Editing Marathi language (section)

== History ==
{{see also|Marathi literature}}
[[File:Foot bahubali2.jpg|right|thumb|981 A.D. Prakrit inscription at the foot of [[Bahubali|Bahubali statue]] at Jain temple in [[Shravanabelagola]]]]
Modern Indo-Aryan languages, including Marathi, that belong to the [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language family]] are derived from [[Prakrit]]s via [[Apabhraṃśa]]. Marathi is one of several languages that further descend from [[Maharashtri Prakrit]]. Further changes led to the formation of [[Apabhraṃśa]], followed by Old Marathi.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pandharipande |first=Rajeshwari |author-link= |date=1997 |title=Marathi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FeNBEAAAQBAJ&q=jain&pg=PT24 |location= |publisher=Routledge |page=xxxvii |isbn=0-415-00319-9}}</ref>
However, this is challenged by Bloch (1970), who states that [[Apabhraṃśa]] was formed after Marathi had already separated from the Middle Indo-Aryan dialect.{{sfn|Bloch|1970|p=32}} A committee appointed by the Maharashtra State Government to get the [[Languages of India#Classical languages of India|Classical]] status for Marathi has claimed that Marathi existed at least 2,300 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/clamour-grows-for-marathi-to-be-given-classical-language-status/articleshow/63776578.cms|title=Clamour grows for Marathi to be given classical language status|author=Clara Lewis|website=[[The Times of India]]|date=16 April 2018|access-date=7 May 2018}}</ref> Marathi, a derivative of 
[[Maharashtri]], is probably first attested in a 739 CE [[Indian copper plate inscriptions|copper-plate inscription]] found in [[Satara district|Satara]]. Several inscriptions dated to the second half of the 11th century feature Marathi, which is usually appended to [[Sanskrit]] or [[Kannada language|Kannada]] in these inscriptions.{{sfn|Christian Lee Novetzke|2016|p=53}} The earliest Marathi-only inscriptions are the ones issued during the [[Shilahara]] rule, including a {{circa|1012 CE}} stone inscription from Akshi taluka of [[Raigad district]] and a 1060 or 1086 CE copper-plate inscription from Dive that records a land grant (''[[agrahara]]'') to a Brahmin.{{sfn|Christian Lee Novetzke|2016|pp=53-54}} A 2-line 1118 CE Prakrit inscription at [[Shravanabelagola]] records a grant by the [[Hoysala]]s. These inscriptions suggest that Prakrit was a standard written language by the 12th century. However, after the Gaha Sattasai, there is no record of any literature produced in Marathi until the late 13th century.{{sfn|Christian Lee Novetzke|2016|p=54}}

=== Yadava period ===
{{More citations needed|date=January 2024}}
After 1187 CE, the use of Marathi grew substantially in the inscriptions of the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadava]] kings, who earlier used Kannada and Sanskrit in their inscriptions.{{sfn|Christian Lee Novetzke|2016|pp=53-54}} Marathi became the dominant language of epigraphy during the last half century of the dynasty's rule (14th century), and may have been a result of the Yadavas' attempts to connect with their Marathi-speaking subjects and to distinguish themselves from the Kannada-speaking [[Hoysala]]s.{{sfn|Christian Lee Novetzke|2016|p=53}}<ref name="Talbot2001">{{cite book|author=Cynthia Talbot|title=Precolonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pfAKljlCJq0C&pg=PR9|date=20 September 2001|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-803123-9|pages=211–213}}</ref>

Further growth and usage of the language occurred due to two religious sects – the [[Mahanubhava]] and [[Varkari]] ''[[panthan]]''s – who adopted Marathi as the medium for preaching their doctrines of devotion. Marathi was used in court life by the time of the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadava]] kings. During the reign of the last three Yadava kings, a great deal of literature in verse and prose, on astrology, [[medicine]], [[Puranas]], [[Vedanta]], kings and courtiers was created. ''Nalopakhyana'', ''Rukminiswayamvara'' and Shripati's ''Jyotisharatnamala'' (1039) are a few examples.

