Holiya

Holiya (ISO-639-3 code: hoy)

Holiya (Golari) language is spoken by Holiya community as their mother tongue in the Balaghat and Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh and in Gondia, Bhandra of Maharashtra. According to 2011 census, Holiya Scheduled Caste population in Madhya Pradesh is 16, 192 and Maharashtra is 1, 08, 908 (Holar, Valhar) & 18, 263 (Holaya, Holer, Holeya, Holiya), respectively.

Holiya community people spread all over the Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh state. Holiya (Kannada) speakers are found in some of the villages in Ahmednagar, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gondia, Jalgaon, Kalyan, Mambai, Nagpur, Nasik, Pune, Solapur, Yevotmal, Wardha districts of Maharashtra and in Balaghat & Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Holiya language resembles in all the respects a variety of Kannada language spoken in north Karntaka. So that is mey be re-designated as Holiya Kannada spoken by Holiya community of Balaghat, Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh. The term Hulia (Holia) is derived from Pulia or Polia (here that the ‘p’ has changed into ‘h’ is found) (p>h) (Etymological dictionary of Dravidian languages, 1961). The term Pulia, Polia has changed into Hulia, Holia. The community people of Hulia are called themselves as Huler, Holer, Hular, Holar, Hulia, Holia, Holiya in the different names in different localities for the Holiya community in Madhya Pradesh.

Most of the Holiya community people are bilinguals. They speak a Holiya language in their houses as their mother tongue; on the other hand they speak Hindi for the purpose of other activities outside the house. Holiya people speak a variety of Kannada language and Hindi language for their daily activities. In the schools and colleges they speak and study in Hindi only. Because, Hindi is the state language of Madhya Pradesh.

The speakers of Holiya language are Kannadigas. We do not know when they migrated from Karnataka towards Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. But, ‘p’ changed into ‘h’ in Kannada language has taken place only after 15th century onwards. On the basis of this evidence we can say that Holiya people might have migrated before or after 16th century onwards from north Karnataka towards Madhya Pradesh for their food and shelter (The history of Kannada language by R Narashimachar, 1934) ‘u’ changed into ‘o’ is quite common (ta Puttai, potte Ka, Potte>hotte) in south Dravidian languages like Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages. In Balaghat and Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh mainly there are two social groups of people found and speak a variety of Kannada language as their mother tongue. Among them Hulia (Holia) is one group, the other group is Gulia (Golia) Golar, so that thay speak same language like a coin of two faces in that localities. Even though they have no matrimonial relationship among them. On the basis of their language can be traced out that they may have brotherhood relationship among them. Gulia>Golia>Golar people are themselves say that they are superior than Hulia>Holia>Holiya people. Holiya group may be distinguished as drum beaters and Golar group may be as trumpets. The question arises who were Golia’s. Even today that question has not been resolved.

In both (Hulia and Gulia) the groups of people that the educated are normal in number. Some of them are employed in the public works departments and forest departments of Balaghat and Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh. Holiya community is listed in scheduled caste and they are getting reservation in Madhya Pradesh. Whereas, Golar community is listed in Nomadic tribes list in Madhya Pradesh.

The main occupation of Holiya community is agriculture labor and Tapdi beating in rituals. Golar people are engaged in agriculture and cattle rearing. Some of them have their own land for agriculture. Some of these people are working as coolies for their livelihood.

The people of Holiya and Golar speak Kannada language but they are not able to read and write Kannada script. They can write and read Hindi in those localities. In the next generation probably they may forget their mother tongue due to the influence of Hindi language. So, we have to take some steps to protect and preserve this endangered language as immediately as possible. Most of the Kannada words have already been disappeared and are replaced by Hindi and Marathi words in their language, since Hindi and Marathi are the major spoken languages in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

This language of Holiya is quite interesting to study as scientifically as possible in order to know the phonological, morphological and syntactical structures of a language. The Investigator have collected ample of words and sentences by the native speakers of the language visited in some villages (Tirodi, Satitola, Amgaon, Chakayeti) of Seoni, Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh.