Powari language
{{Short description|Indo-Aryan language spoken in India}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Powari
|states=India
|region= Madhya Pradesh
|speakers=325,772
|date=2011 census
|speakers2=Census results conflate some speakers with Hindi
|familycolor=Indo-European
|fam2=Indo-Iranian
|fam3=Indo-Aryan
|fam4=Central Indo-Aryan
|script=Devanagari script
|nation=
|iso3=pwr
|lingua=59-AAF-rc
|glotto2=powa1246
|glottoname2=Powari
}}
Powari is an Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in Madhya Pradesh and Eastern Maharashtra.
Classification
Powari has variously been classified as a variety of (or possibly a regional name for) the Bundeli language,{{cite book |last= Masica |first= Colin |year=1993 |title= The Indo-Aryan Languages |publisher= Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-29944-2}} or as a separate language belonging to either the Eastern Hindi or the Western Hindi subgroups. In census data, Powari is included among the varieties of Hindi.
Geographical distribution
Powari is spoken in the Balaghat district and Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh and Bhandara district and Gondia district of Maharashtra.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dGSU5qbAaj0C&q=powari+language |title=Accessions List, India - Volume 18 - Page 403 |year=1980 }} by Powar Community migrated from Western Malwa. This language is noted in the first Linguistic Survey of India done by George Abraham Grierson.
Powari seems to be mixture of Bundeli, Bagheli, Marathi, Malvi and Nimadi. A large impact of Bagheli and Bundeli can be seen on Powari dialect as the Powars of Malwa migrated to this area through Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand. As the Powars are residing since 300 years in Central province after their migration, impact of local language and marathi is there. This Dialect became unique as it was developed through addition & mixing of other dialects.