Dhundhari

Dhundhari, also known as Dhundari, is an Indo-Aryan language or dialect spoken in the Dhundhar region of Rajasthan, India. It belongs to the Rajasthani subgroup within the Western branch of the Indo-Aryan language family. In linguistic usage it is generally treated as a dialect of Rajasthani, though some scholars regard it as a distinct language because of its distinctive vocabulary and phonology.

Dhundhari is spoken primarily in the Dhundhar region, with its core in and around Jaipur and extending to nearby districts such as Dausa and Sikar, and parts of Alwar. It has a rich oral tradition, including folk songs and ballads that reflect local culture. The speaker population is substantial within Rajasthan, and many Dhundhari speakers are bilingual in Hindi.

In modern writing, Dhundhari is commonly written in the Devanagari script. Because there has been no long-standing standard orthography, spelling and transcription vary. The language has been used in local literature and media to some extent, contributing to regional cultural expression.

Dhundhari shares features with other Rajasthani varieties and shows influence from Hindi due to ongoing contact with speakers of standard Hindi. Dialectal variation exists within the Dhundhari-speaking area, and there is no single universally accepted standard form.