Mother Language Day | Know how Rekhta Gujarati is preserving and promoting a linguistic legacy

This International Mother Language Day is a reminder to celebrate our mother tongue and the regional languages that play a pivotal role in shaping our identity. One unique initiative contributing to the preservation and promotion of Gujarati is Rekhta Gujarati, launched by the Rekhta Foundation, to make the language, literature, and culture more accessible.

Expanding its work from Urdu literature, Rekhta Foundation introduced Rekhta Gujarati in March 2024. The initiative includes a dedicated website, rekhtagujarati.org, and the Rekhta Kids Learning App, both designed to bring Gujarati language and literature to a wider audience in digital formats.

The Rekhta Gujarati website functions as a comprehensive digital archive, featuring over 4,000 poems by 800+ poets, covering a wide range of genres like ghazals, chhandas, folk poetry, and devotional verses. The platform also offers prose, essays, and plays, providing readers with diverse literary experiences. It includes video recitations, discussions, and interviews with literary figures, making literature more interactive.

The website further enriches readers with folk literature, children’s literature, geet, and bhajan. It also features a "Word of the Day" section to help users expand their vocabulary. Readers can subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed about new literary additions and special features.

Recognising the importance of early exposure to the language, the Rekhta Kids Learning App provides an engaging way for children to learn Gujarati through rhymes, stories, and activities, making the process enjoyable and accessible.

Additionally, efforts have been made to digitise historic libraries across Gujarat, ensuring that valuable literary works are preserved. Libraries such as B.J. Vidyabhavan (Ahmedabad), A.S. Dahilaxmi Library (Nadiad), and Raychand Deepchand Library (Bharuch) are being digitally archived to make their resources freely accessible for future generations.

Rekhta Gujarati is part of a broader effort to keep Gujarati literature relevant and thriving in the digital era, providing a platform for both established and emerging voices while preserving the linguistic and cultural richness of the language.