maharashtra , the Sanskrit of which is Maha-rashtra. In
11968-489: The 18th century during Peshwa rule, some well-known works such as Yatharthadeepika by Vaman Pandit , Naladamayanti Swayamvara by Raghunath Pandit , Pandava Pratap, Harivijay, Ramvijay by Shridhar Pandit and Mahabharata by Moropant were produced. Krishnadayarnava and Sridhar were poets during the Peshwa period. New literary forms were successfully experimented with during the period and classical styles were revived, especially
12144-470: The 1930s, Jedhe merged the non-Brahmin party with the Congress party and changed that party from an upper-caste-dominated body to a more broadly based but also Maratha-dominated party. The early 20th century also saw the rise of B. R. Ambedkar , who led the campaign for the rights of the dalits caste that included his own Mahar caste. The Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS )
12320-413: The 1930s, Jedhe merged the non-Brahmin party with the Congress party and changed that party from an upper-caste-dominated body to a more broadly based but also Maratha-dominated party. The early 20th century also saw the rise of B. R. Ambedkar , who led the campaign for the rights of the dalits caste that included his own Mahar caste. The Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS )
12496-558: The 1990s it led the government of Maharashtra's coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). During this transition from founding to capturing power, the party toned down its rhetoric against non-Marathi people and adopted a more Hindu nationalist stance. The Marathi people form an ethnolinguistic group that is distinct from others in terms of its language, history, cultural and religious practices, social structure, literature, and art. The traditional caste hierarchy
12672-482: The 1990s it led the government of Maharashtra's coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). During this transition from founding to capturing power, the party toned down its rhetoric against non-Marathi people and adopted a more Hindu nationalist stance. The Marathi people form an ethnolinguistic group that is distinct from others in terms of its language, history, cultural and religious practices, social structure, literature, and art. The traditional caste hierarchy
12848-513: The 1990s. A literary event called Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (All-India Marathi Literature Meet) is held every year. In addition, the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan (All-India Marathi Theatre Convention) is also held annually. Both events are very popular among Marathi speakers. Notable works in Marathi in the latter half of the 20th century include Khandekar's Yayati , which won him
13024-550: The 20th century was marked by new enthusiasm in literary pursuits, and socio-political activism helped achieve major milestones in Marathi literature , drama, music and film. Modern Marathi prose flourished: for example, N.C.Kelkar 's biographical writings, novels of Hari Narayan Apte , Narayan Sitaram Phadke and V. S. Khandekar , Vinayak Damodar Savarkar 's nationalist literature and plays of Mama Varerkar and Kirloskar. In folk arts, Patthe Bapurao wrote many lavani songs during
13200-465: The 20th century with the blessing of Shahu , the ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur . The campaign took off in the early 1920s under the leadership of Keshavrao Jedhe and Baburao Javalkar. Both belonged to the non-Brahmin party. Capturing the Ganpati and Shivaji festivals from Brahmin domination were their early goals. They combined nationalism with anti-casteism as the party's aims. Later on in
13376-408: The 20th century with the blessing of Shahu , the ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur . The campaign took off in the early 1920s under the leadership of Keshavrao Jedhe and Baburao Javalkar. Both belonged to the non-Brahmin party. Capturing the Ganpati and Shivaji festivals from Brahmin domination were their early goals. They combined nationalism with anti-casteism as the party's aims. Later on in
13552-522: The 6th century to the 8th century. The two prominent rulers were Pulakeshin II , who defeated the Kannauj Emperor Harsh , and Vikramaditya II , who defeated Arab invaders (Umayyad Caliphate) in the 8th century. The Rashtrakuta dynasty ruled Maharashtra from the 8th to the 10th century. The Persian merchant and traveller, Sulaiman al-Tajir , who wrote of his many voyages to India and China in
13728-400: The 8th to the 10th century. The Persian merchant and traveller, Sulaiman al-Tajir , who wrote of his many voyages to India and China in the mid-9th century CE, called the ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, Amoghavarsha , "one of the four great kings of the world". From the early 11th century to the 12th century, the Deccan Plateau was dominated by the Western Chalukya Empire and
13904-553: The Eknāthī Bhāgavat, a commentary on Bhagavat Purana and the devotional songs called Bharud. Mukteshwar translated the Mahabharata into Marathi; Tukaram (1608–49) transformed Marathi into a rich literary language. His poetry contained his inspirations. Tukaram wrote over 3000 abhangs or devotional songs. Manmathswamy (1561-1631) wrote a large volume of poetry and literature in Marathi. The Shivparv Ambhag composed by him
14080-478: The Khaljis in 1321. After the defeat of Yadavas, the area was ruled for the next 300 years by a succession of Muslim rulers including (in chronological order): the Khaljis , the Tughlaqs , and the Bahmani Sultanate and its successor states called the Deccan sultanates , such as Adilshahi , Nizamshahi , and the Mughal Empire . The early period of Islamic rule saw the imposition of a Jaziya tax on non-Muslims, temple destruction and forcible conversions. However,
14256-636: The Mahakavya and Prabandha forms. The most important hagiographies of Varkari Bhakti saints were written by Mahipati in the 18th century. Other well known literary scholars of the 17th century were Mukteshwar and Shridhar . Mukteshwar was the grandson of Eknath and is the most distinguished poet in the Ovi meter. He is most known for translating the Mahabharata and the Ramayana in Marathi but only
14432-529: The Maharashtra region was divided into many revenue divisions. The medieval equivalent of a county or district was the pargana . The chief of the pargana was called Deshmukh and record keepers were called Deshpande . The lowest administrative unit was the village. Village society in Marathi areas included the Patil or the head of the village, collector of revenue, and Kulkarni , the village record-keeper. These were hereditary positions. The Patil usually came from
