Ram Dayal Munda (centre), the former VC of Ranchi University, attends the launch of Gotiya, a Nagpuri magazine, with others. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, July 24: Intellectuals are working hard to make the regional Nagpuri language and culture more accessible to those in the state.

Moving ahead with the initiative, former vice-chancellor of Ranchi University (RU) and noted tribal intellectual Ram Dayal Munda released a Nagpuri magazine Gotiya at a function organised at the tribal and regional language department of RU.

The magazine will be published three times a month. “It would be a social, literary and cultural mouthpiece. It would also work towards preserving the local culture and promoting Nagpuri as a language,” said Vandana Tete, the secretary of Jharkhand Bhasha Sahitya Sanskriti Akhada, the organisation that had organised the function to launch the magazine.

Though there are five tribal languages — Oraon, Mundari, Santhali, Khariya and Ho and four regional languages Khorta, Kurmali, Panchpargania and Nagpuri, the latter binds all the dialects together. Hence, writers feel that it is essential to promote the language.

While speaking on the occasion, Munda stressed on the “unity” of various groups in the state. He also said that Nagpuri is the most common language in Jharkhand and hence should be promoted.

Various Nagpuri intellectuals, including B.P. Kesri, Giridahriram Ganjhu, Virendra Kumar Mahto, Puskar Mahto and Dharmendra Prabahi were present at the function. Kumari Basanti, the head of the department of tribal and regional languages of RU said the effort was “important” for the promotion of the Nagpuri language and unity of the regional culture.

Gotiya, which means guest, is not the first Nagpuri magazine for the promotion of the language and local culture. Several other magazines including Johar Sahitya, a monthly magazine, have been published.

Virendra Kumar Mahto, a Nagpuri writer, who would be editing the magazine, felt that the youth should not only read the magazine but also contribute in it. “The youth are forgetting their language and culture. The magazine would inspire them to feel for the state and its culture,” said Mahto.