International Mother-Languages Day (2023)
The Department celebrated the International Mother-Languages Day on the 21st of February 2023 with a series of exciting activities: We initiated a Language Exhibition called Aseem-Avirat (Borderless & Timeless) which constituted of showcasing the rich linguistic diversity of India. We also had a language-games corner and several language-related fun activities. We also screened a film about language preservation and revitalization. Read a picture-report here.
International Mother-Languages Day (2026)
The Department came up with the 2nd edition of the Aseem-Avirat language exhibition! We celebrated a Language-Science Week, to honor the International Mother-Languages Day on the 21st February, the Marathi Rajabhasha Gaurav Diwas on the 27th of February and the National Science Day on the 28th of February. During this week, we not only had an activities-filled exhibition (Aseem-Avirat) but also a series of lecture-discussions on the topics related to language diversity, multilingualism and scientific temper.
A Kulluvi story and a poem:
Do you now that in the Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh, India, people speak a language called Kulluvi? Unfortunately, it is enlisted by the UNESCO as one of the endangered languages.
Do you want to hear a story in Kulluvi language? It is being narrated by Mrs Usha Kaur Kondal, the mother of our friend and Kulluvi language consultant Trupt Kaur Kondal. Here it is:
Trupt has also narrated a Kulluvi Poem:
A Wadvali story:
In the vicinity of the University of Mumbai, in the neighboring district of Palghar, several interesting languages are thriving. One of them is Wadvali, a language associated with both Marathi and Konkani. Listen to a story in Wadvali, narrated by our friend and Wadvali language consultant Smruti D’Cunha.
Magic in Marathi
This is a children’s poem composed by Jnanpith awardee Marathi poet Vinda Karandikar. It is a ‘spell’ that children can use while sharpening a pencil so that the point doesn’t break. Well, earlier we used to have wooden pencils that needed to be sharpened by a knife or an sharpener; unlike the clutch pencils that have now become a part of our lives!
Assamese Poem
Here is a poem in Assamese, recited by Priyakhi Khanikar. A beautiful poem that tells us to listen to the language of the soil.
Assamese Poem : Soil’s mothertongue
Mumbaichi Lawani (Song of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement)
A lawani by Com. Shahir Annabhau Sathe in Marathi gives an account of the Battle for Bombay (Mumbai) which was a tipping point of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement. A song that charged up the Movement.
Ao Language
Ao, a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Ao community in Nagaland is a tonal language. Listen how your tone changes the meaning of words in Ao.
Listen to how an introduction-exchange goes in Ao.
You are listening to the voice of Meyisenla Lemture (aka Asen).
Telugu Poems
People can have so much with languages. Here are two Telugu poems; you MUST listen to them to see what the fun is in them. Believe it or not, the poems are actually made up of words!!!
A story in Agari
Chaitali Patil tells us a well-known story of ‘A Thirsty Crow’ in Agari variety of Marathi, spoken in Vasai, near Mumbai.
A thirsty crow