14608-1055: The Maratha caste. The Kulkarni were usually from the Marathi Brahmin or CKP caste. The village also used to have twelve hereditary servants called the Balutedar . The Balutedar system was supportive of the agriculture sector. Servants under this system provided services to the farmers and the economic system of the village. The base of this system was caste. The servants were responsible for tasks specific to their castes. There were twelve kinds of servants under Bara Balutedar: Joshi (village priest and astrologer from Brahmin caste), Sonar (goldsmith from Daiwadnya caste), Sutar (carpenter), Gurav (priest of Shiva temple), Nhawi (barber), Parit (washerman), Teli (oil pressers), Kumbhar (potter), Chambhar (cobbler), Dhor, Koli (fisherman or water carrier), Chougula (assistant to Patil), Mang (rope maker), and Mahar (village security). In this list of Balutedar: Dhor, Mang, Mahar, and Chambhar belonged to
14784-931: The Maratha caste. The Kulkarni were usually from the Marathi Brahmin or CKP caste. The village also used to have twelve hereditary servants called the Balutedar . The Balutedar system was supportive of the agriculture sector. Servants under this system provided services to the farmers and the economic system of the village. The base of this system was caste. The servants were responsible for tasks specific to their castes. There were twelve kinds of servants under Bara Balutedar: Joshi (village priest and astrologer from Brahmin caste), Sonar (goldsmith from Daiwadnya caste), Sutar (carpenter), Gurav (priest of Shiva temple), Nhawi (barber), Parit (washerman), Teli (oil pressers), Kumbhar (potter), Chambhar (cobbler), Dhor, Koli (fisherman or water carrier), Chougula (assistant to Patil), Mang (rope maker), and Mahar (village security). In this list of Balutedar: Dhor, Mang, Mahar, and Chambhar belonged to
14960-628: The Maratha power was greatly diminished. Due to the efforts of Mahadji Shinde , it remained a confederacy until the British East India Company defeated Peshwa Bajirao II . Nevertheless, several Maratha states remained as vassals of the British until 1947 when they acceded to the Dominion of India . The Marathas also developed a potent coastal navy around the 1660s. At its peak under Maratha Koli Admiral Kanhoji Angre ,
15136-437: The Maratha power was greatly diminished. Due to the efforts of Mahadji Shinde , it remained a confederacy until the British East India Company defeated Peshwa Bajirao II . Nevertheless, several Maratha states remained as vassals of the British until 1947 when they acceded to the Dominion of India . The Marathas also developed a potent coastal navy around the 1660s. At its peak under Maratha Koli Admiral Kanhoji Angre ,
15312-512: The Marathas against the much stronger Mughal opponent, but in 1689, after being betrayed, Sambhaji was captured, tortured and killed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb . The war against the Mughals was then led by Sambhaji's younger brother and successor Rajaram I . Upon Rajaram's death in 1700, his widow Tarabai became the regent of her infant son and took command of Maratha forces . In 1707, upon
15488-403: The Marathas against the much stronger Mughal opponent, but in 1689, after being betrayed, Sambhaji was captured, tortured and killed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb . The war against the Mughals was then led by Sambhaji's younger brother and successor Rajaram I . Upon Rajaram's death in 1700, his widow Tarabai became the regent of her infant son and took command of Maratha forces . In 1707, upon
15664-716: The Marathi language. Per Kulkarni, for the elites of the era using Persian words was a status symbol. Surnames derived from service during that period such as Fadnis, Chitnis , Mirasdar, etc. are still in use today. Most of the Marathi Bhakti poet saints, who worshipped Vitthal , belonged to the period between late Yadava and the late Islamic era. These include Dnyaneshwar , Namdev , Eknath , Bahinabai and Tukaram . Other important religious figures of this era were Narsimha Saraswati , and Mahanubhava sect founder Chakradhar Swami . Shaivite saints like Manmath swami , Gajanan Maharaj, Sant Narhari Sonar. All of them used
15840-456: The Marathi people. Marathi social reformers of the colonial era include Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule , Justice Ranade , feminist Tarabai Shinde , Dhondo Keshav Karve , Vitthal Ramji Shinde , and Pandita Ramabai . Jyotirao Phule was a pioneer in opening schools for girls and Marathi dalits castes. The non-Brahmin Hindu castes started organising at the beginning of
16016-402: The Marathi people. Marathi social reformers of the colonial era include Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule , Justice Ranade , feminist Tarabai Shinde , Dhondo Keshav Karve , Vitthal Ramji Shinde , and Pandita Ramabai . Jyotirao Phule was a pioneer in opening schools for girls and Marathi dalits castes. The non-Brahmin Hindu castes started organising at the beginning of
16192-500: The Marathi-speaking areas by the ruling Congress Party in the 1957 election, led the government under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to change its policy and agree to the protesters' demands. On 1 May 1960, the separate Marathi-speaking state was formed by dividing the earlier Bombay State into the new states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The city of Mumbai was declared the capital of the new state. The state continues to have
16368-432: The Marathi-speaking areas by the ruling Congress Party in the 1957 election, led the government under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to change its policy and agree to the protesters' demands. On 1 May 1960, the separate Marathi-speaking state was formed by dividing the earlier Bombay State into the new states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The city of Mumbai was declared the capital of the new state. The state continues to have
16544-473: The RSS-affiliated organisations. Although the British originally regarded India as a place for the supply of raw materials for the factories of England, by the end of the 19th century a modern manufacturing industry was developing in the city of Mumbai. The main product was cotton and the bulk of the workforce in these mills was of Marathi origin from Western Maharashtra, but more specifically from
