Rajasthani

Rajasthani refers to a group of Indo-Aryan languages spoken mainly in the Indian state of Rajasthan and surrounding regions. It is part of the Western branch of Indo-Aryan and is often described as a dialect continuum rather than a single language. Linguists differ on whether Rajasthani should be treated as one language with many dialects or as a small family of closely related languages; major varieties commonly listed include Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari (Jaipuri), Shekhawati, and Hadoti.

Geographically, Rajasthani is spoken throughout Rajasthan and in adjacent areas of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and the Delhi region, with sizable speaker communities in diaspora populations worldwide. Estimates of total speakers vary, but the language family comprises tens of millions of people.

Dialects and standardization: The varieties share a common core grammar and lexicon but differ in phonology and vocabulary. There is no single universally adopted standard form; instead, individual dialects often serve as the basis for regional literature and education. In some contexts, a regional standard is used for publishing and media, rather than a national standard.

Scripts: Devanagari is the most common script for writing Rajasthani today. Historically, Mahajani and Kaithi were used for administrative purposes, and Perso-Arabic script has been used by some Muslim communities.

Status and culture: Rajasthani has a rich literary and oral tradition, including folk poetry and ballads. It is not currently listed in India's Eighth Schedule of official languages, but it remains widely used in regional media, education, and cultural expression in Rajasthan.