Pahari Bhasha Samtanam / The Pahari Language Continuum

Pahari Bhasha Samtanam / The Pahari Language Continuum 

Pahari is the name of the Ethnically and Linguistically related Group of Peoples-Languages of the Himalaya Hills-Mountains.
For information on the Pahari ethnic group, "Pulinda Adimajati" on the Ancient Peoples and Kingdoms page

The Maps for this page are at LINK 



Pahari Language Zones / Pahari Bhasha Mahamandaavali 

Western Pahari Zone/ Paschima Pahari Mahamandal
Eastern Pahari Zone/ Purva Pahari Mahamandal

The Central Pahari Zone - of Garhwali and Kumaoni = heavy Hindi influence to transitioning Western and Eastern Pahari. Garhwali differs from Western Pahari merely by excessive Hindi influence due to historical contact as a prominent Pilgrimage Region. Kumaoni has the same Hindi influence via Garhwali while being the transition between Western Pahari and Eastern Pahari - thus eliminating the Central Zone.

Pahari Language Groups / Pahari Bhasha Mandalavali

Western Pahari Zone / Paschima Pahari Mahamandal :

Mandal / Group

Kulinda Pahari Mandal - historical/linguistic Center of the Western Zone

Panjabi Pahari Mandal - heavy influence of Panjabi
Kangri, Dogri, Chibhali-Poonchi, Pahari-Gujri

Chamba Pahari Mandal - geographical influence of Panjabi Pahari, Kashmiri and/or Ladakhi-Bhota(Tibetan). 
Bhadrawahi, Kashali, Bhalesi, Kishtwari-Pahari, Churahi, Padri, Pangwali, Chambiyali, Gaddi/Bharmouri.

Garhwali Mandal - Western Pahari heavily influenced by Hindi

Kumaoni Mandal  - Kumaoni the transition between Western and Eastern Pahari Zones.

Eastern Pahari Zone / Purva Pahari Mahamandal

Nepali (actual name is Khaskura, and Nepali is actually the name of a different Language - Newari)

Paschima Pahari Bhashaavali / Western Pahari Zone Languages

Panjabi Pahari Mandal -

Kangri - influence of Panjabi

Dogri - influence of Panjabi

Chibhali-Poonchi Pahari - Continuum of Panjabi Pahari, influenced by Pahari-Gujri (geographically conglomerated with) and Hindko (Pahari+Panjabi+Pasthun).
Chibhali-Poonchi Pahari are the languages spoken between Kashmir and the Jhelum river and part of the Neelam valley. The West half of the Lehnda Pahari group outlined on the Map. See Lehnda Pahari group below.

Pahari-Gojri (West) - the combination of Pahari/Rajasthani/Panjabi. (Gojri East is Pahari + Rajasthani, but with no location concentrations, ie former nomads. Pahari-Gujri West has geographical concentrations). It has less Pahari Continuum than the above 2 but are Conglomerated with the same, while having more Pahari than those to the west of the Jhelum - and thus mapped together. The East half of the Lehnda Pahari Group outline on the Map. See Lehnda Pahari group below.

Lehnda Pahari Mandal -

Pahari/Panjabi languages to the West of Dogri, with predominance of Panjabi, and influenced by other languages - ie Pahari Continuum.

Hindko, Potwari, Mirpuri = predominantly not Pahari Language Continuum, though ethnically of the same stock, ie linguistically Pahari overtaken by Panjabi, Pastho, and nearby Shina Languages.
Chibhali Pahari and Poonchi Pahari = current grouped as/under "Pahari-Potwari, seemingly grouped in a hurry and noted as " Similarity with Western Pahari unknown".  These are Panjabi Pahari Continuum.
Pahari Gujri - Pahari + a former Gujjar language. Also Pahari Continuum but less than the above 2.

Chamba Pahari Mandal / Chamba Pahari Group


Influences of Panjabi Pahari, Kashmiri and/or Ladakhi-Tibetan.