16720-406: The RSS-affiliated organisations. Although the British originally regarded India as a place for the supply of raw materials for the factories of England, by the end of the 19th century a modern manufacturing industry was developing in the city of Mumbai. The main product was cotton and the bulk of the workforce in these mills was of Marathi origin from Western Maharashtra, but more specifically from
16896-497: The Sanskrit-dominated dialect spoken by this caste in the city as the standard dialect for Marathi. The introduction of printing, standardisation of Marathi, and establishment of modern schools and colleges during the early colonial era led to the spread of literacy and knowledge to many different sections of society such as women, the dalits and the cultivator classes. The Marathi community played an important part in
17072-425: The Sanskrit-dominated dialect spoken by this caste in the city as the standard dialect for Marathi. The introduction of printing, standardisation of Marathi, and establishment of modern schools and colleges during the early colonial era led to the spread of literacy and knowledge to many different sections of society such as women, the dalits and the cultivator classes. The Marathi community played an important part in
17248-680: The Satavahana King Hala. A committee appointed by the Maharashtra State Government to get the Classical status for Marathi has claimed that Marathi existed at least 2,300 years ago . Marathi, a derivative of Maharashtri Prakrit language , is probably first attested in a 739 CE copper-plate inscription found in Satara . Several inscriptions dated to the second half of the 11th century feature Marathi, which
17424-565: The United States started when the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 came into effect. Most of the Marathi immigrants who came after 1965 were professionals such as doctors, engineers or scientists. The second wave of immigration took place during the I.T. boom of the 1990s and later. Since the 1990s due to the I.T. boom and because of the general ease of travel, Marathi people are now found in greater numbers in all corners of
17600-443: The United States started when the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 came into effect. Most of the Marathi immigrants who came after 1965 were professionals such as doctors, engineers or scientists. The second wave of immigration took place during the I.T. boom of the 1990s and later. Since the 1990s due to the I.T. boom and because of the general ease of travel, Marathi people are now found in greater numbers in all corners of
17776-963: The above-mentioned rules give special status to tatsamas , words adapted from Sanskrit . This special status expects the rules for tatsamas to be followed as in Sanskrit. This practice provides Marathi with a large corpus of Sanskrit words to cope with the demands of new technical words whenever needed. In addition to all universities in Maharashtra, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara , Osmania University in Hyderabad , Karnataka University in Dharwad , Gulbarga University in Kalaburagi , Devi Ahilya University in Indore and Goa University in Goa have special departments for higher studies in Marathi linguistics. Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi) has announced plans to establish
17952-509: The balutedar who adopted Buddhism in 1950s. Some of the other Marathi castes are: As the Maratha Empire expanded across India, the Marathi population started migrating out of Maharashtra alongside their rulers. Peshwa, Holkars , Scindia , and Gaekwad dynastic leaders took with them a considerable population of priests, clerks, army men, businessmen, and workers when they established new seats of power. Most of these migrants were from
18128-445: The balutedar who adopted Buddhism in 1950s. Some of the other Marathi castes are: As the Maratha Empire expanded across India, the Marathi population started migrating out of Maharashtra alongside their rulers. Peshwa, Holkars , Scindia , and Gaekwad dynastic leaders took with them a considerable population of priests, clerks, army men, businessmen, and workers when they established new seats of power. Most of these migrants were from
18304-440: The child's paternal aunt has the honour of naming the infant. When the child is 11 months old, they get their first hair-cut.This is also an important ritual and is called Jawal (जावळ) . In the Maratha community, the maternal uncle is given the honour of the first snip during the ceremony. Marathi language Marathi ( / m ə ˈ r ɑː t i / ; मराठी , Marāṭhī , pronounced [məˈɾaːʈʰiː] )
18480-475: The child's horoscope, which suggests various names depending on the child's lunar sign (called rashi ). However, in Marathi Hindu families, the name that the child inevitably uses in secular functions is the one decided by their parents. If a name is chosen on the basis of the horoscope, then that is kept a secret to ward off the casting of a spell on the child during their life. During the naming ceremony,
18656-412: The child's horoscope, which suggests various names depending on the child's lunar sign (called rashi ). However, in Marathi Hindu families, the name that the child inevitably uses in secular functions is the one decided by their parents. If a name is chosen on the basis of the horoscope, then that is kept a secret to ward off the casting of a spell on the child during their life. During the naming ceremony,
18832-405: The coastal Konkan region. The census recorded for the city in the first half of the 20th century showed nearly half the city's population listed Marathi as their mother tongue. During the period of 1835–1907, a large number of Indians, including Marathi people, were taken to the island of Mauritius as indentured labourers to work on sugarcane plantations. The Marathi people on the island form
19008-402: The coastal Konkan region. The census recorded for the city in the first half of the 20th century showed nearly half the city's population listed Marathi as their mother tongue. During the period of 1835–1907, a large number of Indians, including Marathi people, were taken to the island of Mauritius as indentured labourers to work on sugarcane plantations. The Marathi people on the island form
