This one-page sheet covers the Chhattisgarhi language, the state's writers and poets, and its proverbs, idioms and riddles. For explanations, read [Chhattisgarhi Language and Grammar Basics](/chhattisgarh/literature-language/chhattisgarhi-language-grammar/), [Writers and Poets](/chhattisgarh/literature-language/writers-and-poets/), [Idioms and Proverbs](/chhattisgarh/literature-language/idioms-and-proverbs/) and [Riddles (Janaula)](/chhattisgarh/literature-language/riddles-paheli/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.
{{< /callout >}}

## Timeline / Key Facts

### The Language

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Family** | **Indo-Aryan → Eastern Hindi**, with Awadhi and Bagheli (Grierson's *Linguistic Survey of India*) |
| Ancestry | Ardhamagadhi Apabhramsha (traditional view) |
| Script | Devanagari |
| Older names | Laria, Khaltahi |
| Northern variety | Sargujiha (Surguja) |
| Not dialects of Chhattisgarhi | Halbi, Bhatri (separate Indo-Aryan, Bastar); Gondi, Kurukh (Dravidian) |
| **First grammar** | **Hiralal Kavyopadhyay**, Dhamtari, in Hindi; English translation by **G. A. Grierson** in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. 59 (1890); revised edition with Lochan Prasad Pandey (1921) |
| **Official language** | **Chhattisgarh Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2007**: Chhattisgarhi alongside Hindi |
| **Rajbhasha Diwas** | **28 November** |
| **Rajbhasha Aayog** | Set up **2008**; first chairman **Pt. Shyamlal Chaturvedi** |
| Eighth Schedule | **Not included** (as of 2026); state has sought inclusion |
| Census 2011 | Chhattisgarhi counted as a mother tongue grouped under Hindi |

### Grammar at a Glance

| Feature | Chhattisgarhi |
|---------|---------------|
| Plural marker | **-मन** (लइकामन, हमन, ओमन) |
| को / से / का-के-की / में / के लिए | **ला / ले / के / म / बर** |
| my / your / his-her / our | मोर / तोर / ओकर / हमर |
| I am / he is / we are | मैं हँव / ओ हे / हमन हन |
| He goes / is going / went / will go | जाथे / जावत हे / गिस / जाही |
| not / don't | **नइ / झन** |
| what / who / why / how much | का / कोन / काबर / कतका |
| Sound changes | श → स, व → ब, य → ज |
| Greeting | जय जोहार |

### Writers and Poets

| Writer | Key fact |
|--------|----------|
| **Dharamdas** | Kabir's chief disciple; **"Adi Kavi" of Chhattisgarh**; Kabirpanth seats at Damakheda and Kawardha |
| Gopal Mishra | Kalachuri court poet, Ratanpur; *Khub Tamasha* |
| **Madhavrao Sapre** | **Chhattisgarh Mitra (Pendra, 1900)**; *Ek Tokri Bhar Mitti*, one of the earliest Hindi short stories |
| **Sundarlal Sharma** | **Chhattisgarhi Dan-Lila (1905)**, first Chhattisgarhi prabandh kavya |
| Lochan Prasad Pandey | Poet-historian; elder brother of Mukutdhar |
| **Mukutdhar Pandey** | Introduced the term **Chhayavad (1920)**; *Kurri Ke Prati* |
| Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi | Essayist; editor of *Saraswati*; Khairagarh |
| **Muktibodh** | *Andhere Mein*, *Chand Ka Munh Tedha Hai* (1964); taught at Digvijay College, **Rajnandgaon** |
| **Shrikant Verma** | **Magadh**; Sahitya Akademi **1987** (posthumous); born **Bilaspur** |
| **Vinod Kumar Shukla** | Born **Rajnandgaon** (1937); *Naukar Ki Kameez*; Sahitya Akademi **1999** (*Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rahti Thi*); **59th Jnanpith** (for 2024), first from CG; died **23 Dec 2025** |
| **Narendra Dev Verma** | **Arpa Pairi Ke Dhar**, state song (2019) |
| Shyamlal Chaturvedi | First chairman, Rajbhasha Aayog |
| Lala Jagdalpuri | Bastar poet-folklorist; Jagdalpur central library named after him |

### Proverbs, Idioms and Riddles

| Term / item | Meaning |
|-------------|---------|
| **हाना (hana)** | **Proverb** (complete sentence) |
| **मुहावरा** | Idiom (phrase; verb changes) |
| **जनउला (janaula)** | **Riddle** (Hindi पहेली) |
| दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़ | Troubles pile on the weak |
| जेकर लाठी तेकर भइंसा | Might is right |
| अड़हा बैद परान घात | Half-knowledge is dangerous |
| नाचे ल न जाने अँगना टेड़गा | Blaming circumstances for lack of skill |
| बइठे ले बेगार भला | Some work is better than idleness |
| आँखी म धुर्रा झोंकना | To deceive |
| करेजा जुड़ाना | To feel relief |
| नाक कटाना | To be disgraced |
| बत्तीस चौकीदार, बीच म रानी | Tongue |
| एक आँखी के डोकरी | Needle |
| रतिहा म झरथे, बिहनिया बिनाथे | Mahua flower |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| Kavyopadhyay: **author** of the first grammar | | Grierson: **translator/editor** |
| Eastern Hindi (Awadhi, Bagheli, Chhattisgarhi) | | Western Hindi (Khari Boli, Braj, Bundeli) |
| 28 November: Rajbhasha Diwas | | 1 November: Rajyotsava |
| Official language of the state (2007) | | Eighth Schedule (not included) |
| Shrikant Verma: *Magadh*, Bilaspur, 1987 | | Vinod Kumar Shukla: *Deewar Mein...*, Rajnandgaon, 1999 |
| Muktibodh: **worked** in Rajnandgaon | | V. K. Shukla: **born** in Rajnandgaon |
| Mukutdhar Pandey: Chhayavad term | | Lochan Prasad Pandey: his elder brother |
| Sapre: *Chhattisgarh Mitra* (1900) | | Sundarlal Sharma: *Dan-Lila* (1905) |
| Narendra Dev Verma: state song | | Shyamlal Chaturvedi: Rajbhasha Aayog |
| Hana: proverb | | Janaula: riddle |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite MCQ trap" >}}
Three swaps to watch: **hana offered as "riddle"** (it is a proverb; a riddle is janaula), **Chhattisgarhi "in the Eighth Schedule"** (it is not; it is an official language of the state under a 2007 law), and ***Magadh* given to Vinod Kumar Shukla** (it is Shrikant Verma's).
{{< /callout >}}

---
Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/chhattisgarh/literature-language/quick-revision/

Chhattisgarh Literature, Chhattisgarhi Language, Idioms and Riddles

Literature, Chhattisgarhi Language, Idioms and Riddles — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for Literature, Chhattisgarhi Language, Idioms and Riddles — every date, name and fact in tables for last-minute Prelims and Mains revision.

4 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc

This one-page sheet covers the Chhattisgarhi language, the state’s writers and poets, and its proverbs, idioms and riddles. For explanations, read Chhattisgarhi Language and Grammar Basics, Writers and Poets, Idioms and Proverbs and Riddles (Janaula).

How to use this sheet

Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.

Timeline / Key Facts

The Language

Fact	Detail
Family	Indo-Aryan → Eastern Hindi, with Awadhi and Bagheli (Grierson’s Linguistic Survey of India)
Ancestry	Ardhamagadhi Apabhramsha (traditional view)
Script	Devanagari
Older names	Laria, Khaltahi
Northern variety	Sargujiha (Surguja)
Not dialects of Chhattisgarhi	Halbi, Bhatri (separate Indo-Aryan, Bastar); Gondi, Kurukh (Dravidian)
First grammar	Hiralal Kavyopadhyay, Dhamtari, in Hindi; English translation by G. A. Grierson in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. 59 (1890); revised edition with Lochan Prasad Pandey (1921)
Official language	Chhattisgarh Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2007: Chhattisgarhi alongside Hindi
Rajbhasha Diwas	28 November
Rajbhasha Aayog	Set up 2008; first chairman Pt. Shyamlal Chaturvedi
Eighth Schedule	Not included (as of 2026); state has sought inclusion
Census 2011	Chhattisgarhi counted as a mother tongue grouped under Hindi

