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History and introduction
Mundari β πππͺπ πππ¦ππ£ horo jagar, βthe language of human beingsβ β is a North Munda (Kherwarian) language of the Austroasiatic family, spoken across the Chota Nagpur plateau and into Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Bangladesh and Nepal. The word βMundaβ itself means βvillage headmanβ in Mundari. This home page is only an introduction; every topic has its own page, linked below and in the menu above.
A short history
The Munda languages belong to the Austroasiatic family β among the oldest language families of India β and Mundari has been spoken on the Chota Nagpur plateau for many centuries, long as an oral language of village, festival and song.
Birsa Munda's great uprising, the Ulgulan, made Mundari a language of resistance and identity; it led to the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, protecting Mundari land.
Hoffmann's Mundari Grammar was published, followed by the Encyclopaedia Mundarica (1924β1950) β the foundation works on the language.
Schoolboy Rohidas Singh Nag of Mayurbhanj began creating the Mundari Bani script; its present 27-letter form was published in 1980 and revised in 2008.
Mundari became an additional official language of Jharkhand. The Census of 2011 counted 16,34,150 speakers under the βMundariβ and βMundaβ labels together.
The Nag Mundari script entered Unicode 15.0 (block U+1E4D0βU+1E4FF), so Mundari Bani can be typed and read on phones and computers. Inclusion in the Eighth Schedule remains a living demand, not a granted status.
The language at a glance
Closest relatives: Santali and Ho. Four dialects β Hasada, Naguri, Tamaria and Kera. UNESCO lists Mundari as Vulnerable. Its word order is SOV, it counts in twenties, and it has two words for βweβ β one including the listener, one excluding. All of this is explained, with the script shown beside every word, on the pages below.
The greeting is ππππ£ joar β hello, and also thank you.
How to use this site
Start with Script to learn the 27 letters, then Learn for flashcards and sentences, and keep the Dictionary open beside you. Every Mundari word on every page is shown in Mundari Bani script first, with its Roman form next to it, so you can read the script everywhere β in the pronouns, in the counting table, and in every other table.
Explore β one page for each topic
Identity
Where Mundari is spoken, its dialects, and how it differs from Santali and Ho.
Open the Identity page βScript
Mundari Bani β the full clickable 27-letter alphabet, digits and tone marks.
Open the Script page βGrammar
Pronouns, verbs and questions β every form in Bani and Roman.
Open the Grammar page βLearn
Flashcards, everyday sentences and counting β built on twenty.
Open the Learn page βDictionary
Search words in Bani, Roman or English.
Open the Dictionary page βCulture
Sarhul, Karam, Sarna and the akhra β where the language lives.
Open the Culture page βMovement
This week's rallies and the two demands β Eighth Schedule and Odisha's second official language.
Open the Movement page βResources
Courses, dictionaries and books to learn further.
Open the Resources page βWelcome
Welcome to Mundari Samaj
Mundari Samaj is a growing digital knowledge platform created to document and share the language, histories, cultures and lived experiences of Munda communities. It brings together learning resources, historical information, cultural documentation and community contributions in one accessible place.
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Explore the Platform
Discover Our History
Historical sources, movements, places and a timeline of Munda history.
Explore History →Explore Our Language
Mundari Bani script, grammar, lessons and a searchable dictionary.
Explore Language →Culture & Traditions
Arts, music, food, clothing and community practices, region by region.
Explore Culture →Festivals & Celebrations
Sarhul, Karam, Sohrai and other documented seasonal celebrations.
Explore Festivals →People & Community
Historical figures, language contributors, writers, artists and community voices.
Meet the People →Digital Library
Books, research, recordings and photographs preserved for tomorrow.
Open the Library →Learn Mundari
Discover the Mundari Language
Start learning through carefully reviewed lessons, vocabulary, grammar, everyday expressions and pronunciation resources.
Culture and Traditions
A Living Heritage
Explore the diverse cultural expressions, traditional knowledge, arts, music, food and community practices documented by Munda people across regions.
History and Heritage
Stories That Connect Generations
Selected historical articles, biographies, timelines and archival material — with sources and dates shown.
Community Voices
Our Stories, Our Voices
Approved interviews, oral histories and community-submitted stories will appear here, with contributor names only with permission. This section is being built with the community — share your story.
Digital Archive
Preserving Heritage for Tomorrow
Photographs, documents, recordings and written memories can help future generations learn about the past. Explore the growing digital archive.
Contribute
Help Preserve Our Heritage
Do you know a traditional song, a local story, a Mundari word, a historical fact or a family photograph that should be documented? Share it with us. Every contribution is reviewed before publication.