Doteli


Doteli, or Dotyali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by about 800,000 people, most of whom live in Nepal. It is a dialect of Kumaoni, and is written in the Devanagari script. It has official status in Nepal as per Part 1, Section 6 of Constitution of Nepal 2072.
There are four main dialects of Doteli, namely Baitadeli, Bajhangi Nepali, Darchuli and Doteli. The mutual intelligibility between these dialects is high and all dialects of Doteli are able to share language-based materials.
DistrictTerms used for language name
KailaliBaitadeli, Bajhangi, Nepali
KanchanpurBaitadeli Nepali, Nepali
DotiDotyali, Doteli
DadeldhuraDotyali, Dadeldhuri
BaitadiBaitadi, Baitadeli, Dotyali
DarchulaDarchuleli, Dotyali
BajhangBajhangi Bajhangi Nepali, Nepali

Origin and History

According to Rahul Sankrityayan Doteli or Dotyali is the dialect of the Kumaoni language which was brought to Doti by a section of the Katyuri dynasty of Kumaon which had ruled over Doti until 1790.The Doti kingdom was formed after the Katyuri kingdom had broken up into eight different princely states of different sections of the Katyuris. However, in Nepal it is considered as a Nepali dialect; though Local intellectuals and people of Doti, those who are speaking Doteli language that they are increasingly demanding their language to be recognized as one of the national languages of Nepal.