Grammar at a Glance

Feature	Chhattisgarhi
Plural marker	-मन (लइकामन, हमन, ओमन)
को / से / का-के-की / में / के लिए	ला / ले / के / म / बर
my / your / his-her / our	मोर / तोर / ओकर / हमर
I am / he is / we are	मैं हँव / ओ हे / हमन हन
He goes / is going / went / will go	जाथे / जावत हे / गिस / जाही
not / don’t	नइ / झन
what / who / why / how much	का / कोन / काबर / कतका
Sound changes	श → स, व → ब, य → ज
Greeting	जय जोहार

Writers and Poets

Writer	Key fact
Dharamdas	Kabir’s chief disciple; “Adi Kavi” of Chhattisgarh; Kabirpanth seats at Damakheda and Kawardha
Gopal Mishra	Kalachuri court poet, Ratanpur; Khub Tamasha
Madhavrao Sapre	Chhattisgarh Mitra (Pendra, 1900); Ek Tokri Bhar Mitti, one of the earliest Hindi short stories
Sundarlal Sharma	Chhattisgarhi Dan-Lila (1905), first Chhattisgarhi prabandh kavya
Lochan Prasad Pandey	Poet-historian; elder brother of Mukutdhar
Mukutdhar Pandey	Introduced the term Chhayavad (1920); Kurri Ke Prati
Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi	Essayist; editor of Saraswati; Khairagarh
Muktibodh	Andhere Mein, Chand Ka Munh Tedha Hai (1964); taught at Digvijay College, Rajnandgaon
Shrikant Verma	Magadh; Sahitya Akademi 1987 (posthumous); born Bilaspur
Vinod Kumar Shukla	Born Rajnandgaon (1937); Naukar Ki Kameez; Sahitya Akademi 1999 (Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rahti Thi); 59th Jnanpith (for 2024), first from CG; died 23 Dec 2025
Narendra Dev Verma	Arpa Pairi Ke Dhar, state song (2019)
Shyamlal Chaturvedi	First chairman, Rajbhasha Aayog
Lala Jagdalpuri	Bastar poet-folklorist; Jagdalpur central library named after him

Proverbs, Idioms and Riddles

Term / item	Meaning
हाना (hana)	Proverb (complete sentence)
मुहावरा	Idiom (phrase; verb changes)
जनउला (janaula)	Riddle (Hindi पहेली)
दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़	Troubles pile on the weak
जेकर लाठी तेकर भइंसा	Might is right
अड़हा बैद परान घात	Half-knowledge is dangerous
नाचे ल न जाने अँगना टेड़गा	Blaming circumstances for lack of skill
बइठे ले बेगार भला	Some work is better than idleness
आँखी म धुर्रा झोंकना	To deceive
करेजा जुड़ाना	To feel relief
नाक कटाना	To be disgraced
बत्तीस चौकीदार, बीच म रानी	Tongue
एक आँखी के डोकरी	Needle
रतिहा म झरथे, बिहनिया बिनाथे	Mahua flower

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
Kavyopadhyay: author of the first grammar		Grierson: translator/editor
Eastern Hindi (Awadhi, Bagheli, Chhattisgarhi)		Western Hindi (Khari Boli, Braj, Bundeli)
28 November: Rajbhasha Diwas		1 November: Rajyotsava
Official language of the state (2007)		Eighth Schedule (not included)
Shrikant Verma: Magadh, Bilaspur, 1987		Vinod Kumar Shukla: Deewar Mein…, Rajnandgaon, 1999
Muktibodh: worked in Rajnandgaon		V. K. Shukla: born in Rajnandgaon
Mukutdhar Pandey: Chhayavad term		Lochan Prasad Pandey: his elder brother
Sapre: Chhattisgarh Mitra (1900)		Sundarlal Sharma: Dan-Lila (1905)
Narendra Dev Verma: state song		Shyamlal Chaturvedi: Rajbhasha Aayog
Hana: proverb		Janaula: riddle

Favourite MCQ trap

Three swaps to watch: hana offered as “riddle” (it is a proverb; a riddle is janaula), Chhattisgarhi “in the Eighth Schedule” (it is not; it is an official language of the state under a 2007 law), and Magadh given to Vinod Kumar Shukla (it is Shrikant Verma’s).

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