19184-428: The confederacy. These excursions by the Marathas helped to spread Marathi over broader geographical regions. This period also saw the use of Marathi in transactions involving land and other business. Documents from this period, therefore, give a better picture of the life of common people. There are a number of Bakhars (journals or narratives of historical events) written in Marathi and Modi script from this period. In
19360-484: The conservation of this dialect of Marathi. Thanjavur Marathi तञ्जावूर् मराठि, Namadeva Shimpi Marathi, Arey Marathi (Telangana), Kasaragod (north Kerala) and Bhavsar Marathi are some of the dialects of Marathi spoken by many descendants of Maharashtrians who migrated to Southern India . These dialects retain the 17th-century basic form of Marathi and have been considerably influenced by the Dravidian languages after
19536-780: The country. They have set up community organisations called Maharashtra Mandals in many cities across the country. A national level central organisation, the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal was formed in 1958 to promote Marathi culture outside Maharashtra. Several sister organisations of the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal have also been formed outside India. Source: In the mid-1800s, a large number of Indian people were taken to Mauritius , Fiji , Trinidad & Tobago , South Africa , and Eastern Africa as indentured labourers to work on sugarcane plantations. The majority of these migrants were from
19712-620: The country. They have set up community organisations called Maharashtra Mandals in many cities across the country. A national level central organisation, the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal was formed in 1958 to promote Marathi culture outside Maharashtra. Several sister organisations of the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal have also been formed outside India. Source: In the mid-1800s, a large number of Indian people were taken to Mauritius , Fiji , Trinidad & Tobago , South Africa , and Eastern Africa as indentured labourers to work on sugarcane plantations. The majority of these migrants were from
19888-441: The death of Aurangzeb, the Deccan wars came to an end after Shahu, son of Sambhaji who had grown up under Mughal captivity was released, and quickly reclaimed the Maratha throne. Shahu and Tarabai briefly fought a succession battle with Shahu eventually prevailing. Shahu formally recognised Mughal suzerainty in return for tax collection rights over six Deccan provinces, and the release of his mother from Mughal captivity. Shahu I ,
20064-439: The death of Aurangzeb, the Deccan wars came to an end after Shahu, son of Sambhaji who had grown up under Mughal captivity was released, and quickly reclaimed the Maratha throne. Shahu and Tarabai briefly fought a succession battle with Shahu eventually prevailing. Shahu formally recognised Mughal suzerainty in return for tax collection rights over six Deccan provinces, and the release of his mother from Mughal captivity. Shahu I ,
20240-535: The districts of Burhanpur , Betul , Chhindwara and Balaghat ), Goa , Chhattisgarh , Tamil Nadu (in Thanjavur ) and Karnataka (in the districts of Belagavi , Karwar , Bagalkote , Vijayapura , Kalaburagi and Bidar ), Telangana , union-territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli . The former Maratha ruled cities of Baroda , Indore , Gwalior , Jabalpur , and Tanjore have had sizeable Marathi-speaking populations for centuries. Marathi
20416-610: The dominant language of epigraphy during the last half century of the dynasty's rule (14th century), and may have been a result of the Yadava attempts to connect with their Marathi-speaking subjects and to distinguish themselves from the Kannada-speaking Hoysalas . Further growth and usage of the language was because of two religious sects – the Mahanubhava and Varkari panthan s – who adopted Marathi as
20592-439: The efforts of the Christian missionary William Carey . Carey also published the first dictionary of Marathi in Devanagari script. The most comprehensive Marathi-English dictionary was compiled by Captain James Thomas Molesworth and Major Thomas Candy in 1831. The book is still in print nearly two centuries after its publication. Molesworth also worked on standardising Marathi. He used Brahmins of Pune for this task and adopted
20768-438: The efforts of the Christian missionary William Carey . Carey also published the first dictionary of Marathi in Devanagari script. The most comprehensive Marathi-English dictionary was compiled by Captain James Thomas Molesworth and Major Thomas Candy in 1831. The book is still in print nearly two centuries after its publication. Molesworth also worked on standardising Marathi. He used Brahmins of Pune for this task and adopted
20944-610: The elites of the era using Persian words was a status symbol. Surnames derived from service during that period such as Fadnis, Chitnis , Mirasdar, etc. are still in use today. Most of the Marathi Bhakti poet saints, who worshipped Vitthal , belonged to the period between late Yadava and the late Islamic era. These include Dnyaneshwar , Namdev , Eknath , Bahinabai and Tukaram . Other important religious figures of this era were Narsimha Saraswati , and Mahanubhava sect founder Chakradhar Swami . Shaivite saints like Manmath swami , Gajanan Maharaj, Sant Narhari Sonar. All of them used
21120-465: The entire community.The festivals of Ganeshotsav and annual wari pilgrimage to the Vitthal temple at Pandharpur are of significant importance to all Marathis alike. At birth, a child is initiated into the family ritually. The child's naming ceremony may happen many weeks or even months later, and it is called the bārsa . In many Indian Hindu communities, the naming is most often done by consulting
21296-410: The entire community.The festivals of Ganeshotsav and annual wari pilgrimage to the Vitthal temple at Pandharpur are of significant importance to all Marathis alike. At birth, a child is initiated into the family ritually. The child's naming ceremony may happen many weeks or even months later, and it is called the bārsa . In many Indian Hindu communities, the naming is most often done by consulting
21472-475: The establishment by Bal Thackeray of Shiv Sena, a populist sectarian party advocating the rights of Marathi people in the heterogeneous city of Mumbai. Early campaigns by Shiv Sena advocated for more opportunities for Marathi people in government jobs. The party also led a campaign against the city's South Indian population. By the 1980s the party had captured power in the Mumbai Corporation , and in