The oldest book in prose form in Marathi, ''Vivēkasindhu'' ({{lang|mr|विवेकसिंधु}}), was written by [[Mukundaraj]]a, a [[Nath]] yogi and arch-poet of Marathi. Mukundaraja bases his exposition of the basic tenets of the [[Hindu philosophy]] and the yoga marga on the utterances or teachings of [[Shankaracharya]]. Mukundaraja's other work, ''Paramamrta,'' is considered the first systematic attempt to explain the Vedanta in the Marathi language.

Notable examples of Marathi prose are "{{IAST|Līḷācarītra}}" ({{lang|mr|लीळाचरित्र}}), events and anecdotes from the miracle-filled life of [[Chakradhar Swami]] of the Mahanubhava sect compiled by his close disciple, Mahimbhatta, in 1238. The ''[[Leela Charitra|Līḷācarītra]]'' is considered to be the first [[biography]] written in the Marathi language. Mahimbhatta's second important literary work is the ''Shri Govindaprabhucharitra'' or ''Ruddhipurcharitra'', a biography of Shri Chakradhar Swami's guru, Shri Govind Prabhu. This was probably written in 1288. The Mahanubhava [[sect]] made Marathi a vehicle for the propagation of religion and culture. [[Mahanubhava]] literature generally comprises works that describe the [[incarnations]] of gods, the history of the sect, commentaries on the ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'', poetical works narrating the stories of the life of [[Krishna]] and grammatical and [[etymology|etymological]] works that are deemed useful to explain the philosophy of the sect.

===Medieval and Deccan Sultanate period===
The 13th century Varkari saint [[Dnyaneshwar]] (1275–1296) wrote a treatise in Marathi on Bhagawat Gita popularly called ''[[Dnyaneshwari]]'' and ''[[Amrutanubhav]]a''.{{sfn|Mokashi|1987|p=39}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Doderet |first1=W. |title=The Passive Voice of the Jnanesvari |journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London |date=1926 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=59–64 |jstor=607401 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/607401 |issn=1356-1898}}</ref>

Mukund Raj was a poet who lived in the 13th century and is said to be the first poet who composed in Marathi.{{sfn|Kher|1895|pp=446–454}} He is known for the ''Viveka-Siddhi'' and ''Parammruta'' which are metaphysical, pantheistic works connected with orthodox [[Advaita Vedanta|Vedantism]].

The 16th century saint-poet [[Eknath]] (1528–1599) is well known for composing the Eknāthī Bhāgavat, a commentary on Bhagavat Purana and the devotional songs called Bharud.<ref>{{cite thesis|last1=Keune|first1=Jon Milton|title=Eknāth Remembered and Reformed: Bhakti, Brahmans, and Untouchables in Marathi Historiography|date=2011|publisher=Columbia University press|location=New York, New York, US|page=32|doi=10.7916/D8CN79VK |hdl=10022/AC:P:11409 |url=http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11409|access-date=9 March 2016}}</ref> Mukteshwar translated the ''[[Mahabharata]]'' into Marathi; [[Tukaram]] (1608–49) transformed Marathi into a rich literary language. His poetry contained his inspirations. Tukaram wrote over 3000 [[abhang]]s or devotional songs.<ref name="Greenwood Press">{{cite book|editor-last1=Natarajan|editor-first1=Nalini|title=Handbook of twentieth century literatures of India|date=1996|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Conn. [u.a.]|isbn=978-0313287787|page=209|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&q=dnyaneshwari+geeta+bhavarth+deepika&pg=PA207}}</ref> [[Manmath Swami|Manmathswamy]](1561–1631) wrote a large volume of poetry and literature in Marathi. The Shivparv Ambhag composed by him is still read with interest by [[Veerashaiva]] people of Marathwada. Apart from this, the Pararamrhasya, a spiritual book composed by him on Shatsthalsiddhanta, is also recited.<ref>{{Cite book |last=eGangotri |url=https://archive.org/details/param-rahasya-by-shri-manmath-swami-shaiva-bharati-varanasi |title=Param Rahasya By Shri Manmath Swami Shaiva Bharati Varanasi}}</ref>

