By Yunus Lasani
For longer version read here (The Print)
Language and Identity:
Language is closely tied to identity. Many people in the Deccan region, including Hyderabad, speak Dakhni but learn in standardized Urdu.
Dakhni is often misunderstood as a dialect of Urdu, but it has its own history and identity.
Distinct Lexicon:
Dakhni uses words like ‘kaiku’ (why), ‘nakko’ (no/don’t), and ‘hau’ (yes), which are Marathi words.
It also incorporates Kannada words like ‘tarkari’ (vegetables).
Dakhni’s lexicon aligns more with Dravidian languages than Urdu, challenging Urdu purists.
Historical Context:
Dakhni has been used historically in the Deccan region, with literary works predating modern Urdu.
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, Hyderabad’s founder, wrote in Dakhni.
Dakhni literature thrived in the 16th and 17th centuries, centuries before Urdu literature's golden period.
Debunking Myths:
Dakhni is not a corrupt form of Urdu. Urdu itself is a mix of Persian and Hindi.
Rekhta, an early name for Urdu, means ‘mixed.’
Historical Evolution:
Both Dakhni and Urdu trace back to Dehalvi, spoken in Delhi between the 13th and 14th centuries.
Dakhni developed in the mid-14th century after mixing with Marathi and Kannada.
The language thrived under the Bahamani empire’s capitals, Gulbarga and Bidar.
Modern Era:
Modern Urdu’s evolution is linked to Wali Dakhni, an 18th-century poet who Persianized Dakhni.
Dakhni declined after the Mughal conquests and the appointment of Nizams.
Current Relevance:
Despite Urdu becoming an official language, Dakhni is still spoken in the Deccan.
Influencers like Dr Nehal Pasha, Danish Sait, and Zoha Sanofer promote awareness about Dakhni.
Call to Recognize Dakhni:
It’s essential to acknowledge the power relations between languages.
Dakhni should be recognized and preserved as a distinct language, not overshadowed by Urdu
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