21648-407: The establishment by Bal Thackeray of Shiv Sena, a populist sectarian party advocating the rights of Marathi people in the heterogeneous city of Mumbai. Early campaigns by Shiv Sena advocated for more opportunities for Marathi people in government jobs. The party also led a campaign against the city's South Indian population. By the 1980s the party had captured power in the Mumbai Corporation , and in
21824-655: The grandson of Shivaji, with the help of capable Maratha administrators and generals such as the Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath and his descendants, saw the greatest expansion of the Maratha power. After Shahu's death in 1749, the Peshwa Nanasaheb and his successors became the virtual rulers of the Maratha Confederacy. The Maratha Confederacy was expanded by many Marathi chieftains including Peshwa Bajirao Ballal I and his descendants,
22000-442: The grandson of Shivaji, with the help of capable Maratha administrators and generals such as the Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath and his descendants, saw the greatest expansion of the Maratha power. After Shahu's death in 1749, the Peshwa Nanasaheb and his successors became the virtual rulers of the Maratha Confederacy. The Maratha Confederacy was expanded by many Marathi chieftains including Peshwa Bajirao Ballal I and his descendants,
22176-753: The intermediate category include: Gujjars , Lingayats and Rajputs who migrated centuries ago to Maharashtra from northern and southern India – and settled in Maharashtra. The population of the Mangs was 8%. Majority of Marathi Hindu belong either to the cultivator caste cluster of Maratha and Kunbi , or one of the former village servant ( Bara Balutedar ) castes which include Shimpi (Tailor), Lohar (Iron-smith), Suthar (carpenters), Mali (florists and cultivators), Dhobhi or Parit (washer), Gurav (village priest), Kumbhar (potters), Sonar (Goldsmith), Teli (oil pressers), Lingayats , Chambhar (cobbler), Mang (rope makers), Koli (fishermen or water carriers) and Nabhik (barbers). The Mahar were one of
22352-489: The language's name was saṃskṛtam , while in day-to-day Marathi it is saṃskrut . In other Indic languages, it is closer to sanskrit ). Spoken Marathi allows for conservative stress patterns in words like शब्द ( śabda ) with an emphasis on the ending vowel sound, a feature that has been lost in Hindi due to Schwa deletion . A defining feature of the Marathi language is the split of Indo-Aryan ल /la/ into
22528-564: The late 1940s and early 1950s. The number of Bene Israel remaining in India was estimated to be around 4,000–5,000 in 1988. In 1956, the States Reorganisation Act reorganised the Indian states along linguistic lines, and the Bombay Presidency State was enlarged by the addition of the predominantly Marathi-speaking regions of Marathwada ( Aurangabad Division ) from the erstwhile Hyderabad state and
22704-407: The late 1940s and early 1950s. The number of Bene Israel remaining in India was estimated to be around 4,000–5,000 in 1988. In 1956, the States Reorganisation Act reorganised the Indian states along linguistic lines, and the Bombay Presidency State was enlarged by the addition of the predominantly Marathi-speaking regions of Marathwada ( Aurangabad Division ) from the erstwhile Hyderabad state and
22880-475: The late colonial period. After Indian independence , Marathi was accorded the status of a scheduled language on the national level. In 1956, the then Bombay state was reorganised, which brought most Marathi and Gujarati speaking areas under one state. Further re-organization of the Bombay state on 1 May 1960, created the Marathi speaking Maharashtra and Gujarati speaking Gujarat state respectively. With state and cultural protection, Marathi made great strides by
23056-552: The leadership of Molesworth and Candy. They consulted Brahmins of Pune for this task and adopted the Sanskrit dominated dialect spoken by the elite in the city as the standard dialect for Marathi. The first Marathi translation of the New Testament was published in 1811 by the Serampore press of William Carey. The first Marathi newspaper called Durpan was started by Balshastri Jambhekar in 1832. Newspapers provided
23232-602: The literate classes such as various Brahmin sub-castes and CKP . These groups formed the backbone of administration in the new Maratha Empire states in many places such as Vyara - Songadh of ( Surat ), Baroda ( Vadodara ), Indore , Gwalior , Bundelkhand , and Tanjore . Many families belonging to these groups still follow Marathi traditions even though they have lived more than 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from Maharashtra for more than 200 years. Other people have migrated in modern times in search of jobs outside Maharashtra. These people have also settled in almost all parts of
23408-600: The literate classes such as various Brahmin sub-castes and CKP . These groups formed the backbone of administration in the new Maratha Empire states in many places such as Vyara - Songadh of ( Surat ), Baroda ( Vadodara ), Indore , Gwalior , Bundelkhand , and Tanjore . Many families belonging to these groups still follow Marathi traditions even though they have lived more than 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from Maharashtra for more than 200 years. Other people have migrated in modern times in search of jobs outside Maharashtra. These people have also settled in almost all parts of
23584-579: The mainly Hindu population and their Islamic rulers came to an accommodation over time. For most of this period Brahmins were in charge of accounts, whereas revenue collection was in the hands of Marathas who held watans (hereditary rights) of Patilki (revenue collection at village level), and Deshmukhi (revenue collection over a larger area). A number of families such as Bhosale , Shirke , Ghorpade, Jadhav , More , Mahadik , Ghatge , Gharge and Nimbalkar loyally served different sultans at different periods of time. All watandar considered their watan
23760-469: The medium for preaching their doctrines of devotion. Marathi was used in court life by the time of the Yadava kings. During the reign of the last three Yadava kings, a great deal of literature in verse and prose, on astrology, medicine, Puranas , Vedanta , kings and courtiers were created. Nalopakhyana , Rukminiswayamvara and Shripati's Jyotisharatnamala (1039) are a few examples. The oldest book in prose form in Marathi, Vivēkasindhu ( विवेकसिंधु ),
