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Mirzapuri (
Kaithi Kaithi (), also called Kayathi (), Kayasthi (), or Kayastani, is a Brahmic script historically used across parts of Northern and Eastern India. It was prevalent in regions corresponding to modern-day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The s ...
: 𑂧𑂱𑂩𑂹𑂔𑂺𑂰𑂣𑂳𑂩𑂲,
Devanagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental systems: alphabets, writing system), based on the ancient ''Brāhmī script, Brā ...
: मिर्ज़ापुरी,
Nastaleeq ''Nastaliq'' (; ; ), also romanized as ''Nastaʿlīq'' or ''Nastaleeq'' (), is one of the main calligraphic hands used to write Arabic script and is used for some Indo-Iranian languages, predominantly Classical Persian, Kashmiri, Punjabi a ...
: مرزاپوری) is a dialect of the
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
language spoken in the district of
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
and adjacent regions in
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
. It is a mother-tongue under
Eastern Hindi The Eastern Hindi languages, are a branch of the Indo-Aryan language family spoken chiefly in Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh, Baghelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, in Northern and Central India. Eastern Hindi languages evolved ...
of Central group and Classified into
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
language. Thus Mirzapuri is reported as
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
and is the largest language spoken in
Mirzapur district Mirzapur district is one of the 75 districts in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The district is bounded on the north by Bhadohi and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and Rewa dist ...
.


A Local Variant of Awadhi

The Mirzapuri dialect is a term used by the residents of
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
to describe their local variant of the
Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. It is spoken in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh in northern India and in Terai region of western Nepal. The n ...
. While not formally recognized in historical linguistic surveys, "Mirzapuri" is a colloquial designation used by locals and some
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
writers to refer to the dialect spoken in the region. Historically, the
Linguistic Survey of India The Linguistic Survey of India (LSI) is a comprehensive survey of the languages of British India, describing 364 languages and dialects. The Survey was first proposed by George Abraham Grierson, a member of the Indian Civil Service and a lingu ...
, conducted by G.A. Grierson, identified the language of the Mirzapur region as Western Standard
Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...
. However, significant changes have occurred since the division of the district in 1989, with the 2011 census showing that 80% of the population in the current Mirzapur district reports
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
as their primary language, with
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
being a significant Mother-tongue. The Mirzapuri dialect of
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
has been documented with a
Glottolog ''Glottolog'' is an open-access online bibliographic database of the world's languages. In addition to listing linguistic materials ( grammars, articles, dictionaries) describing individual languages, the database also contains the most up-to-d ...
code (mirz1238) and a
Linguasphere The Linguasphere Observatory (or the Observatoire, based on its original French and legal title: ''Observatoire Linguistique'') is a non-profit transnational research network, devoted (alongside related programs) to the gathering, study, classifica ...
ID (59-AAF-rab), indicating its recognition within linguistic databases. Efforts have been made by local communities to document and promote the use of the term "Mirzapuri" to preserve the linguistic heritage of the region.


Historical Context and Linguistic Surveys

Historically, the
Linguistic Survey of India The Linguistic Survey of India (LSI) is a comprehensive survey of the languages of British India, describing 364 languages and dialects. The Survey was first proposed by George Abraham Grierson, a member of the Indian Civil Service and a lingu ...
, conducted by G.A. Grierson, identified the language of the
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
region as Western Standard Bhojpuri. At the time of the survey, the
Mirzapur district Mirzapur district is one of the 75 districts in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The district is bounded on the north by Bhadohi and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and Rewa dist ...
included what is now the separate
Sonbhadra Sonbhadra (also known as Sonebhadra) or Sonanchal is the second largest district by area of Uttar Pradesh after Lakhimpur Kheri. The district headquarters is in the town of Robertsganj. Sonbhadra is also known as the "Energy Capital of India" f ...
district. However, significant changes have occurred since the division of the district in 1989. According to the 2011 census, 80% of the population in the current Mirzapur district reports
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
as their primary language, with
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
being a significant Mother-tongue. The term "Mirzapuri" does not appear in Grierson's survey, which reflects the broader categorization of dialects at the time. Nonetheless, local usage and subsequent linguistic studies have highlighted the distinctiveness of the dialect spoken in
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
, which aligns more closely with
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
than with
Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...
.


