Classical Languages of India

The idea of Classical Languages of India was initially introduced in 2004, with Tamil receiving official recognition as the first language. What are the criteria for declaring a language classical?  Which are the different classical languages? Read the article to learn more about the Classical languages of India.

A classical language is one that has a large and lengthy body of written literature, as well as its own literary tradition.

As spoken forms of a language diverge more from the classical written language over time, classical languages often have a high degree of diglossia. In 2004, the Indian government announced that some languages will be referred to as “Classical Languages in India” if they met specific requirements.

What are Classical languages?

Classical Languages

These are the literary traditions and large, well-established canons of those languages. They are the languages that have been spoken for a very long time and have further deviated from the traditional written ones.

Criteria for Declaring a Language as Classical

The Ministry of Culture provides guidelines regarding Classical languages. The Classical Languages in India are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The Rajya Sabha’s Ministry of Culture released the criteria for designating a language as classical in February 2014. Which are:

• History has documented the early texts’ high antiquity.
• A body of old literature or texts that the generation of speakers values as part of their heritage.
• The literary tradition must be unique and unaltered by borrowing from another speech group.
• There may be a gap between the classical languages as well as a difference between classical language and literature.

Benefits Accorded to Classical Languages In India

• For eminent researchers in the classical Indian languages, there are two significant annual international awards offered.
• The establishment of a Center of Excellence for Classical Indian Language Studies.
• A specific number of Professional Chairs for the Classical Languages are to be created by the University Grants Commission (UGC), starting at least in the Central Universities.

Different Classical languages of India

India has six languages with the designation of “Classical Languages,” including:

Tamil

• In 2004, it was designated as a classical language.
• It is a traditional Dravidian language that is used in Sri Lanka, other Southeast Asian countries, and the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
• The earliest period of Tamil literature is known as Sangam literature.
• It is one of the 22 languages listed in the Indian Constitution’s eighth schedule.

Also Read: Thiruvalluvar-The great Sangam Poet – ClearIAS

Sanskrit

• In 2005, it was designated as a classical language.
• It belongs to the family of Indo-European languages known as Indo-Aryan.
• It is one of the 22 languages listed in the Indian Constitution’s eighth schedule.
• It speaks in the dialect of traditional Hindu philosophy.
• During the Bronze Age, it spread to the northwest of the subcontinent.

To know more about the Sanskrit language also read Sanskrit Literature – ClearIAS

Kannada

• In 2008, India’s government proclaimed it to be a classical language.
• It is one of the 22 languages listed in the Indian Constitution’s eighth schedule.
• It is a Dravidian language that is used in southwest India and the Indian state of Karnataka.
• It’s written in Kannada, a script that developed from Kadamba in the fifth century.

Telugu

• In 2008, India’s government proclaimed it to be a classical language.
• It is one of the 22 languages listed in the Indian Constitution’s eighth schedule.
• People in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana speak this Dravidian language.
• The proto-Dravidian language, which was spoken in the third century B.C.

Malayalam

• In 2013, India officially recognised it as a classical language.
• It is one of the 22 languages listed in the Indian Constitution’s eighth schedule.
• It is a Dravidian language that is used in Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Kerala.
• Its earliest literary works are from the ninth to the eleventh centuries.
• The first script used to write Malayalam was Vattezhuthu.

Odia

• It was designated as an Indian classical language in 2014.
• It is one of the 22 languages listed in the Indian Constitution’s eighth schedule.
• In the Indian states of Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, it is an Indo-Aryan language.
• It has a long literary tradition and less frequently borrows words from other languages.
• The earliest recorded inscription in Odia is from the tenth century CE

Also Read: Ancient Indian Literature – ClearIAS

Conclusion

In India, classical languages are acknowledged as having autonomous literature and long-standing customs. They are made up of various alterations that have evolved over time and diverged over centuries. The golden age of literature is characterised by the languages of this time.

Article Written By: Atheena Fathima Riyas