23936-404: The migration. These dialects have speakers in various parts of Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka . Other Marathi–Konkani languages and dialects spoken in Maharashtra include Maharashtrian Konkani , Malvani , Sangameshwari, Agri , Andh , Warli , Vadvali and Samavedi . Vowels in native words are: There is almost no phonemic length distinction, even though it is indicated in
24112-595: The miracle-filled the life of Chakradhar Swami of the Mahanubhava sect compiled by his close disciple, Mahimbhatta, in 1238. The Līḷācarītra is thought to be the first biography written in the Marathi language. Mahimbhatta's second important literary work is the Shri Govindaprabhucharitra or Ruddhipurcharitra , a biography of Shri Chakradhar Swami's guru, Shri Govind Prabhu. This was probably written in 1288. The Mahanubhava sect made Marathi
24288-399: The naval force dominated the territorial waters of the western coast of India from Mumbai to Sawantwadi . It would engage in attacking British , Portuguese , Dutch , and Siddi naval ships and kept a check on their naval ambitions. The Maratha Navy dominated until around the 1730s, but was in a state of decline by the 1770s, and ceased to exist entirely by 1818. Before British rule,
24464-420: The naval force dominated the territorial waters of the western coast of India from Mumbai to Sawantwadi . It would engage in attacking British , Portuguese , Dutch , and Siddi naval ships and kept a check on their naval ambitions. The Maratha Navy dominated until around the 1730s, but was in a state of decline by the 1770s, and ceased to exist entirely by 1818. Before British rule, the Maharashtra region
24640-537: The oldest diaspora of Marathi people outside India. After India gained independence from Britain in 1947, all princely states lying within the borders of the Bombay Presidency acceded to the Indian Union and were integrated into the newly created Bombay State in 1950. The small community of Marathi Jews ( Bene Israel – Sons of Israel) started emigrating to the newly created country of Israel in
24816-407: The oldest diaspora of Marathi people outside India. After India gained independence from Britain in 1947, all princely states lying within the borders of the Bombay Presidency acceded to the Indian Union and were integrated into the newly created Bombay State in 1950. The small community of Marathi Jews ( Bene Israel – Sons of Israel) started emigrating to the newly created country of Israel in
24992-399: The original diphthong qualities of ⟨ऐ⟩ [əi] , and ⟨औ⟩ [əu] which became monophthongs in Hindi. However, similar to speakers of Western Indo-Aryan languages and Dravidian languages, Marathi speakers tend to pronounce syllabic consonant ऋ ṛ as [ru] , unlike Northern Indo-Aryan languages which changed it to [ri] (e.g. the original Sanskrit pronunciation of
25168-534: The pioneer of printing in Indian languages, was only able to print in Devanagari. He later tried printing in Modi but by that time, Balbodh Devanagari had been accepted for printing. Marathi is usually written in the Balbodh version of Devanagari script, an abugida consisting of 36 consonant letters and 16 initial- vowel letters. It is written from left to right. The Devanagari alphabet used to write Marathi
25344-546: The popular Marathi periodical of that era called Kesari in 1881. Later under the editorship of Lokmanya Tilak , the newspaper was instrumental in spreading Tilak's nationalist and social views. Phule and Deshmukh also started their periodicals, Deenbandhu and Prabhakar , that criticised the prevailing Hindu culture of the day. The 19th century and early 20th century saw several books published on Marathi grammar. Notable grammarians of this period were Tarkhadkar , A.K.Kher, Moro Keshav Damle, and R.Joshi The first half of
25520-801: The population in Maharashtra, 10.89% in Goa, 7.01% in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, 4.53% in Daman and Diu, 3.38% in Karnataka, 1.7% in Madhya Pradesh, and 1.52% in Gujarat. The following table is a list of the geographic distribution of Marathi speakers as it appears in the 2019 edition of Ethnologue , a language reference published by SIL International , which is based in the United States . Marathi
25696-472: The population of Maharashtra. They dominate the cooperative institutions and with the resultant economic power control politics from the village level up to the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats. Since the 1980s, this group has also been active in setting up private educational institutions. Major past political figures of Maharashtra have been from this group. The rise of the Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena and
25872-411: The population of Maharashtra. They dominate the cooperative institutions and with the resultant economic power control politics from the village level up to the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats. Since the 1980s, this group has also been active in setting up private educational institutions. Major past political figures of Maharashtra have been from this group. The rise of the Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena and
26048-609: The presence of schwa in the written spelling. From the 13th century until the beginning of British rule in the 19th century, Marathi was written in the Modi script for administrative purposes but in Devanagari for literature. Since 1950 it has been written in the Balbodh style of Devanagari. Except for Father Thomas Stephens' Krista Purana in the Latin script in the 1600s, Marathi has mainly been printed in Devanagari because William Carey ,
26224-676: The pronunciations of English words such as of /æ/ in act and /ɔ/ in all . These are written as ⟨अॅ⟩ and ⟨ऑ⟩ . The default vowel has two allophones apart from ə . The most prevalent allophone is ɤ , which results in कळ ( kaḷa ) being more commonly pronounced as [kɤːɺ̢ ] rather than [kəɺ̢ ] . Another rare allophone is ʌ , which occurs in words such as महाराज ( mahārāja ): [mʌɦaˈrad͡ʒ] . Marathi retains several features of Sanskrit that have been lost in other Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindi and Bengali, especially in terms of pronunciation of vowels and consonants. For instance, Marathi retains
