Saturday, May 5, 2012

Vajjika ( or Angika) or- Vrijjakiy' and 'Aangikiy are 'Western and Southern Maithili

Vajjika ( or Angika) or- Vrijjakiy' and 'Aangikiy are 'Western and Southern Maithili Read Linguistic survey of India by George Grierson- Muzaffarpur speaks western dialect of Maithili( there are two variations of that in north- Seetamarhi- Sheohar as तोहर भाई जे मर गेल रहलौ से जीलौ ह and in sothern parts (Vaishali etc.) as तोहर भाई जे मर गेल रह्ठुं से जी गेलथुन Grierson says-(page 13)--Maithili or Tirhutia is , properly speaking, the language of Mithila or Tairbhukti(the ancient name of Tirhut)... It this includes the British districts of Champaran, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga as well as the strip of Nepal Terai which runs between these districts... The districts of Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga originally formed one District called Tirhut and that name is still used.. At the present day(1902) , the language of the greater portion of Champaran is a form of Bhojpuri and not Maithili, but with that exception, Maithili is spoken over the whole of this tract. Page 14... The Maithili spoken in the Muzaffarpur district(now Sitamarhi, Sheohar, MFP, Vaishali) , and in a strip of country on (w)estern side of Darbhanga is strongly influenced by the neighbouring Bhojpuri spoken in various forms in the adjacent district of Saran an din the greater part of Champaran. So much is this the case , that, a spoken by some people , it is difficult to say where the dialect is Maithili or Bhojpuri. It may be called Western Maithili. THis is the linguistic position. I am a student of science and go by references. Though there is nothing linguistically vajjika ( or even Angika- both words are also slang they should be as per a great etymologist 'Vrijjakiy' and 'Aangikiy.' I prefer to call those as Western and Southern Maithili. Regarding the state movement in which I am more concerned, I will be happy if those areas do come in the state of Mithila though they would decided it - the consequences for them remaining in Bihar is grave(a matter of long article), Posterity should not blame me (and our organisation Antarrashtriy Maithili Parishad) that we left them in lurch ..in the hands of the progeny of Jarsanadhs.. The choice is theirs choose the land of Jaanki or Jarasandh! The economic and social and industrial consequences would be grave for them (if they do not come in Mithila). Remember there is no minimum area fixed for any statehood and Mihtila would get it owing to the protracted struggle of nearly a century which is lacking in so called Ang or Vrijji region. However, the state language of Mithila would be Maithili and will not be compromised for any area - though the dialects may get promotional package( toget Akademi awards under Maithili category and even separate commissionaries Vrijji and Ang may be delineated where those dialects can be allowed to be used for governmental announcements, etc. Which they are not going to get in Bihar and will get a’ linguicidal’ treatment there from Hindi , Magahi and Bhpjpuri). I use to say, “Any dialect becomes a literary language after several centuries of literary labours and tradition.”. I wish you do it as I am a lover of ancient traditions and have perfectly national outlook, ideologically groomed in great traditions but decision would be theirs which we would accept once we are on the negotiation table with Govt. of India as well as Govt. of Bihar. I would be glad to talk with those groups espousing the cause of Ang and Vajji (had some talked with ang groups in past) but le tme say that their approach is not having scientific , cultural or logical base and that would not be tenable in long rum. I remember in 2004 at Muzaffarpur(which we resolved to call Khudirampur) local MLA Bijendra Choudhary spoke in favour of Mithila state ,if capital was given them(as per Dr. Laxman Jha's book) however that bargain would depend on the intensity of the Mithila movement and is unpredictable at the moment. I f any question, I would be happy to reply. Sorry i do not like writing in English but I cannot type fast in Devnaagri and have little time always compared to monumental writing , organisational and professional commitments. Dr. Dhanakar Thakur Spokesman, Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad

2 comments:

Vikas Thakore said...

Vajjika is western Maithili... that's OK.

But Angika is NOT southern Maithili... Angika is classified as Eastern dialect of Maithili by CIIL. (Possibly because it is spoken in Eastern region of Bihar, form Kishanganj to Jamtara).

Dr. Dhanakar Thakur said...

It took me 32 minutes to discuss with Dr. Ashok 'Abichal' Jamshedpir who had his thesis after a survey of Maihtili's dialects and had presented me a book published over that also.
The topic is big yet to summarize we agree after a brief discussion of the CIIL paper ref: http://www.lisindia.net/Maithili/Maith_vari.html
a. it is biased to some extent at least for so called Angika and is not based on scientifoic facts.
b, it has tried to erect Angika as eastern dialect though tha tis a dilect of Maithili but of southern (south of Ganga- Bahglapur and Santhal pargana)
c, It is a malicious attempt to grab eastern Maithili under the ambit of Angika(to cut size smaller to Maithili)
d. Because the CIIL has not done any survey it has no right to establish a thing which is non-existent in the polace
e. George Grierson had told," The Maithili spoken in Purnea(now Purnea, Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj) may be called Eastern Maithili.
f. There is nothing as Thruhat in north-eastern but in north-western(above Champaran in Nepal mostly, onoly a strip Sera medrol is in India) the dialect has proximity to Bhaojpuri too but Maithili is close.(and Tharuhat areas in Nepal is being demanded as a state, those areas not in Biratnagar which may have influence of Kochilla
Hence a biased attempt has been made in this article by the ciil to gulp eastern Maithili to increase the area of so called Angika which is chika-chikhi of Grierson and I personally like to call that southern Maithili spoken south of Ganga.
It may be prudent to note that-
The use of Hame is a medieval tendency in the areas of Samastipur, Dalsiongsarai, Beguarai and is close to Standard Maithili(Grierson’s northern standard) and hence Grierson called that southern standard. Madhubani’s jolhas too speak Hamme.
Now all forms of Maithili as per Dr.Abichal is depending on the widespread use of Yau, Hau and Rau
People go for simplification- and hence Yau is limited to some elite class and Hau and Rau to he/re is becoming fast widespread and making the form of language one which is mixing its dilects specific to places, castes economic and educational strata etc. And used by over 70 per cent of Maithils from Madhubani to Begusarai and down with addition of ( in Chikha –chuikhi or Southern Maithili as per me) “Huni, Hini for Hunkar/ Hinkar.
Ebhak of standard becomes ebhu in Begusarai and is changed to ebhho in south to Ganga.

With the fast travel, matrimony from distant, seasonal migration to Punjab, Delhi etc,anmd influence of Hindi for over 100 years and of English in recent days, true we see a change in the dialects of Maihtili but nonetheless it is common to all other established languages too.
Maithili is an established language with definite dialects and its study needs focussed on various above factors some of which are strangulating the core of Mithili as well and it seems being in Bihar it is loosing its identity(in towns it has lost to a great extent) and hence a state of Mithila with its language Maithili is needed at the earliest.
These all are Maithili and let researchers establish my nomenclature of southern Maithili to Angika with already eastern and western dialects .
Eastern has some problem that Banngla is influencinn gthat but nonetheless that is not Angika area(Ang was at Munger which surprisingly the natives say they speak THETHI dialect in interiors ). The literary traditions of Angika is not known and culturally they are indistinguishable with Maithils and hence admitting the existence of Ang since epical days let us accept that it is a southern extension of Mithila and Maihtili and in this way we are honouring them not dishonouring and are stating a fact not any fiction . They are same as that of north of Ganga and with Naugachhia-Bhagalpur Ganga bridage we are coming closer and so will happen with Khagaria-Munger bridge and Sahebganj- Katihar bridge.
An East-west division of Bihar will be sound on linguistic and cultural line than noth-west divide.