Marathi was widely used during the Sultanate period. Although the rulers were Muslims, the local feudal landlords and the revenue collectors were Hindus and so was the majority of the population. To simplify administration and revenue collection, the sultans promoted use of Marathi in official documents. However, the Marathi language from the era is heavily [[Persian language in South Asia|Persian]]ised in its vocabulary.<ref>{{cite journal|date=1992|title=Deccan (Maharashtra) Under the Muslim Rulers From Khaljis to Shivaji : a Study in Interaction, Professor S.M Katre Felicitation|jstor=42930434|journal=Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute|volume=51/52|pages=501–510|last1=Kulkarni|first1=G.T.}}</ref> The Persian influence continues to this day with many Persian derived words used in everyday speech such as bāg (Garden), kārkhānā (factory), shahar (city), bāzār (market), dukān (shop), hushār (clever), kāḡaḏ (paper), khurchi (chair), jamin (land), jāhirāt (advertisement), and hazār (thousand)<ref name="iranicaonline.org">{{cite web|last1=Qasemi|first1=S. H.|title=Marathi Language, Persian Elements In|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/marathi-language|website=Encyclopedia Iranica|access-date=17 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Pathan |first1=Y. M. |title=Farsi-Marathi Anubandh (फारसी मराठी अनुबंध) |date=2006 |publisher=महाराष्ट्र राज्य साहित्य आणि संस्कृती मंडळ |location=Mumbai |url=https://sahitya.marathi.gov.in/scans/Farsi-Marathi%20Anubandh.pdf |access-date=13 February 2022}}</ref> Marathi also became language of administration during the [[Ahmadnagar Sultanate]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gordon|first1=Stewart|title=Cambridge History of India: The Marathas 1600-1818|date=1993|publisher=Cambridge University press|location=Cambridge, UK|isbn=978-0-521-26883-7|page=16|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iHK-BhVXOU4C&q=marathi++nizamshahi+stewart+gordon&pg=PR9}}</ref> Adilshahi of Bijapur also used Marathi for administration and record keeping.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kamat|first1=Jyotsna|title=The Adil Shahi Kingdom (1510 CE to 1686 CE)|url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/bijapur/adilshahis.htm|website=Kamat's Potpourri|access-date=4 December 2014}}</ref>

===Maratha Confederacy===
Marathi gained prominence with the rise of the [[Maratha Kingdom]] beginning with the reign of [[Shivaji]]. In his court, Shivaji replaced Persian, the common courtly language in the region, with Marathi. The Marathi language used in administrative documents also became less [[Persianised]]. Whereas in 1630, 80% of the vocabulary was Persian, it dropped to 37% by 1677.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Eaton|first1=Richard M. |title=The new Cambridge history of India|date=2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=0-521-25484-1|page=154|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cGd2huLXEVYC&q=Afanasy+Nikitin+bahamani&pg=PR12|access-date=25 March 2016}}</ref> His reign stimulated the deployment of Marathi as a tool of systematic description and understanding.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pollock|first=Sheldon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=740AqMUW8WQC&pg=PA50|title=Forms of Knowledge in Early Modern Asia: Explorations in the Intellectual History of India and Tibet, 1500–1800|date=14 March 2011|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0-8223-4904-4|pages=50|language=en}}</ref> Shivaji Maharaj commissioned one of his officials, [[Khando Ballal|Balaji Avaji Chitnis]], to make a comprehensive lexicon to replace Persian and [[Arabic]] terms with their Sanskrit equivalents. This led to production of 'Rājavyavahārakośa', the thesaurus of state usage in 1677.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pollock|first=Sheldon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=740AqMUW8WQC&pg=PA50|title=Forms of Knowledge in Early Modern Asia: Explorations in the Intellectual History of India and Tibet, 1500–1800|date=14 March 2011|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0-8223-4904-4|pages=50, 60|language=en}}</ref>