Recognition and Documentation

The Mirzapuri dialect has been documented with a
Glottolog ''Glottolog'' is an open-access online bibliographic database of the world's languages. In addition to listing linguistic materials ( grammars, articles, dictionaries) describing individual languages, the database also contains the most up-to-d ...
code (mirz1238) and a
Linguasphere The Linguasphere Observatory (or the Observatoire, based on its original French and legal title: ''Observatoire Linguistique'') is a non-profit transnational research network, devoted (alongside related programs) to the gathering, study, classifica ...
ID (59-AAF-rab), indicating its recognition within linguistic databases. Despite its local significance, Mirzapuri is often underrepresented in broader linguistic surveys due to its limited geographical scope and the dominance of more widely recognized languages like
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
and
Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...
.


Literary and Scholarly References

One of the most comprehensive sources on the
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
language, including its variants, is Baburam Saxena's book ''"Evolution of Awadhi: Branch of Hindi"'' (1938). Saxena discusses the language of
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
in detail, noting its characteristics and its place within the broader
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
language family. Saxena states, "The dialect spoken in
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
exhibits features typical of
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
, with local variations that distinguish it from other dialects within the region."


''Literature''

''Indravati'' is a major work in this language written by ''Nur Muhammad'' on the model of ''Padmdvat'' in 1757 AD. Another work is ''Shri Ramayana'' written by ''Jhama Dasa'' at
Vindhyachal Vindhyachal is a city in Mirzapur district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is a Hindu pilgrimage site having the temple of Vindhyavasini, who according to Markandeya Purana, had incarnated to kill the demon Mahishasura. A det ...
of
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
in 1761 AD. ''According to'' ''Ahmed Shah'', who first translated
Bijak Bijak is a compilation of verses and hymns attributed to Kabir, a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint. The term "Bijak" translates to "Seedling" or "The Seed" in Hindi, symbolizing the essence of Kabir's teachings. The text is central to the ...
of
Kabir Kabir ( 15th century) was a well-known Indian devotional mystic poet and sant. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Gar ...
into English, the language of
Bijak Bijak is a compilation of verses and hymns attributed to Kabir, a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint. The term "Bijak" translates to "Seedling" or "The Seed" in Hindi, symbolizing the essence of Kabir's teachings. The text is central to the ...
is in Mirzapuri dialect, which he says a dialect of
Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...
but ''according to Grierson'', there isn't even a single word of Bhojpuri in Bijak and it was written in old Awadhi. which confirms
Bijak Bijak is a compilation of verses and hymns attributed to Kabir, a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint. The term "Bijak" translates to "Seedling" or "The Seed" in Hindi, symbolizing the essence of Kabir's teachings. The text is central to the ...
was written in
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
and also Mirzapuri is a dialect of Awadhi.


Current Linguistic Landscape

The current linguistic landscape of
Mirzapur Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Kaimur extension of Vindhya mountains, it served as the headquarters of t ...
reflects a shift from the historical dominance of Western Bhojpuri to a more complex mix of languages. While
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
is reported as the primary language by the majority of the population,
Awadhi Awadhi may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Awadh or Oudh region in Uttar Pradesh, northern India ** Awadhi people, ethnic group of India *** Awadhi language Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging ...
remains a significant local dialect.
Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...
is still spoken in the eastern region of
Chunar Chunar is a city located in Mirzapur district of Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is nearby Mirzapur city. The railway tracks passing through Chunar Junction railway station leads to major destinations of India, including Howrah, Delhi, Ta ...
Tehsil, but it is no longer the dominant language across the entire district.
Kajri Kajari is a folk song and dance form from Bhojpuri region of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It is of the Hindustani classical music genre, performed during the rainy season usually late June to September when lush greenery reappears and agricultural l ...
folk song is playing a major role in promoting the Mirzapuri dialect.


References

{{Reflist Awadhi language Languages written in Devanagari