Gilgit-Baltistan is an amazing place with high mountains and clear skies.
The Karakorum Highway connects China with Pakistan through Gilgit Baltistan. It is a sparsely populated region with an area of 72,971 km2. Moreover, the mountains of Gilgit Baltistan are distributed over an area that is equal to the size of Israel.
In addition, nature has bestowed Gilgit Baltistan with all kinds of natural resources, i.e., marble, chromite, phosphorus, gold, uranium, etc. The mighty Indus River of Pakistan originates from the region of Gilgit Baltistan. Gilgit Baltistan is home to more than 20,000 glaciers, which are the source of fresh water and hydroelectric power.
The rivers of Gilgit Baltistan carry gold and trout fish simultaneously. This mesmerizing region is an example of diversity in terms of the coexistence of different ethnicities with different cultures and languages.
Previously, Gilgit Baltistan was administered under the name of the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA). Later, FANA was changed to Gilgit Baltistan due to the merger of the two agencies, Gilgit Agency and Baltistan Agency.
There are multiple languages spoken in Gilgit Baltistan from one region to another.
Let’s see Gilgit-Baltistan through the lens of its languages.
What is the language of Gilgit-Baltistan?
Particularly, there is not a single language spoken in Gilgit Baltistan. There are numerous languages and local dialects spoken in different regions of Gilgit-Baltistan.
It is quite amazing that this region has a population of around 2 million, but the ethno-linguistic diversity is notable. Almost nine languages or local dialects are spoken in the region of Gilgit Baltistan, and these are the indigenous languages that are spoken nowhere else on this earth.
How many languages are spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan?
Almost nine languages are spoken in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan. The languages are as follows:
- Balti( بلتی)
- Brushaski(بروشسکی)
- Shina(شینا)
- Wakhi ( وخی)
- Domaki( ڈومکی)
- Kohistani(کوہستانی)
- Khowar(کھوار)
- Kashgari(کاشغری)
- Gojarri(گوجری)
Many other languages, like Pashto, Punjabi, English, Urdu, and Persian, are also spoken in Gilgit Baltistan, but on minute levels.
What language is spoken in the Hunza Valley?
Hunza Valley is the gateway to China’s Xinxiang province. The people of Hunza are the descendants of the Brusho tribe, and the Hunza region was administered by Mirs and Rajas of the Brusho tribe from earlier ages. Brushaski is the language of Hunza, and Shina is also spoken in a few regions of the Hunza Valley. The Brushaski is considered to be a millennium-old dialect of the followers of the Bon religion, which was the religion of the Tibetan people. In addition to the Hunza Valley, Brushaski is spoken in Yasin and Nagar.
There are multiple dialects of the Brushaski language. The Brushaski language that is spoken in Yasin is a notably different dialect than that of Hunza and Nagar.
A few Brushaski speakers are also present in Indian-administered Kashmir.
What are the regional languages of the Baltistan division?
As previously listed above, there are more than nine indigenous languages spoken by the people of Gilgit Baltistan. Balti is widely spoken in Baltistan Division, which comprises five districts that include Skurdu, Ghanchey, Shigar, Kharmang, and Roundu.
Furthermore, Balti is also said to originate from the Tibetan region, and it has its own characters and literature. The Baltistan division is dominated by two sects of Islam: the Nurbakhshi and the Shia. The Balti people are very peaceful, and they’re said to be the descendants of the Mongol, Hor, and Mon tribes.
Where are the Khowar and Shina languages spoken?
The Khowar language sounds very delightful to hear because of the humility it produces when spoken. It is widely spoken throughout the Ghizer district, mainly in Gupis, Khalti, and Phander.
The Khowar language is also spoken by the people of Chitral, and this dialect is considered to be the original one. There are also many Khowar speakers in Yasin and Gilgit.
The Khowar language has the most profound poetry as compared to the other regional languages of Gilgit Baltistan.
The other language spoken widely throughout Gilgit-Baltistan is Shina. Shina is mainly spoken in Gilgit city, Astore, Tangir, Chlias, Diamer, Nagar, and district Ghizer. The majority of people in the Gilgit and Diamer division speak the Shina language.
The Shina language is mainly associated with two tribes: the Shin and the Yashkun. Shina is very easy to learn, unlike Brushaski and Balti, so the number of Shina speakers is always on the rise.
Domaaki – the language on the verge of extinction
Domaaki, Dawoodi, or Domaa is an Indo-Aryan language that is on the verge of extinction. To add on, Domaaki speakers are very few in number; the estimated number of Domaaki speakers is 340.
This language isn’t widely spoken in Gilgit Baltistan, but Hunza and Nagar districts have few Domaa speakers. The Domaaki people connect themselves to Kashmir and Punjab.
It is quite notable that the Domaaki speakers came under the influence of other local languages, with a greater number of speakers like Shina and Brushaski. The name Dawoodi is affiliated with the Muslim prophet Hazrat Dawood.
Wakhi: the language of Gojal.
Wakhi is the language of the people of Gojal. To add on, Wakhi is also spoken in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, in many regions of Tajikistan, and also in the Xinxiang province of China. Gojal borders Afghanistan in the north-west, and this region is called the Wakhan Corridor, which connects Gojal with the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan. It borders the Xinxiang province of China in the north through the Khunjerab Pass. The most famously known shrine of Baba Ghundi is located in the Chupursan valley of Gojal.
Gilgit Baltistan is a living example of diversity and pluralism. May it thrive till the end of time.