Subsequent Maratha rulers extended the confederacy. These excursions by the Marathas helped to spread Marathi over broader geographical regions. This period also saw the use of Marathi in transactions involving land and other business. Documents from this period, therefore, give a better picture of the life of common people. There are a number of [[Bakhar]]s (journals or narratives of historical events) written in Marathi and Modi script from this period. 
[[File:Ancient scriptures on the walls in Big Temple, Thanjavur - 2.JPG|right|thumb|Marathi inscription inside [[Brihadisvara temple]] complex, Thanjavur]]
In the 18th century during Peshwa rule, some well-known works such as Yatharthadeepika by [[Vaman Pandit]], Naladamayanti Swayamvara by [[Raghunath Pandit]], Pandava Pratap, Harivijay, Ramvijay by Shridhar Pandit and Mahabharata by [[Moropant]] were produced. Krishnadayarnava and Sridhar were poets during the [[Peshwa]] period. New literary forms were successfully experimented with during the period and classical styles were revived, especially the Mahakavya and Prabandha forms. The most important hagiographies of Varkari Bhakti saints were written by [[Mahipati]] in the 18th century.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Callewaert|first1=Winand M.|last2=Snell|first2=Rupert|last3=Tulpule|first3=S G|title=According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India|date=1994|publisher=Harrassowitz Verlag|location=Wiesbaden, Germany|isbn=3-447-03524-2|page=166|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GrMwdEqHLzEC&q=mahipati+&pg=PA159|access-date=9 April 2015}}</ref><ref name="Greenwood Press"/>
Other well known literary scholars of the 17th century were [[Mukteshwar]] and [[Shridhar]].<ref name="auto">{{cite book|editor-last1=Kosambi|editor-first1=Meera|last=Ranade|first=Ashok D.|title=Intersections : socio-cultural trends in Maharashtra|date=2000|publisher=Sangam|location=London|isbn=978-0863118241|pages=194–210|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XU8dmAiaZSgC&q=anant+phandi&pg=PA194}}</ref> Mukteshwar was the grandson of [[Eknath]] and is the most distinguished poet in the ''Ovi'' meter. He is most known for translating the [[Mahabharata]] and the [[Ramayana]] in Marathi but only a part of the Mahabharata translation is available and the entire Ramayana translation is lost. Shridhar Kulkarni came from the [[Pandharpur]] area and his works are said to have superseded the Sanskrit epics to a certain extent. This period also saw the development of Powada (ballads sung in honour of warriors), and [[Lavani]] (romantic songs presented with dance and instruments like tabla). Major poet composers of [[Powada]] and [[Lavani]] songs of the 17th and the 18th century were Anant Phandi, Ram Joshi and [[Honaji Bala]].<ref name="auto"/>

===British colonial period===
The [[British Raj|British colonial period]] starting in early 1800s saw standardisation of Marathi grammar through the efforts of the Christian missionary [[William Carey (missionary)|William Carey]]. Carey's dictionary had fewer entries and Marathi words were in [[Devanagari]]. Translations of the [[Bible]] were the first books to be printed in Marathi. These translations by William Carey, the [[Marathi Christians|American Marathi mission]] and the Scottish missionaries led to the development of a peculiar pidginised Marathi called "Missionary Marathi" in the early 1800s.<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Ray|editor-first1=Mohit K.|last=Sawant|first=Sunil|title=Studies in translation|date=2008|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788126909223|pages=134–135|edition=2nd rev. and enl.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Puy3WGwVWXoC&pg=PA133}}</ref> The most comprehensive Marathi-English dictionary was compiled by Captain [[James Thomas Molesworth]] and Major [[Thomas Candy]] in 1831. The book is still in print nearly two centuries after its publication.<ref>{{cite book|first1=James|last1=Molesworth|first2=Thomas|last2=Candy|others=Narayan G Kalelkar (preface)|title=Molesworth's, Marathi-English dictionary|year=1857 |edition=2nd <!-- |year=1975 corrected reprint -->|publisher=J.C. Furla, Shubhada Saraswat Prakashan|location=Pune|isbn=81-86411-57-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=owHmI3qi_BIC&q=william+carey+printing++marathi+sharma+modi&pg=PP7}}</ref>
The colonial authorities also worked on standardising Marathi under the leadership of Molesworth and Candy. They consulted Brahmins of [[Pune]] for this task and adopted the Sanskrit dominated dialect spoken by the elite in the city as the standard dialect for Marathi.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chavan|first1=Dilip|title=Language politics under colonialism : caste, class and language pedagogy in western India|date=2013|publisher=Cambridge Scholars|location=Newcastle upon Tyne|isbn=978-1443842501|page=174|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zuIxBwAAQBAJ&pg=PR7}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Chavan|first1=Dilip|title=Language politics under colonialism : caste, class and language pedagogy in western India|date=2013|publisher=Cambridge Scholars|location=Newcastle upon Tyne|isbn=978-1443842501|pages=136–184|edition=first|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zuIxBwAAQBAJ&q=pune+standard+dialect&pg=PA148|access-date=13 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Natarajan|editor-first1=Nalini |last=Deo|first=Shripad D.|title=Handbook of twentieth century literatures of India|date=1996|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Conn. [u.a.]|isbn=978-0313287787|page=212|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&q=pune+culture+theatre+movies&pg=PA207}}</ref><ref name="Rao1994">{{cite book|editor=Goparaju Sambasiva Rao|author=Rajyashree|title=Language Change: Lexical Diffusion and Literacy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8Ben0lE61msC&pg=PA9|year=1994|publisher=Academic Foundation|isbn=978-81-7188-057-7|pages=45–58}}</ref>

