Dogri language

Dogri was originally written in Dogra Akkhar script which is an adaptation of Takri Script.[10] It is now more commonly written in Devanagari in India, and in the Nastaʿliq form of Perso-Arabic in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

The Dogra Script was standardised from Chambeali Takri Script during the Dogra rule. This script was then called "Namme Dogra Akkhar " (Dogra: 𑠝𑠢𑠹𑠢𑠳 𑠖𑠵𑠌𑠤𑠬 𑠀𑠊𑠹𑠋𑠤).[11]

Lilavati (a Mathematics treatise originally written in Sanskrit) in Dogri language & Dogra Script.

Dogra Script Specimen

Dogri Specimen in Chambeali Takri

These are rules of writing tones in Dogri using Devanagari Script. They are as follows:-

• Just like Punjabi, Dogri also uses the alphabets घ(gʱə), झ(d͡ʒʱə), ढ(ɖʱə), ध(d̪ʱə), भ(bʱə) and ढ़(ɽʱə) for tonal uses. When at the beginning of the word, it has a high-falling tone; ie:- घ(kə́), झ(t͡ʃə́), ढ(ʈə́), ध(t̪ə́), भ(pə́) and ढ़(ɽə́).When in the middle and final position of the word, the preceding vowel has a low-rising tone; ie:- अघ(ə̀ɡ), अझ(ə̀d͡ʒ), अढ(ə̀ɖ), अध(ə̀d̪), अभ(ə̀b) and अढ़(ə̀ɽ). Examples:- घड़ी(kə́ɽɪ)- clock, and औषध(ɔʃə̀d̪),
• Unlike Punjabi, there is no ह(hə) sound and it is tonal in all positions. So, it is having high-falling tone in the beginning position and in the middle positions when as a consonant conjuct; ie:- हत्थ (ə́t̪ʰː)- hand; and a low-rising tone elsewhere; ie:- फतूही (pʰətuːì)- shirt.
• To indicate a low-rising tone in the middle of words, Dogri uses ह् (ह with a halant) to indicate it when the preceding vowel is long; ie:- आ(ɑ), ई(i), ऊ(u), ए(e), ऐ(ɛ), ओ(o) and औ(ɔ). Example:- साह्ब(sɑ̀b)- Sahab. When the preceding vowel is small; ie:- अ(ə), इ(ɪ) and उ(ʊ); an apostrophe mark (') is used. Example:- ल'त्त(lə̀tː).
• The alphabets mentioned in the first point can also be used to indicate high-falling tone in the middle of the words when between a short vowel and a long vowel.

Some common examples are shown below.

The Greek astrologer Pulomi, accompanying Alexander in his 323 B.C. campaign into the Indian subcontinent, referred to some inhabitants of Duggar as "a brave Dogra family living in the mountain ranges of Shivalik."[13] In the year 1317, Amir Khusro, the famous Urdu and Persian poet, referred to Duger (Dogri) while describing the languages and dialects of India as follows: "Sindhi-o-Lahori-o-Kashmiri-o-Duger."[14][15]

Intellectuals in the court of Maharaja Ranbir Singh s/o Gulab Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, described 'Duggar' as a distorted form of the word 'Dwigart,' which means "two troughs," a possible reference to the Mansar and Sruinsar Lakes.[16]

The linguist George Grierson connected the term 'Duggar' with the Rajasthani word 'Doonger,' which means 'hill,' and 'Dogra' with 'Dongar.'[16] This opinion has lacked support because of the inconsistency of the ostensible changes from Rajasthani to Dogri (essentially the question of how Doonger became Duggar while Donger became Dogra), and been contradicted by some scholars.[17]

Yet another proposal stems from the presence of the word 'Durger' in the Bhuri Singh Museum (in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh). The word Durger means 'invincible' in several Northern Indian languages, and could be an allusion to the ruggedness of the Duggar terrain and the historically militarized and autonomous Dogra societies. In Himachal, Dogri is majorly spoken in Hamirpur, Barsar, Una, Chintpurni, Kangra, and Bilaspur regions.

