Boundaries
Southern Suraseni
While studying Bundelkhand and environs I encountered regularly the claim that - any and all areas which speak "Bundeli" are "Bundelkhand". Correctly put "Bundeli" is the name used for the Southern version of the ancient Suraseni language - while "Brajbasha" is the name used for the Northern version of Suraseni. Just as not all people whom speak Northern Suraseni (Brajbasha) live in Braj ie and be called Brajbasi, so also people whom speak Southern Suraseni cannot be considered as "Bundela", ie it is merely a term/name for the language as the Bundela were the most politically prominent peoples whom spoke it.
Apart from language below is the historical/traditional analysis of the Boundaries of "Bundelkhand" areas and Other Regions.
Refer to the "Ancient Kingdoms and Peoples" for details of the early Chedi and associated Dasharna and Karusha kingdoms and the later Chedi kingdom of Vasu, which the Chandela gained and ruled.
Gird/Gvaliyar and Bundelkhand
The
historical/traditional boundary between Gird/Gvaliyar and Chedi/Bundelkhand Regions and Peoples is the Betwa river. It was only after 1531 that
areas to the West of the Betwa were annexed/ruled by Bundela kings with the establishment of Orcha kingdom which included Jhansi and Datia. Other areas across the Betwa to the North, ie Hamirpur, Jalaun, Orai - were never ruled by Bundela and were always historically ruled from Gvaliyar.
All the discussed areas areas speak Southern Suraseni, which is named Bundeli as the Bundela were the most politically prominent speakers of it.
All the discussed areas areas speak Southern Suraseni, which is named Bundeli as the Bundela were the most politically prominent speakers of it.
Baghelkhand and Bundelkhand
The historical/traditional boundary between the Ardha Magadhi / Bagheli and Suraseni / Bundeli speaking peoples and kingdoms is the Suktimati / Ken river. Suktivati / Banda was made capital of a latter version of a Chedi kingdom by a Kuru (Haryana) prince Vasu, this version of Chedi kingdom of which, included Non Bundela areas to the East of the Ken - including Banda city, Kalinjar, Ajaygarh. The Chandela (origin of the term Bundela) inherited this extended Chedi kingdom. While Banda environs and Kalinjar and Ajaygarh areas at present are likely atleast 50% Bundeli speaking people - the other areas to the East of the Ken river are still majority to exclusively Ardha Magadhi / Bagheli speaking peoples - all basic linguistic surveys say the "Banda is Bagheli speaking", though maybe the western half of the new Banda district is Bundeli majority. A detailed ethno-linguistic survey is necessary to determine the exact compositions with 40-100% Bagheli speaking areas to the East of the Ken rightly belonging in a Baghelkhand .
To the South, ie the Plateau areas --- the Ken river and the range just to its south , ie North to South is the historical/linguistic boundary of Ardha Magadhi / Bagheli and Suraseni / Bundeli speaking peoples and kingdoms. The plateau areas to the East of the Ken and specified range only came to be ruled by Bundela peoples in the late 17th century - the Panna kingdom. The areas between the Ken and Nagod do not have a single city, while standard Bundela areas to the West of the Ken until Sagar have 10 cities - this i consider as being evidence that the Panna areas to the East of the Ken on the plateau as were and are Bagheli speaking areas.
Katni environs is categorical Baghelkhand area , with mixed languages spoken including Southern Suraseni (Bundeli).
Vidisha/Akara and Bundelkhand
The Akara region of which extends till the Sagar plateau and which was always ruled from Vidisha - originated as part of Malva, but was thereafter ruled by various kingdoms , being the highway between North and South Bharat. Though Bundela peoples ruled various portions at various times and though about 50% or more of the peoples speak Southern Suraseni (Bundeli) - there is no reason to consider this as Bundelkhand.
Southern Areas and Bundelkhand
Areas speaking Suraseni (Bundeli) of the Narmada valley and elsewhere area are of mixed peoples and Bundeli / Southern Suraseni language has been adopted as lingua franca.
Katni environs is categorical Baghelkhand area , with mixed languages spoken including Southern Suraseni (Bundeli).
Vidisha/Akara and Bundelkhand
The Akara region of which extends till the Sagar plateau and which was always ruled from Vidisha - originated as part of Malva, but was thereafter ruled by various kingdoms , being the highway between North and South Bharat. Though Bundela peoples ruled various portions at various times and though about 50% or more of the peoples speak Southern Suraseni (Bundeli) - there is no reason to consider this as Bundelkhand.
Southern Areas and Bundelkhand
Areas speaking Suraseni (Bundeli) of the Narmada valley and elsewhere area are of mixed peoples and Bundeli / Southern Suraseni language has been adopted as lingua franca.
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