Bhaaga / Sub-Groups of the Chamba Pahari Mandal

Chamba Sub-Group / Bhaaga - 
Chambiyali, Gaddi/Bharmouri, Bhattiyali and Churahi
Kāśa Sub-Group / Bhaaga - influence of Kashmiri
Bhadrawahi (+ Bhalesi and Khasali) and Kishtwari Pahari
Pangi Sub-Group / Bhaaga - influence of Ladakhi-Bhota(Tibetan)
Pangwali and Paddari

Chambiyali Pahari -
Gaddi / Bharmouri Pahari - 

Bhattiyali - influence of Panjabi Pahari

Bhadrawahi Pahari - influence of Kashmiri. Lingua Franca in its immediate surroundings, ie the areas of the smaller Kashali and Bhalesi - Pahari dialects.

Kishtwari/Kashtwari-Pahari - influence of Kashmiri

As verified from a local (link), in recent history (+100 years) Kashmiri people have migrated to the Kishtwar region resulting in the migrant Kashmiri people (30% pop) speaking a "Kishtwari influenced dialect of Kashmiri"(which linguist are calling Kishtwari - a dialect of Kashmiri). On the other hand the local Kishtwar Muslim people (30% pop) have also adopted Kashmiri as a second language, while the Hindu of Kishtwar (30% pop) - have Not, ie only speak Kishtwari Pahari. (The % is based upon the 50/50% Hindu/Muslim composition of the adjoining Bhaderwah district, ie the Kashmir Muslim likely being 50% of the Muslim in Kishtwar district.)
Churahi Pahari - influence of Kāśa Pahari Bhaaga - a transition of Chambiyali.
Paddari Pahari - a transition between Pangwali and Kāśa Pahari Bhaaga.
Pangwali Pahari - influence of Ladakhi-Bhota(Tibetan)

Chamba Pahari Group/Mandal

What is common to All the areas and languages/dialects grouped under this Chamba Pahari Group is the central effect of the Pahari of Chamba for 1500 years, as it is since the 6th century that they were ruled from Chamba town. Geographically influence for all would be of Panjabi Pahari, Kashmiri and Ladakhi Bhota(Tibetan).

Kāśa Pahari Sub-Group/Bhaaga
The areas of the Kāśa Sub-Group are part of the former extent of the Kāśa peoples (Pahari+Kashmiri). The Kāśa Region of Pahari-Kashmiri peoples were politically divided since the 6th century, with the East portion ruled by/from Chamba and the Pahari of the West portion becoming Chibhali Pahari, Poonchi Pahari and Pahari-Gujri. Areas of the Chamba Sub-Group were historically / are linguistically contiguous with the Kulinda Pahari Region/Group - before the Panjabi-ization of the Kangra hills (Panjabi Pahari Group) separated it.

Kulinda Pahari Mandal

Kului Pahari -
Mandiyali Pahari - a transition dialect of the Kulinda Pahari Mandal and the Panjabi Pahari Mandal
Bilaspuri Pahari -  influence of Panjabi
Mahasu Pahari - the central dialect
Jaunsari Pahari – transition dialect of the Kulinda Pahari Mandal with the Garhwali Pahari Mandal, influence of Hindi.
Sirmauri Pahari - influence of Haryanvi (Hindi)
Kinnauri Pahari - influence of Ladakhi/Tibetan

Sub-Groups


Panjabi-Kulinda Sub-Group - influence of Panjabi Pahari.
Mandiyali Pahari
Bilaspuri Pahari

Hindi-Kulinda Sub-Group - Influence of Hindi
Sirmauri Pahari
Jaunsari Pahari

Mahasu-Kulinda Sub-Group - core area of Kulinda Pahari
Contains various dialects of its own, Rohru, ...... and continues into all the adjoining Pahari dialect areas.

Non Sub-Grouped

Kului Pahari -
Kinnauri Pahari/Bhota - transition between Kulinda Pahari and Bhota (Tibetan)

Garhwali Pahari Mandal

Garhwali -  it differs from the rest of the Western Pahari Zone, by excessive influence of Hindi through contact as a prominent pilgrimage Region for thousands of years.

Kumaoni Pahari Mandal

Kumaoni - it is the transition between Western Pahari and Eastern Pahari. Similar to Garhwali.

Purva Pahari Bhashaavali / Eastern Pahari Zone Languages

References :
muturzikin.com
ethnologue.com
wikipedia.com