Dialects Of Rajasthan And Its Cultural Significance

Rajasthan is known for its royal history, traditional communities, cuisine, art, culture, literature and distinctive regional traditions. One of the clearest examples of this cultural diversity is the way people speak across the state. Rajasthan is home to several regional dialects, each shaped by the history and geography of the area where it is spoken.

What language is spoken in Rajasthan?

Hindi is the official language of Rajasthan, used for administrative purposes. However, Rajasthani is widely spoken in daily life and refers to a western Indo-Aryan language made up of several regional dialects, including Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari, Shekhawati, Harauti, Mewati and Wagdi. The different dialects developed across Rajasthan’s former princely states and regions, and many remain closely connected to the communities and cultures where they are spoken.

A Quick Rajasthan Language Guide

Category	Detail
Official language	Hindi
Widely spoken language	Rajasthani
Number of major dialects	15+
Most common dialect	Marwari
Marwari speakers	Around 7.8 million
Script used for Rajasthani	Devanagari

The Language and Dialects of Rajasthan & its Culture

Rajasthani is a western Indo-Aryan language with several dialects primarily concentrated in Rajasthan. These dialects are closely connected to the state’s cultural history and the different communities and regions that developed across it.

Several princely states eventually came together to form Rajasthan, and the linguistic traditions of these regions continued alongside their distinct cultural identities. Scholar George Abraham Grierson coined the term ‘Rajasthani’ in 1908. The Rajasthani language is written in Devanagari, with 10 vowels and 31 consonants.

Dialects of Rajasthan

Rajasthan has a wide range of dialects spread across different parts of the state. Some are concentrated within Rajasthan, while others extend into neighbouring states and even across national borders.

Marwari

Marwari is the most common dialect associated with Rajasthan. Historically, it was written in the Mahajani script, while Devanagari is used today. Marwari is also written in the Perso-Arabic script in Pakistan. According to popular belief, Gujarati and Marwari originated from Maru-Gurjar or Gujjar-Bhakha, a language associated with the Gurjars.

Mewari

Mewari is spoken in the southeastern parts of the Mewar region. The dialect is used in areas including Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur and Bhilwara. Mewari follows an SOV sentence structure, meaning the subject generally comes first, followed by the object and then the verb.

Dhundhari/Jaipuri

Dhundhari, also known as Jaipuri, is another widely spoken dialect. It is used in areas including Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Bundi and parts of Kishangarh. There is no established tradition of writing Dhundhari as a separate written language. It is represented using the Devanagari script.

Shekhawati

Shekhawati is spoken mainly in Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Churu. The dialect takes its name from the Shekhawat dynasty, which ruled the Shekhawati region of northeast Rajasthan from 1445 to 1948. The region has a significant historical influence on Rajasthani linguistic and literary traditions, although there have been fewer contributions specifically to written Shekhawati.

Harauti

Harauti is spoken in parts of Kota and Bundi, as well as in Baran, Jhalawar and corresponding parts of Madhya Pradesh. Together, these areas form the historical Hadoti region. The dialect is classified within the Indo-European language family.

Mewati

Mewati is spoken in the northeast of Jaipur, particularly in Alwar and surrounding areas. It originated in Mewat, a region traditionally associated with the Meos. Mewati shares similarities with Braja Bhasa, which is widely spoken in the Bharatpur region. The earliest use of the Mewati dialect was documented by British geographer James Rennell.

Gujari

Gujari is spoken by communities in India and among Gujjars in northern Pakistan. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir recognises the dialect, where it has widespread use. Some historians and researchers also believe that Gujari played a role in the development of Rajasthani dialects.

Ahirwati

Ahirwati is widely used in the Ahirwal region and takes its name from the Yaduvanshi Ahirs who traditionally used the dialect. It is often considered part of the Mewati dialect, although it also shares similarities with Shekhawati, Bagri and Bangru. Ahirwati does not have one specific script. Depending on the region, it can be written in Devanagari, Perso-Arabic or Gurmukhi.

Wagdi

The name Wagdi is associated with the Bhil community. People who speak Bhili also refer to themselves as Wagdi speakers. Wagdi is spoken across parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Within Rajasthan, Dungarpur, Banswara and Udaipur have significant numbers of Wagdi speakers.

Lambadi

The Lambadi dialect is associated with the Banjara community, traditionally a nomadic group that travelled across different parts of India. Lambadi is primarily a spoken language and does not have a native script. Among Banjara communities in Maharashtra, it is written in Devanagari, while the script changes to Kannada and Telugu in parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Malvi

Malvi is associated with the Malwa region, which includes areas such as Bhopal, Mandsor, Indore and Ujjain. It is also spoken in the southern parts of Rajasthan, where it exists alongside Jaipuri and other dialects. Unlike dialects such as Marwari and Dhundhari, which originated within Rajasthan, Malvi originated outside the state in the Malwa region.

Bagri

Bagri is widely spoken in northern Rajasthan and also extends into southern Punjab and northwestern Haryana. The dialect takes its name from the Bagar tract of northwestern India. Bagri has only slight differences from the language spoken in neighbouring parts of Haryana and Punjab, giving it a linguistic connection between these regions and Rajasthan.

Thali/Dhatak

Thali and Dhatak are names used for a dialect spoken in areas that were historically part of Sind. In Rajasthan, it is used in western parts of Jaisalmer, the Thar region and Barmer. It is called Thali in the north and Dhatak in the west, while a form known as Bikaneri is used in Bikaner. The dialect closely resembles Marwari. Most of its speakers live in Sindh, Pakistan, with smaller numbers in India.

Nimadi

Nimadi is spoken in the Nimar region, which covers parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It is also used in areas such as Khandwa, Burhanpur and parts of Dhar. Writers such as Gaurishankar Sharma and Ramnarayan Upadhyay have received recognition for their work in Nimadi.

Rajasthan Official and Spoken Langugages

Hindi is the official language of Rajasthan and is used for administrative purposes. Rajasthani, meanwhile, is widely spoken across the state through its many regional dialects. Many people in Rajasthan speak Rajasthani and its regional dialects in daily life. There is no single uniform form of spoken Rajasthani across the entire state. Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari, Shekhawati, Harauti, Mewati and Wagdi are among the dialects spoken in different regions.

The language is commonly called Rajasthani. However, people sometimes refer to the language by its dominant regional dialect, particularly Marwari, which is the most widely spoken dialect. Rajasthani is made up of 15+ major regional dialects, including Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari, Shekhawati, Harauti, Mewati and Wagdi. The dialects vary according to the region and community where they are spoken.

What Makes Marwari the Most Widespread Dialect?

Marwari is the most widespread dialect among those associated with the Rajasthani language. There are more than 7.8 million Marwari speakers, most of them in Rajasthan. Western Rajasthan has a mix of Marwari and other dialects, which is one reason people sometimes use Marwari and Rajasthani interchangeably. However, Marwari is one dialect within the broader Rajasthani language.

Marwari is particularly concentrated around Jodhpur and also influences speech in nearby areas. Towards the west, it influences speech in Jaisalmer, while towards the east it has an influence on dialects spoken in Ajmer, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara and Udaipur. A smaller number of Marwari speakers are also found in Sindh and Nepal. Different forms of the dialect are spoken in Jalore, Barmer, Pali and parts of Nagaur.

Frequently Asked Questions