26400-463: The rule of the Satavahana dynasty , which ruled the region for 400 years. The Vakataka dynasty then ruled Maharashtra from the 3rd century to the 5th century AD, and the Chalukya dynasty from the 6th century to the 8th century. The two prominent rulers were Pulakeshin II , who defeated the Kannauj Emperor Harsh , and Vikramaditya II , who defeated Arab invaders (Umayyad Caliphate) in the 8th century. The Rashtrakuta dynasty ruled Maharashtra from
26576-444: The script. Some educated speakers try to maintain a length distinction in learned borrowings ( tatsamas ) from Sanskrit. There are no nasal vowels, although some speakers of Puneri and Kokni dialects maintain nasalisation of vowels that was present in old Marathi and continues to be orthographically present in modern Marathi. Marathi furthermore contrasts /əi, əu/ with /ai, au/ . There are two more vowels in Marathi to denote
26752-700: The social and religious reform movements, as well as the Indian nationalist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notable civil society bodies founded by Marathi leaders during the 19th century include the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha , the Prarthana Samaj , the Arya Mahila Samaj, and the Satya Shodhak Samaj . The Pune Sarvajanik Sabha took an active part in relief efforts during the famine of 1875–1876. It
26928-424: The social and religious reform movements, as well as the Indian nationalist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notable civil society bodies founded by Marathi leaders during the 19th century include the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha , the Prarthana Samaj , the Arya Mahila Samaj, and the Satya Shodhak Samaj . The Pune Sarvajanik Sabha took an active part in relief efforts during the famine of 1875–1876. It
27104-496: The state of Goa , where it is used for replies, when requests are received in Marathi. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India , with 83 million speakers as of 2011. Marathi ranks 13th in the list of languages with most native speakers in the world . Marathi has the third largest number of native speakers in India, after Hindi and Bengali . The language has some of the oldest literature of all modern Indian languages. The major dialects of Marathi are Standard Marathi and
27280-498: The sultans promoted use of Marathi in official documents. However, the Marathi language from the era is heavily Persianised in its vocabulary. The Persian influence continues to this day with many Persian derived words used in everyday speech such as bāg (Garden), kārkhānā (factory), shahar (city), bāzār (market), dukān (shop), hushār (clever), kāḡaḏ (paper), khurchi (chair), jamin (land), jāhirāt (advertisement), and hazār (thousand) Marathi also became language of administration during
27456-514: The term " Dalit literature " was used for the first time, when the first conference of Maharashtra Dalit Sahitya Sangha (Maharashtra Dalit Literature Society) was held at Mumbai , a movement inspired by 19th century social reformer, Jyotiba Phule and eminent dalit leader, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar . Baburao Bagul (1930–2008) was a pioneer of Dalit writings in Marathi. His first collection of stories, Jevha Mi Jat Chorali ( जेव्हा मी जात चोरली , " When I Stole My Caste "), published in 1963, created
27632-495: The term Maratha is derived from Rattas, a tribe which held political supremacy in the Deccan from the remotest time. The Rattas called themselves Maha Rattas or Great Rattas, and thus the country in which they lived came to be called Maharashtra , the Sanskrit of which is Maha-rashtra. In the Harivamsa , the Yadava kingdom called Anaratta is described as mostly inhabited by the Abhiras (Abhira-praya-manusyam). The Anartta country and its inhabitants were called Surastra and
27808-432: The untouchable group of castes. In exchange for their services, the balutedars were granted complex sets of hereditary rights (watan) to a share in the village harvest. The British rule of more than a century in the present-day Maharashtra region saw huge changes for the Marathi people in every aspect of their lives. Areas that correspond to present-day Maharashtra were under direct or indirect British rule, first under
27984-430: The untouchable group of castes. In exchange for their services, the balutedars were granted complex sets of hereditary rights (watan) to a share in the village harvest. The British rule of more than a century in the present-day Maharashtra region saw huge changes for the Marathi people in every aspect of their lives. Areas that correspond to present-day Maharashtra were under direct or indirect British rule, first under
28160-490: The variation within these dialects is primarily lexical and phonological (e.g. accent placement and pronunciation). Although the number of dialects is considerable, the degree of intelligibility within these dialects is relatively high. Varhadi (Varhādi) (वऱ्हाडि) or Vaidarbhi (वैदर्भि) is spoken in the Western Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. In Marathi, the retroflex lateral approximant ḷ [ ɭ ]
28336-459: The vocabulary was Persian, it dropped to 37% by 1677. His reign stimulated the deployment of Marathi as a tool of systematic description and understanding. Shivaji Maharaj commissioned one of his officials, Balaji Avaji Chitnis , to make a comprehensive lexicon to replace Persian and Arabic terms with their Sanskrit equivalents. This led to production of 'Rājavyavahārakośa', the thesaurus of state usage in 1677. Subsequent Maratha rulers extended
28512-511: The words are native. Vedic Sanskrit did have /ɭ, ɭʱ/ as well, but they merged with /ɖ, ɖʱ/ by the time of classical Sanskrit. The Kadamba script and its variants have been historically used to write Marathi in the form of inscriptions on stones and copper plates. The Marathi version of Devanagari , called Balbodh , is similar to the Hindi Devanagari alphabet except for its use for certain words. Some words in Marathi preserve
28688-915: The world including the United States, Australia, Canada, the Gulf countries, European countries, Iran, and Pakistan. After the third battle of Panipat, Marathi people settled in Sindh and Balochisthan region (modern day Pakistan). After partition of India, many Marathi Hindus came to India. But, 500–1000 Marathi Hindus also lives in Karachi city of Sindh province. The majority of Marathi people are Hindus . Minorities by religion include Muslims , Buddhists , Jains , Christians , Parsis and Jews . The main life ceremonies in Hindu culture include those related to birth, weddings, initiation ceremonies, as well as death rituals. Other ceremonies for different occasions in Hindu life include Vastushanti and "Satyanarayan" which
