Western Pahari

Pahari (also known as Pahaari), is a general term for various dialects spoken in the Indian part of the central Himalayan range. The word is derived from 'pahar' or 'pahad' meaning 'mountain'. The term 'Pahaari/Pahari' in Hindi, Urdu, or Punjabi means "language of the mountain people". Pahari dialects are found in the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal (traditionally called Uttarakhand). Western Pahari (Himachali) dialects include: Pothohari/Potwari, Kangri, Kullu, etc. The dialects spoken in Uttaranchal/Uttarakhand include Garhwali, Kumaoni and others. Garhwali itself has many dialects spoken in different parts of the state, like Jaunsari, Jadhi, etc.

The words Garhwali and Kumaoni are also used to refer to people speaking those dialects. It is noteworthy that most people consider pahari language to be same or just a variant of Pujabi.In Pakistan, Pahari language is sometimes calld Dhanni or Jhelumi and in some places it is called Mirpuri but any native speaker of Punjabi can understand it. There are also speakers of various Pahari dialects living in the mountainous north of Pakistan, between Kashmir and Afghanistan - although these dialects are increasingly coming under the influence of the national language Urdu and also Punjabi.