Md.Rishad at 17:31, 26 February 2026

2026-02-26T17:31:00Z

New page

{{Short description|Western Pahari language of north India}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Kangri
| nativename = कांगड़ी
| states = [[India]]
| region = [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| speakers = {{sigfig|1.120000|2}} million
| date = 2011
| ref = e25
| speakers2 =
| familycolor = Indo-European
| fam2 = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]
| fam3 = [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]
| fam4 = [[North-Western Indo-Aryan languages|North-Western]] or [[Northern Indo-Aryan languages|Northern]]
| fam5 = [[Western Pahari]]
| script = [[Takri]], [[Devanagari]]
| nation =
| iso3 = xnr
| glotto = kang1280
| glottorefname = Kangri
| notice = Indic
| image = File:Kangri language.png
| imagecaption = Kangri written in Takri and Devanagari
}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}
{{wiktionary category 2|Kangri language}}
'''Kangri''' ([[Takri script|Takri]]: {{Lang|xnr|𑚊𑚭𑚫𑚌𑚪𑚯}}) is a [[Western Pahari|Western Pahari language]], spoken in [[Himachal Pradesh]], predominantly in the [[Kangra district]], [[Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh|Hamirpur district]] and hilly parts of [[Una district]] as well as in some parts of [[Mandi district|Mandi]] and [[Chamba district|Chamba]] districts of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and in hilly parts of [[Pathankot district|Pathankot]] and [[Hoshiarpur district|Hoshiarpur]] districts of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref name="e25"/> It is also spoken in some areas of [[Jammu]] region and in a few villages of [[Pakistan]] by the people belonging to the families migrated from [[Kangra district|Kangra region]]. It is associated with the people of the [[Kangra district|Kangra]].<ref name=e25/>

Like most of [[Indo-Aryan languages]], Kangri does form a dialect continuum with its neighbouring languages. This includes the Pahari varieties spoken to the east [[Mandeali language|Mandeali]], north to [[Chambeali]], [[Gaddi language|Gaddi]] & [[Bhateali]], south-east to [[Bilaspuri|Kahluri]] and [[Hinduri language|Hinduri]], Baghliani, Baghati and Keonthali dialects of [[Mahasu Pahari|Mahasui]]. Besides it also share continuum north-west to [[Dogri language|Dogri]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kangri - The Language Of Himachal Pradesh |url=http://www.indiamapped.com/languages-in-india/himachal-pradesh-kangri-language/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.indiamapped.com |archive-date=4 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404143437/http://www.indiamapped.com/languages-in-india/himachal-pradesh-kangri-language/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is classified under [[Western Pahari]].

== Script ==
The native script of the language is [[Takri script|Takri Script]] but now people write Kangri Language in Devanagari script.[[File:Kangri.png|thumb|Specimen in Kangri language|alt=|center]]

== Phonology ==

=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]/ [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
![[Postalveolar consonant|Post-alv.]]/ [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPA link|m}}
|{{IPA link|n}}
|({{IPA link|ɳ}})
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="3" |[[Plosive]]/ [[Affricate]]
!voiceless
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|{{IPA link|ʈ}}
|{{IPA link|tʃ}}
|{{IPA link|k}}
|
|-
!aspirated
|{{IPA link|pʰ}}
|{{IPA link|tʰ}}
|{{IPA link|ʈʰ}}
|{{IPA link|tʃʰ}}
|{{IPA link|kʰ}}
|
|-
!voiced
|{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|d}}
|{{IPA link|ɖ}}
|{{IPA link|dʒ}}
|{{IPA link|ɡ}}
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Fricative]]
|
|{{IPA link|s}}
|
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɦ}}
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
|
|{{IPA link|l}}
|{{IPA link|ɭ}}
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Tap consonant|Tap]]
|
|{{IPA link|ɾ}}
|{{IPA link|ɽ}}, {{IPA link|ɽ̃}}
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Approximant]]
|
|
|
|({{IPA link|j}})
|
|
|}

* It is not clear whether or not [j] is considered as a separate phoneme, but it does occur in various phonetic environments.
* [ɳ] is heard mostly as either an allophone of /ɽ̃/, and as /n/ before a retroflex stop.<ref>Eaton, Robert D. (2008)</ref>

=== Vowels ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
! [[Central vowel|Central]]
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
| {{IPA link|i|iː}}
|
| {{IPA link|u|uː}}
|-
! [[Near-close vowel|Near-close]]
| {{IPA link|ɪ}}
|
| {{IPA link|ʊ}}
|-
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
| {{IPA link|e}}
| {{IPA link|ə}}
| {{IPA link|o}}
|-
! [[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
|
|
| {{IPA link|ɔ}}
|-
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
| {{IPA link|æ}}
| {{IPA link|ɑ|ɑː}}
|
|}

* /e/ can also become lowered to a nasal [ɛ̃], after /ɽ̃/.