In 1976, the experts attending the Language Session of the 'All India Oriental Conference' held in Dharwad, Karnataka, could not reach consensus on the 'Dwigart' and 'Durger' hypotheses, but did manage agreement on a Doonger-Duggar connection. In a subsequent 'All India Oriental Conference' held at Jaipur in 1982, the linguists agreed that the culture, language and history of Rajasthan and Duggar share some similarities. It was also suggested that the words 'Duggar' and 'Dogra' are common in some parts of Rajasthan. Specifically, it was asserted that areas with many forts are called Duggar, and their inhabitants are accordingly known as Dogras. The land of Duggar also has many forts, which may support the opinion above. An article by Dharam Chand Prashant in the literary magazine Shiraza Dogri suggested that "the opinion that the word 'Duggar' is a form of the word 'Duggarh' sounds appropriate."[18]

The Turkish Döğer is also the name of a Turkmen Oğuz tribe originating in Central Asia and also found amongst the Kurds. In Turkey one of the towns named after them can be written as Doker, Duger, Döker and Düğer.

In modern times, a notable Dogri translation (in the Takri script) of the Sanskrit classic mathematical opus Lilavati, by the noted mathematician Bhaskaracharya (b. 1114 AD), was published by the Vidya Vilas Press, Jammu in 1873.[19] As Sanskrit literacy remained confined to a few, the late Maharaja Ranbir Singh had the Lilavati translated into Dogri by Jyotshi Bisheshwar, then principal of Jammu Pathshala.[20]

Dogri has an established tradition of poetry, fiction and dramatic works. Recent poets range from the 18th-century Dogri poet Kavi Dattu (1725–1780) in Raja Ranjit Dev's court to Professor Ram Nath Shastri and Mrs. Padma Sachdev. Kavi Dattu is highly regarded for his Barah Massa (Twelve Months), Kamal Netra (Lotus Eyes), Bhup Bijog and Bir Bilas.[21] Shiraza Dogri is a Dogri literary periodical issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, which is a notable publisher of modern Dogri literary work, another being the Dogri Sanstha. Popular recent songs include Pala Shpaiya Dogarya, Manney di Mauj and Shhori Deya. The noted Pakistani singer Malika Pukhraj had roots in the Duggar region,[22] and her renditions of several Dogri songs continue to be popular in the region. Some devotional songs, or bhajans, composed by Karan Singh have gained increasing popularity over time, including Kaun Kareyaan Teri Aarti.

Dogri programming features regularly on Radio Kashmir (a division of All India Radio), and Doordarshan (Indian state television) broadcasts in Jammu and Kashmir. However, Dogri does not have a dedicated state television channel yet, unlike Kashmiri (which has the Doordarshan Koshur channel, available on cable and satellite television throughout India).

Official recognition of the language has been gradual, but progressive. On 2 August 1969, the General Council of the Sahitya Academy, Delhi recognized Dogri as an "independent modern literary language" of India, based on the unanimous recommendation of a panel of linguists.[23] (Indian Express, New Delhi, 3 August 1969). Dogri is one of the state languages of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. On 22 December 2003, in a major milestone for the official status of the language, Dogri was recognized as a national language of India in the Indian constitution.[24][25] In Pakistan, the language (under the name "Pahari") continues to thrive, but is not known to have received official patronage to date. The Alami Pahari Adabi Sangat (Global Pahari Cultural Association) is a Pakistani organization dedicated to the advancement and progress of the language.[26]

In 2005, a collection of over 100 works of prose and poetry in Dogri published over the last 50 years was made accessible online at the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore. This included works of eminent writer Dhinu Bhai Panth, Professor Madan Mohan Sharma, B.P. Sathai and Ram Nath Shastri.[27]

• Dogri–Kangri languages
• List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Dogri
• Dogri cinema
• Languages of India
• Languages with official status in India
• List of languages by number of native speakers in India

• Gopal Haldar (2000). Languages of India. New Delhi: National Book Trust

Dogri language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator

• The Dogri Language, article by Ved Kumari Ghai
• Duggar Times.com, for more on Dogri language, literature and writers
• Dailyexcelsior.com, "One Hundredth Amendment," news report on the recognition of Dogri as a national language.
• Modifications to Devanagri to represent Dogri tones
• Pahari.org, Alami Pahari Adabi Sangat (Global Pahari Cultural Association)
• Ancientscripts.com, The Takri script.
• Crulp.org, paper on tonality and intonation in Punjabi.
• Dogri computing resources at TDIL (Devanagari Script)