28864-752: The world including the United States, Australia, Canada, the Gulf countries, European countries, Iran, and Pakistan. After the third battle of Panipat, Marathi people settled in Sindh and Balochisthan region (modern day Pakistan). After partition of India, many Marathi Hindus came to India. But, 500–1000 Marathi Hindus also lives in Karachi city of Sindh province. The majority of Marathi people are Hindus . Minorities by religion include Muslims , Buddhists , Jains , Christians , Parsis and Jews . The main life ceremonies in Hindu culture include those related to birth, weddings, initiation ceremonies, as well as death rituals. Other ceremonies for different occasions in Hindu life include Vastushanti and "Satyanarayan" which
29040-452: Was divided into many revenue divisions. The medieval equivalent of a county or district was the pargana . The chief of the pargana was called Deshmukh and record keepers were called Deshpande . The lowest administrative unit was the village. Village society in Marathi areas included the Patil or the head of the village, collector of revenue, and Kulkarni , the village record-keeper. These were hereditary positions. The Patil usually came from
29216-451: Was formed as a Marathi-speaking state of India on 1 May 1960, as part of a nationwide linguistic reorganisation of the Indian states . The term "Maratha" is generally used by historians to refer to all Marathi-speaking peoples, irrespective of their caste ; However, it may refer to a Maharashtrian caste known as the Maratha which also includes farmer sub castes like the Kunbis . The Marathi community came into political prominence in
29392-567: Was founded and led by Marathis from Nagpur for many decades. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1889–1966), a Marathi from Nashik district, an Indian independence activist , who advocated violence to overthrow British rule in his youth, later formulated the Hindu nationalist philosophy of Hindutva . He was a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha . Savarkar's Hindutva philosophy remains the guiding principle for organisations that are part of
29568-446: Was founded and led by Marathis from Nagpur for many decades. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1889–1966), a Marathi from Nashik district, an Indian independence activist , who advocated violence to overthrow British rule in his youth, later formulated the Hindu nationalist philosophy of Hindutva . He was a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha . Savarkar's Hindutva philosophy remains the guiding principle for organisations that are part of
29744-854: Was headed by the Brahmin castes-the Deshasthas , Chitpavans , Karhades , Saraswats , and the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus . In Mumbai during British rule, this included the Pathare Prabhu and the other communities. The Marathas are 32% in Western Maharashtra and the Kunbis were 7%, whereas the Other Backward Class population (other than the Kunbi) was 27%. The other castes in
29920-591: Was headed by the Brahmin castes-the Deshasthas , Chitpavans , Karhades , Saraswats , and the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus . In Mumbai during British rule, this included the Pathare Prabhu and the other communities. The Marathas are 32% in Western Maharashtra and the Kunbis were 7%, whereas the Other Backward Class population (other than the Kunbi) was 27%. The other castes in the intermediate category include: Gujjars , Lingayats and Rajputs who migrated centuries ago to Maharashtra from northern and southern India – and settled in Maharashtra. The population of
30096-400: Was in the hands of Marathas who held watans (hereditary rights) of Patilki (revenue collection at village level), and Deshmukhi (revenue collection over a larger area). A number of families such as Bhosale , Shirke , Ghorpade, Jadhav , More , Mahadik , Ghatge , Gharge and Nimbalkar loyally served different sultans at different periods of time. All watandar considered their watan
30272-522: Was liberated in 1962. The main political party formed immediately after liberation was the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party . It wanted Goa to merge with Maharashtra because of the affinity between Goan Hindus and the Marathi people. However, the referendum held on this issue rejected the merger. Later, Konkani was made the official language of Goa, but Marathi is also allowed in any government correspondence. The 1960s also saw
30448-438: Was liberated in 1962. The main political party formed immediately after liberation was the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party . It wanted Goa to merge with Maharashtra because of the affinity between Goan Hindus and the Marathi people. However, the referendum held on this issue rejected the merger. Later, Konkani was made the official language of Goa, but Marathi is also allowed in any government correspondence. The 1960s also saw
30624-496: Was started, seeking a separate Gujarati-speaking state. A number of mainly Pune-based leaders such as Keshavrao Jedhe, S.M. Joshi , Shripad Amrit Dange , and Pralhad Keshav Atre formed the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement , alongside Vidarbha-based leaders such as Gopalrao Khedkar , to fight for a separate state of Maharashtra with Mumbai as its state capital. Mass protests, 105 deaths, and heavy losses in
30800-413: Was started, seeking a separate Gujarati-speaking state. A number of mainly Pune-based leaders such as Keshavrao Jedhe, S.M. Joshi , Shripad Amrit Dange , and Pralhad Keshav Atre formed the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement , alongside Vidarbha-based leaders such as Gopalrao Khedkar , to fight for a separate state of Maharashtra with Mumbai as its state capital. Mass protests, 105 deaths, and heavy losses in
30976-506: Was written by Mukundaraja , a Nath yogi and arch-poet of Marathi. Mukundaraja bases his exposition of the basic tenets of the Hindu philosophy and the yoga marga on the utterances or teachings of Shankaracharya . Mukundaraja's other work, Paramamrta, is considered the first systematic attempt to explain the Vedanta in the Marathi language Notable examples of Marathi prose are " Līḷācarītra " ( लीळाचरित्र ), events and anecdotes from
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