Gujari Language: A Linguistic and Cultural Heritage in the Indian Context

The Gujari (Gojri) language, traditionally spoken by the Gurjar community across northern India and Pakistan, represents a rich cultural and linguistic heritage yet remains under-documented in official language records. Although widely spoken in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, existing scholarship has focused mainly on its etymology, oral traditions, and cultural role while neglecting systematic analysis of its decline and preservation. This study addresses that gap by examining Gujari’s linguistic features, socio-cultural functions, and present challenges through qualitative analysis of historical records, language censuses, ethnographic studies, and government reports. Comparative insights from minority languages such as Ahom, Tangsa, and Bodo reveal Gujari’s fragile status, with strong oral culture and community identity but weak intergenerational transmission, limited documentation, and inadequate institutional support. The findings underscore the importance of formal recognition, mother-tongue education, and digitalization, alongside grassroots mobilization and policy intervention, as essential strategies for revitalization; without them, Gujari risks marginalization despite its enduring cultural and linguistic value.