Official Languages
Hindi is the main official language of Uttarakhand and is understood almost everywhere. In 2010 Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to make Sanskrit its second official language, reflecting the region's deep ties to Hindu pilgrimage and learning — you will see Sanskrit names on many signboards. But at home, in the fields and at village gatherings, most people in the hills speak their own languages.
Garhwali
Garhwali is spoken across the seven districts of the Garhwal division and by large migrant communities in Delhi, Dehradun and beyond. It belongs to the Central Pahari group of Indo-Aryan languages and is written in Devanagari. There are many regional dialects — the speech of Srinagar is often treated as the standard, while Tehri, Rathi (Pauri), Badhani (Chamoli), Salani and other varieties each have their own flavour.
Garhwali has a rich oral literature of ballads, jagar songs and proverbs, and a modern written literature of poetry and plays. Its best-known modern voice is the singer and poet Narendra Singh Negi, whose songs have chronicled hill life, migration and politics for decades.
Kumaoni
Kumaoni is spoken across the six districts of the Kumaon division. It is also a Central Pahari language, closely related to Garhwali but distinct in vocabulary and grammar. Dialects include Khasparjiya (around Almora), Soryali, Johari, Kali-Kumaoni (Champawat) and others.
The 19th-century poet Gumani Pant is often called the first poet of Kumaoni literature. In the 20th century, poets such as Gaurda (Gauri Dutt Pandey) and Sherda 'Anpadh' wrote popular verse in the language, and folk singers like Gopal Babu Goswami made Kumaoni songs famous.
Jaunsari
In the Jaunsar-Bawar region of Dehradun district, people speak Jaunsari, which is closer to the Western Pahari languages of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh than to Garhwali. Its songs and festivals, such as Bissu and Magh, are distinct from the rest of Garhwal.
Languages of the High Valleys
The border valleys near Tibet and Nepal are home to the Bhotiya communities, who speak several small Tibeto-Burman languages:
- Darma, Byangsi and Chaudangsi — spoken by the Rang people of the Darma, Vyas and Chaudans valleys in Pithoragarh district.
- Rongpo (Marchha) — spoken in the Mana and Niti valleys of Chamoli district.
- Jad — spoken by a small community in the upper Bhagirathi valley of Uttarkashi.
The Raji (Van Rawat) people, one of India's smallest tribal communities, live in the forests of Pithoragarh and Champawat and speak their own Tibeto-Burman language, Raji.
Languages of the Terai
In the plains of Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and parts of Dehradun and Nainital, you will hear Punjabi, Bengali (spoken by families resettled after Partition), and the languages of the Tharu and Buksa communities, alongside Hindi and Urdu.
Are the Hill Languages at Risk?
UNESCO's Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger lists Garhwali and Kumaoni as vulnerable, and several of the smaller Bhotiya languages and Raji are far more endangered. The main reasons are migration to cities, schooling in Hindi and English, and fewer children speaking the language at home. Writers, singers, radio programmes, YouTube channels and community groups are working to keep them alive — and many families are making an effort to teach their children their boli.
A Few Everyday Phrases
| Meaning | Garhwali | Kumaoni |
|---|---|---|
| Respectful greeting to an elder | Sewa lagdi / Sewa | Pailag |
| How are you? | Kan chhan? | Kas chha? |
| What is your name? | Tumaru naun kya ch? | Tumar naam ki chh? |
| Come, eat | Aa, khana kha | Aa, khan kha |
Spellings vary from village to village, and many speakers will tell you their own version. Elders also bless the young with "Ji raya, jagi raya" ("May you live long and stay awake to life"), the famous blessing of the Harela festival.