The first Marathi translation of the [[New Testament]] was published in 1811 by the [[Serampore Mission Press|Serampore press]] of William Carey.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=George|title=Life of William Carey: Shoemaker and Missionary|date=2016|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|isbn=978-1536976120|page=258|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZLa787pY5gMC&pg=PR1}}</ref> The first Marathi newspaper called Durpan was started by [[Balshastri Jambhekar]] in 1832.<ref>Tucker, R., 1976. Hindu Traditionalism and Nationalist Ideologies in Nineteenth-Century Maharashtra. Modern Asian Studies, 10(3), pp.321-348.</ref> Newspapers provided a platform for sharing literary views, and many books on social reforms were written. The First Marathi periodical ''Dirghadarshan'' was started in 1840. 
The Marathi language flourished, as Marathi drama gained popularity. Musicals known as ''[[Sangeet Natak]]'' also evolved.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Govind|first=Ranjani|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/musical-drama-brings-epic-to-life/article27287694.ece|title=Musical drama brings epic to life|date=29 May 2019|work=The Hindu|access-date=15 March 2020|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> [[Keshavasut]], the father of modern Marathi poetry published his first poem in 1885. 
The late-19th century in Maharashtra saw the rise of [[essayist]] [[Vishnushastri Chiplunkar]] with his periodical, Nibandhmala that had essays that criticised social reformers like [[Jyotirao Phule|Phule]] and [[Gopal Hari Deshmukh]]. He also founded the popular Marathi periodical of that era called [[Kesari (Marathi newspaper)|Kesari]] in 1881.<ref name="O'Hanlon2002">{{cite book|author=[[Polly O'Hanlon|Rosalind O'Hanlon]]|title=Caste, Conflict and Ideology: Mahatma Jotirao Phule and Low Caste Protest in Nineteenth-Century Western India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5kMrsTj1NeYC|date=22 August 2002|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-52308-0|page=288}}</ref> Later under the editorship of [[Lokmanya Tilak]], the newspaper was instrumental in spreading Tilak's nationalist and social views.<ref name="rao2008">{{cite journal | last1 = Rao | first1 = P.V. | s2cid = 143961063 | year = 2008 | title = Women's Education and the Nationalist Response in Western India: Part II–Higher Education | journal = Indian Journal of Gender Studies | volume = 15 | issue = 1| pages = 141–148 | doi=10.1177/097152150701500108}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Rao | first1 = P.V. | s2cid = 197651677 | year = 2007 | title = Women's Education and the Nationalist Response in Western India: Part I-Basic Education | journal = Indian Journal of Gender Studies | volume = 14 | issue = 2| page = 307 | doi=10.1177/097152150701400206}}</ref><ref name="jstor.org">{{cite journal|author=Gail Omvedt|title=Non-Brahmans and Nationalists in Poona|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|date=1974|volume=9|issue=6/8|pages=201–219|jstor=4363419}}</ref> Phule and Deshmukh also started their periodicals, ''[[Deenbandhu]]'' and ''Prabhakar'', that criticised the prevailing Hindu culture of the day.<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Natarajan|editor-first1=Nalini |last=Deo|first=Shripad D.|title=Handbook of twentieth century literatures of India|date=1996|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Conn. [u.a.]|isbn=978-0313287787|pages=213–214|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&q=pune+culture+theatre+movies&pg=PA207}}</ref> The 19th century and early 20th century saw several books published on Marathi grammar. Notable grammarians of this period were [[Dadoba Pandurang|Tarkhadkar]], A.K.Kher, Moro Keshav Damle, and R.Joshi<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pardeshi |first1=Prashant |title=The Passive and Related Constructions in Marathi |series=Kobe papers in linguistics |issue=2 |date=2000 |location=Kobe, Japan |publisher=Kobe University |pages=123–146 |url=http://www.lib.kobe-u.ac.jp/repository/81001549.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315070603/http://www.lib.kobe-u.ac.jp/repository/81001549.pdf |archive-date=15 March 2018}}</ref>

