Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Delhi’s Haryanvi History Raises Questions About Its Identity
A very old poem from 1132 described Delhi as part of a region called Haryana.
The poem was written by Shridhar.
Much later, George Grierson studied the languages spoken around Delhi and nearby districts.
His 1916 survey described one language across Delhi, Rohtak, Karnal and Hisar.
That language is now commonly called Haryanvi.
People used different names for it in different places, including Jatu, Hariani, Deswali, Desari and Bangaru.
The survey counted 2.36 lakh speakers in Delhi district.
These records show that Haryanvi has a long historical connection with Delhi.
A 1132 Jain text describes Delhi as a major city in the Haryana region.
The text was written by the Agravala Digambara poet Shridhar.
George Grierson’s 1916 linguistic survey recorded one language across Delhi, Rohtak, Karnal and Hisar.
The language now called Haryanvi had different names, including Jatu, Hariani, Deswali, Desari and Bangaru.
The survey recorded 2.36 lakh Haryanvi speakers in Delhi district.
- Who
- The poet Shridhar, British linguist George Grierson, and Haryanvi-speaking communities are central to the account.
- What
- Historical and linguistic records document Haryanvi’s connection with Delhi and surrounding areas.
- When
- The evidence comes from 1132 and from Grierson’s 1916 survey, conducted in the early 20th century.
- Where
- Delhi and the surrounding areas of Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar, Patiala’s southeastern corner, and the Hariana tract.
- Why
- The records were used to document Delhi’s historical place within the Haryana region and the geographic spread of its language.
- Earliest reference
- A 1132 description by Shridhar identifies Delhi as a large city in the Haryana region.
- Linguistic survey
- George Grierson’s Linguistic Survey of India was published in 1916.
- Survey area
- The language was recorded in Delhi, Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar and southeastern Patiala.
- Historical names
- The language was called Jatu, Hariani, Deswali, Desari and Bangaru in different areas.
- Delhi speakers
- The survey recorded 2.36 lakh speakers in Delhi district.
- Hariana tract
- It included Hissar, Fatehabad and Hansi tehsils, along with eastern Bhiwani tehsil.