Hassadi

Hassadi

The people

Hassadi language is spoken in the mountainous region of Hambal village in District Doda of J&K state. The Population of the Village Stands between 1800-2000. However, the Hassadi language comprises a small part of the village's Linguistic repertoire, as its speakers range around 200-300. The members primarily speak the language of the Masha community. The defining characteristics of this community are patriarchy and caste system. Since the caste system is prevalent in the village, the Masha community finds its place in the lower strata, while the Rajputs, Manhas, and Rana form the upper class. They live in segregated colonies, and each colony represents a specific social class.

The language, Religion and occupation

As the language is spoken by less than 300 people, Hassadi, a member of the Indo-Aryan language, is enlisted as one of the endangered languages in India. Some of the Languages that exist in the same region and its adjoining areas are Badarwahi, Pahari Dogri, Khashalli, Hindi, and Kashmir. Hassadi is a language that has no written literature or a script of its own. It is not part of official communication, such as in public offices and educational institutions. Most of the people of the Masha community are bilingual and use their native language only in their homes and in their immediate social context. While Hindi is used as an alternate language to communicate with the people of other communities. So far, no linguistic research or documentation has been carried out on the language. Hinduism is the most widespread belief practiced by the speakers of Hassadi. They, too, worship different deities like other believers of their faith. These people usually pray to their gods in temples. However, a small part of their houses is dedicated to a special deity. The community members celebrate various festivals, but the Mata Dedni festival is the only festival that is specifically celebrated twice a year, on 13 April and 25 August, with great fervor and enthusiasm. During this festival, various sacrifices are offered to please the deity. The inhabitants of the Hambal village who speak Hassadi belong to the working class. Their lifestyle is very simple. They have a hand-to-mouth living. Most people live in kaccha Houses made of mud, wood, and straw. Cultivation, shopkeeping, wood cutting, shoe mending, and cattle rearing are the main occupations of these people. In the Hassadi community, bullock carts and horses are the primary mode of transport. People usually walk on foot to visit nearby villages. They also use bullock carts and horses to carry essential goods like grains, crops, hay, and other commodities.

Present work

A major portion of the language, such as Grammar and Ethno-linguistic sketch of the language and community, has been covered. The development of an electronic dictionary of the Hassadi language is in Progress.