=== Tone ===
Kangri is a tonal language like Punjabi and Dogri but the assignment of tones differs in Kangri when compared to them.<ref name="hdl.handle.net">{{cite journal | url=http://hdl.handle.net/10106/945 | hdl=10106/945 | title=Kangri in Context: An Areal Perspective | date=8 August 2008 | last1=Eaton | first1=Robert D. | journal=Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations }}</ref>

Most of the surrounding language varieties (including Kangri) lack voiced, aspirated obstruents (J. C. Sharma 2002, Masica 1993). The cognates of Hindi voiced, aspirated obstruents are voiced but have no aspiration. They are distinct from the cognates of voiced unaspirated obstruents by the tone induced by the loss of aspiration. Another difference to note between Kangri and Punjabi/Dogri is that these forms surface as voiced consonants in Kangri, but voiceless consonants in Punjabi and Dogri. That is, Kangri has lost the aspiration (in gaining tone), but Punjabi and Dogri has lost both aspiration and voicing. It is likely that these are separate innovations which originated in the West (Punjab or Jammu & Kashmir) and have spread outwards. The loss of aspiration (and gaining of tone) has been fully realized in all three languages, but the loss of voicing has not yet reached Kangri.<ref name="hdl.handle.net"/>

== Grammar ==

=== Pronouns ===
The pronouns of Kangri for different persons and numbers are as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
! Person !! Number !! Kangri !! IPA
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1st || Singular || '''मैं''' || mæ̃
|-
| Plural || '''असाँ / अहाँ''' || əsãː / əhãː
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2nd || Singular || '''तू''' || t̪u
|-
| Plural || '''तुसाँ / त्वहाँ''' || t̪usãː / t̪vəhãː
|-
| 3rd || Singular & Plural || '''सै''' || sæ
|}

=== Noun Cases ===

Using the noun '''घर''' (/kʰər/, "home") as an example, the cases in Kangri are:

{| class="wikitable"
! Case !! Kangri !! Hindi Equivalent !! English Equivalent
|-
| Nominative || '''घर''' || घर || home
|-
| Accusative || '''घरे यो/जो''' || घर को || to home
|-
| Ergative || '''घरैँ''' || घर ने || (by) home
|-
| Comitative || '''घरेने''' || घर के साथ || with home
|-
| Instrumental || '''घरेते''' || घर से || through home
|-
| Dative || '''घरेताँइ''' || घर के लिए || for home
|-
| Ablative || '''घरेते''' || घर से || from home
|-
| Genitive || '''घरे दा / दे / दि / दियाँ''' || घर का / की / के || of home
|}

==== Locatives ====
{| class="wikitable"
! Case !! Kangri !! Hindi Equivalent !! English Equivalent
|-
| Inessive || '''घरेच''' || घर में || in home
|-
| Adessive || '''घरे पर''' || घर पर || on home
|}

==== Others ====
{| class="wikitable"
! Case !! Kangri !! Hindi Equivalent !! English Equivalent
|-
| Vocative || '''घर॑''' || ओ घर || O home
|-
| Semblative || '''घर देआ / दए / दइ / दीयाँ''' || घर सा / सी / से || like home
|-
| Similative || '''घरे साइ''' || घर जैसा || similar to home
|-
| Terminative || '''घरे तिक्कर''' || घर तक || up to home
|}

==== Postpositional / Oblique forms ====
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun !! Singular !! Plural
|-
| घर || '''घरे''' || '''घरेयाँ'''
|-
| घड़ा || '''घड़े''' || '''घड़ेयाँ'''
|-
| नदी || '''नदिया''' || '''नदियाँ'''
|-
| घ्यो || '''घ्यो''' || '''घ्योआँ'''
|}

=== Adverbial Pronouns ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!|
!|
!| Interrogative
!| Relative
!| Distal
!| Proximate
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold;" | Time
| Kangri
| '''काल्लु'''
| '''जाल्लु'''
| '''ताल्लु'''
| '''हुण'''
|-
| Hindi
| कब
| जब
| तब
| अब
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold; border-top:2px solid #888;" | Place
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | Kangri
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''कुथू'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''जिथ्थु / जेथ्थु'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''ओथ्थु / तिथ्थु'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''इथ्थु / एथ्थु'''
|-
| style="border-top:0;" | Hindi
| कहाँ
| जहाँ
| वहाँ
| यहाँ
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold; border-top:2px solid #888;" | Manner
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | Kangri
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''कियाँ'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''जियाँ'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''तियाँ'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''इयाँ'''
|-
| Hindi
| कैसे
| जैसे
| वैसे
| ऐसे
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold; border-top:2px solid #888;" | Quantity
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | Kangri
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''कितना'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''जितना'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''तितना'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''इतना'''
|-
| Hindi
| कितना
| जितना
| उतना
| इतना
|}

== Status ==
[[File:Interview_of_sahil_in_kangri_language.webm|thumb|Interview of Sahil in Kangri language at Dharamshala, [[India]]]]
The language is commonly clubbed as [[Pahari language|Pahari]] or [[Western Pahari|Himachali]]. Some Dogri linguists have referred Kangri as part of their language due to similarities and decent mutual intelligibility between them.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Guptā |first=Vīṇā |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DlNIAAAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80+ |title=Ḍogarī bhāshā, udbhava aura vikāsa |date=1986 |publisher=Je. eṇḍa Ke. Akādamī āpha Ārṭa, Kalcara, eṇḍa Laiṅgvejiza |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nirmohī |first=Śiva |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dcpjAAAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80+ |title=Ḍuggara kā bhāshāyī paricaya Jammū prānta ke sandarbha meṃ |date=1992 |publisher=Narendra Pabliśiṅga Hāusa |language=hi}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=July 2022}} This is generally observed only in bordering lects due to dialect continuum present among many Indo-Aryan languages. Kangri writers & poets have been making submissions to Pahari language's cause under Himachal Pradesh Academy of Arts, Culture & Languages (HPAACL).<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/1977-katha-sarvari-part-2 |title=Katha Sarvari II |year=1977 |language=hi}}</ref> The language has no official status. According to the [[UNESCO|United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)]], the language is of definitely endangered category, i.e. many Kangri children are not learning Kangri as their mother tongue any longer.

The demand for the inclusion of 'Western Pahari' under the Eight Schedule of the Constitution, which is supposed to represent multiple Pahari languages of Himachal Pradesh, had been made in the year 2010 by the [[Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly|state's Vidhan Sabha]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pahari Inclusion|work=Zee News|url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/himachal-pradesh/hp-for-inclusion-of-pahari-language-in-eighth-schedule_615857.html}}</ref> There has been no positive progress on this matter since then, even after several small organisations demand for the preservation of the language.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pahari Inclusion|work=The Statesman|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/demand-for-pahari-as-language-in-8th-schedule-of-constitution-1479046804.html}}</ref>

[[Gautam Sharma "Vyathit"|Gautam Sharma Vyathit]] and [[Chandrarekha Dhadwal]] are noted for their contributions to the preservation of Kangri folk songs as well as their novel contributions to Kangri literature.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{Cite thesis| last = Eaton| first = Robert D.| date = 2008| title = Kangri in context: An areal perspective| type = PhD| publisher = The University of Texas at Arlington| url = https://uta-ir.tdl.org/uta-ir/handle/10106/945}}

==External links==
* Singh, Amitjit. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20011201045942/http://asnic.utexas.edu/asnic/sagar/sagar4.1.html#RTFToC1 The Language Divide in Punjab.]" ''Sagar'', Volume 4, Number 1, Spring 1997.
* Goldsmith, Parvin. "[http://www.mlrf.org/kangri-audio/Default.asp Scripture in Kangri recordings (mp3s)]" 2007.

{{Dogri-Kangri languages}}
{{Languages of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Languages of India]]
[[Category:Northern Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Kangra, Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Endangered languages of India]]
[[Category:Tonal languages in non-tonal families]]
[[Category:Languages written in Devanagari]]
[[Category:Languages written in Takri]]
[[Category:Languages listed as Hindi dialects in latest census]]

Kangri language - Revision history

Md.Rishad at 17:31, 26 February 2026