RAPID SURTI SPEAKING COURSE………..
Gujarati, the first language of Gandhiji, the father of our nation and Jinnah, the father of Pakistan is considered one of the easiest languages to learn.

Its history dates back to the 12th century. Its base is from the Sanskrit language and its appearance differs from Devnagri with the absence of the horizontal line above the alphabets.

Between the 14th and 17th century, Urdu and Persian, which were court languages, greatly influenced Gujarati; The Avesta and Pahlavi were translated into it. Gujarati therefore, can be written in Persian and Arabic scripts and is, still done so, in parts of Kutch.

Narsinh Mehta provided it the power of expression, while Alexander Kinloch Forbes added British romanticism and style to it.

One of the most notable contributors to the language was Surti poet Narmad Shankar Dave. He introduced Grammar, essay writing, autobiography and dictionary to the language, purifying it.

Part of the city continues to speak it politely, as he had molded it.’Kem cho, shu kaam chey’. [How are you, what do you want?]

However, for a major part of the city, Surti language today, is a far cry from what Narmad had developed.

Some areas in Tapi town are witness to cute conversations like ‘heya si ta aney ta si heya’ [from here to there and there to here] like our Dawoodi Bohra community speaks or to the subtle, sweet soirees of the Parsis,’Mareyre, fatimua! Bhonu jamva chal, jov.’[Come have your food!]

With the advent of artisans, tribals and peasants, not to mention the unabashed nature of our Khatri, Ghanchi and Gola brothers and sisters, the language got colourful influence, to change as never before.

Visitors from the ‘Propah’ cities of Ahmedabad and Vadodra are aghast upon hearing Surti language.

Migrants from Punjab and up North have actually adopted it, feeling at home with its profanity.

Marwadis; however remain under much shock till date and end up saying,’Hamarey Calcutta mein aisa nahi hota hai,’ for a change.

The good thing about Surti language is that it is very much uncomplicated and extremely easy to learn.So, here is a quick and easy guide.

Lesson # 1.Stress on the alphabets D and T, make them sound double like DD and TT. E.g. kidhu= kiddhu and nathi =natthi.

Lesson # 2.Reverse swing, de stress the alphabets DD and TT and make them sound single like D and T.e.g, vadd=vad and tattoo=tatoo.

Lesson # 3.Everything that ends with DA is to be pronounced as RA e.g. Kapra [clothes], Chopra [books]

Lesson# 4.Importance of ‘who’.Everything, in Surti mostly revolves around ‘who’

e.g.-‘who karey chey’=wassup dude?
‘who vaatt chey’=wow!
‘mein who kiddhu?”=what did I say?
‘who karvanu chey?”=what should we do?
‘who joiye chey? =what do you want?

Lesson #5.Importance of ‘what’. You don’t need to be a Biology student, but it would help you to speak Surti better if you were one.Surti language greatly depends on mentionable and unmentionable, printable and unprintable body parts of your father,mother,sister,brother in law etc.

e.g.-‘tara baap nu kapaal’=your father’s forehead.
Err…..reader discretion advised for other examples.

And that is really all there is, to ‘Surti bhasha’, as spoken.

Tapi town tattle-Modi marathon.