People predominantly speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language, in the Indian state of Maharashtra, as well as in neighboring states such as Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and holds the official status in Maharashtra. With over 83 million speakers, Marathi ranks as the 15th most spoken language in the world. The language has a rich literary history, with a tradition dating back over a thousand years.
The Marathi language evolved from early forms of Prakrit and Apabhramsha and has been heavily influenced by Sanskrit, along with other languages like Persian, Arabic, and English, due to the state’s historical trade, cultural exchanges, and colonial influences. People write it in the Devanagari script, the same script used for Hindi and Sanskrit, and speakers know it for its distinct phonetics, vocabulary, and grammar.
It has a wide array of dialects, which vary based on region and community. These dialects include Varhadi, spoken in the Vidarbha region, and Konkani, spoken along the Konkan coast. People also know the language for its classical music, theater, and folk literature, including a vast collection of devotional literature. Famous saints like Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar contributed significantly to Marathi literature through their works in poetry and philosophy.
In modern times, Marathi has continued to thrive in various media forms, including television, films, and digital platforms. Marathi cinema, also known as Marathi Chitrapat, has a rich tradition and has gained recognition at national and international levels. Marathi is also used extensively in education, journalism, and government, reflecting its deep cultural and linguistic importance in India.