Brajavali, a unique literary language, was employed by polymaths Sankardeva and Madhavadeva in Assam, India, for their Vaishnavite religious compositions. It was derived from the language spoken by the common people and had its roots in Assam, incorporating elements from Magadhi Abahatta. While Odisha and Bengal also used similar languages as a lingua franca, the Assamese version of Brajavali had distinct features, including native Assamese vocabulary and pronunciation. Some scholars even suggest that it may have been spoken throughout a vast region, encompassing Eastern India, the Himalayan foothills, Kashmir, Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet, starting from the 13th century. Brajavali featured Assamese vocals and idiomatic expressions but borrowed inflectional forms from Magadhi Abahatta, making it the common people's lingua franca, especially in Western Assam.
We dive into the fascinating world of "Brajavali – A Special Literary Language." The event will feature scholars from Haifa University in Israel and Queen’s University in Belfast as panelists and observers, respectively.
