Writing system

Writing system

Maithili was traditionally written in the Maithili script, also known as Mithilakshar and Tirhuta. Devanagari script is most commonly used since the 20th century. The Maithili version of the Kaithi script is a generalized version of script variants used for languages across eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and northern Jharkhand. An effort is underway to preserve the Maithili script and to develop it for use in digital media by encoding the script in the Unicode standard, for which proposals have been submitted to the Unicode Technical Committee. The ISO of Unicode Technical Committee has approved the encoding of both scripts.

Maithili calendar

The Maithili calendar or Tirhuta Panchang (तिरहुता पंचांग / তিরহুতা পঞ্চাঙ্গ) is a community calendar followed by the Maithili community of India and Nepal. It is one of the many Hindu calendars. It is a sidereal solar calendar in which the year begins on the first day of Baishakh month, i.e., Mesh Sankranti. Every year, this day falls on 13/14 April of Georgian calendar. Pohela Baishakh in Poschim Banga, Rangali Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, and Vaishakhi in Punjab are also observed on the same day. These festivals also mark the beginning of new year in their respective regions.

Names and approximate lengths of Maithili months
No.	Name	Maithili (Tirhuta)	Maithili (Devanagari)	Sanskrit	Days (Traditional Hindu sidereal solar calendar)
1	Baishakh	বৈসাখ	बैसाख	वैशाख	30 / 31
2	Jeth	জেঠ	जेठ	ज्येष्ठ	31 / 32
3	Asharh	আষাঢ়	आषाढ़	आषाढ	31 / 32
4	Saon	সাৱোন	सावोन	श्रावण	31 / 32
5	Bhado	ভাদো	भादो	भाद्रपद,भाद्र,प्रोष्ठपद	31 / 32
6	Aasin	আসিন	आसिन	आश्विन	31 / 30
7	Katik	কাতিক	कातिक	कार्तिक	29 / 30
8	Agahan	অগহন	अगहन	अग्रहायण,मार्गशीर्ष	29 / 30
9	Poos	পূস	पूस	पौष	29 / 30
10	Magh	মাঘ	माघ	माघ	29 / 30
11	Fagun	ফাগুন	फागुन	फाल्गुन	29 / 30
12	Chait	চৈতি	चैति	चैत्र	30 / 31

Literature

The most famous literary figure in Maithili is the poet Vidyapati (1350–1450), who wrote his poems in the language of the people, i.e., Maithili, at a time when state's official language used to be Sanskrit and Sanskrit was still being used as a literary language. The use of Maithili, instead of Sanskrit, in literature became more common after Vidyapati.

The main characteristics of Magadhi Prakrit is to mutate 'r' into 's', the 'n' for n, of 'j' for 'y', of 'b' for 'y' In the edicts of Ashoka the change of 'r' to 'h' is established. Mahavir and Buddha delivered their sermons in the eastern languages. The secular use of language came mainly from the east as will be evident from the Prakritpainglam, a comprehensive work on Prakrit and Apabhramsa-Avahatta poetry. Jyotirishwar mentions Lorika. Vachaspati II in his Tattvachintamani and Vidyapati in his Danavakyavali have profusely used typical Maithili words of daily use. The Maithili script, Mithilakshara or Tirhuta as it is popularly known, is of a great antiquity.. The Lalitavistara mentions the Vaidehi script. Early in the latter half of the seventh century A. D., we find a marked change in the north-eastern alphabet and the inscriptions of Adityasena exhibit this change for the first time and hence forward the eastern variety develops by itself and becomes the Maithili script—a script which ultimately comes into use in Assam, Bengal and Nepal. The earliest recorded epigraphic evidence of the script is to be found in the Mandar Hill Stone inscriptions of Adityasena (c. 7th century A. D.), now fixed in the Baidyanath temple, Deoghar.

The Kamrupa dialect was originally a variety of eastern Maithili and it was, no doubt, the spoken Aryan language throughout the kingdom which then included the whole of Assam valley and whole of North Bengal with the addition of the district of Purnea. The language of the Buddhist Dohas is described as belonging to the mixed Maithili—Kamrupi language.

Early Maithili Literature (ca. 700–1350 AD)

The period was of ballads, songs, and dohas. Some important Maithili writers of this era were:

Kavi Kokil Pre-Jyotirishwar Vidyapati

Jyotirishwar Thakur (1290–1350) whose 'Varnartnakar' is the first prose and encyclopedia in any Southern Nepali language and northern Indian language.

Middle Maithili Literature (ca. 1350–1830 AD)

The period was of theatrical writings. Some important Maithili writers of this era were:

Vidyapati (1350–1450)

Srimanta Sankardeva (1449–1568)

Govindadas

Modern Maithili Literature (1830 AD to date)

Modern Maithili came into its own after Sir George Abraham Grierson, an Irish linguist and civil servant, tirelessly researched Maithili folklore and transcribed its grammar. Paul R. Brass wrote that "Grierson judged that Maithili and its dialects could fairly be characterized as the language of the entire population of Janakpur, Siraha, Saptari, Sarlahi, Darbhanga and Madhubani". In April 2010 a translation of the New Testament into Maithili was published by the Bible Society of India under joint copyright with Nepal Wycliffe Bible Translators.

The development of Maithili in modern era was due to various magazines and journals mainly concentrated at Janakpur.