Gujarat

Gujarati Language & Gujarat

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Map of Gujarat, India – Home of the Gujarati Language

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Introduction to Gujarat and the Gujarati Language

Gujarat is a state in northwestern India, once the heart of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization), one of the world’s earliest urban cultures (c. 3300–1300 BCE). Today, it is a vibrant economic and cultural hub.

The Gujarati language (ગુજરાતી, Gujarātī) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by over 55 million people worldwide — about 46 million in India (mainly in Gujarat) and 9 million in the diaspora, especially in the USA, UK, East Africa, and the Middle East.

Gujarati is the official language of Gujarat and one of India’s 22 scheduled languages. It is known for its rich literary tradition, including medieval poetry, modern novels, and the works of Mahatma Gandhi, who wrote extensively in Gujarati.

Origin and Dialects

Gujarati evolved from Sauraseni Apabhramsha, a Middle Indo-Aryan prakrit spoken around the 6th–12th centuries CE. It is closely related to Rajasthani and Western Hindi (Braj).

The language has **four major dialects**:

• Patani – spoken in northern Gujarat
• Surati – from Surat and south Gujarat
• Charotari – central Gujarat
• Kathiawadi – from the Kathiawar peninsula

All dialects share a **common standard written form** used in education, media, and government.

The Gujarati Script

Gujarati is written in the Gujarati script (ગુજરાતી લિપિ), a variant of the Devanagari script used for Sanskrit, Hindi, and Marathi.

It is an abugida: consonants carry an inherent vowel (/ə/ or /a/), and vowel signs modify them. The script has **47 primary characters** (34 consonants + 13 vowels) and is written left-to-right.

Unlike Devanagari, the Gujarati script **lacks the horizontal headline** (shirorekhā) that connects letters in Hindi. This gives it a more rounded, flowing appearance.

આ ગુજરાતી ભાષા છે.

Ā Gujarātī bhāṣā che.

"This is the Gujarati language."

History and Global Connections

Gujarat has been a major trade center for **over 5,000 years**. Archaeological evidence shows maritime links with:

• Sumer (Mesopotamia) – seals and beads found in both regions
• Ancient Egypt – cotton and spices exported
• Persian Gulf – pearl and incense trade

In the 8th–10th centuries CE, **Zoroastrian Persians (Parsis)** fled Muslim persecution and settled in Gujarat. Their descendants remain influential in business and culture.

Gujarati merchants dominated Indian Ocean trade for centuries. Today, the Gujarati diaspora is a global economic force, especially in diamonds, textiles, and hospitality.

Hear Gujarati: News Broadcast

Listen to this Gujarati-language news broadcast to hear the natural rhythm and intonation of the language:

Sample Text in Gujarati

બધા માનવો સ્વતંત્ર અને સમાન જન્મથી જન્મે છે. તેમને વિવેક અને અંતરાત્મા આપવામાં આવી છે અને તેમણે ભાઈચારાની ભાવનાથી એકબીજા સાથે વર્તવું જોઈએ.

Badhā mānavo svatantra ane samān janmathī janme che. Temne vivek ane antarātmā āpvāmāṁ āvī che ane temṇe bhāīchārānī bhāvnāthī ekbījā sāthe vartavuṁ joīe.

English: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)