The first half of the 20th century was marked by new enthusiasm in literary pursuits, and socio-political activism helped achieve major milestones in [[Marathi literature]], drama, music and film. Modern Marathi prose flourished: for example, [[Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar|N.C.Kelkar]]'s biographical writings, novels of [[Hari Narayan Apte]], [[Narayan Sitaram Phadke]] and [[V. S. Khandekar]], [[Vinayak Damodar Savarkar]]'s nationalist literature and plays of Mama Varerkar and Kirloskar. In folk arts, [[Patthe Bapurao]] wrote many lavani songs during the late colonial period.

===Marathi since Indian independence in 1947===
[[File:marathinewspapers.jpg|thumb| The popular [[List of Marathi-language newspapers|Marathi language newspapers]] at a newsstand in Mumbai, 2006]]
After [[Partition of India|Indian independence]], Marathi was accorded the status of a [[Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India|scheduled language]] on the national level. In 1956, the then Bombay state was reorganised, which brought most Marathi and Gujarati speaking areas under one state. Further re-organization of the [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]] state on 1 May 1960, created the Marathi speaking Maharashtra and Gujarati speaking Gujarat state respectively. With state and cultural protection, Marathi made great strides by the 1990s. A literary event called ''[[Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan]]'' (All-India Marathi Literature Meet) is held every year. In addition, the ''Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan'' (All-India Marathi Theatre Convention) is also held annually. Both events are very popular among Marathi speakers.

Notable works in Marathi in the latter half of the 20th century include Khandekar's [[Yayati]], which won him the [[Jnanpith Award]]. Also [[Vijay Tendulkar]]'s plays in Marathi have earned him a reputation beyond [[Maharashtra]]. [[P.L.Deshpande|P.L. Deshpande]] (popularly known as ''PuLa''), [[Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar]], [[P.K.Atre|P.K. Atre]], [[Prabodhankar Thackeray]] and Vishwas Patil are known for their writings in Marathi in the fields of drama, comedy and social commentary. [[Bashir Momin Kavathekar]] wrote Lavani's and folk songs for [[Tamasha]] artists.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Deshpande|first1=G. P.|title=Marathi Literature since Independence: Some Pleasures and Displeasures|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|date=1997|volume=32|issue=44/45|pages=2885–2892|jstor=4406042}}</ref><ref>"अवलिया लोकसाहित्यीक", "Sakal, a leading Marathi Daily", Pune, 21 November 2021.</ref>

In 1958 the term "[[Dalit literature#Dalit literature in Maharashtra|Dalit literature]]" was used for the first time, when the first conference of ''Maharashtra Dalit Sahitya Sangha'' (Maharashtra Dalit Literature Society) was held at [[Mumbai]], a movement inspired by 19th century social reformer, [[Jyotiba Phule]] and eminent dalit leader, Dr. [[Bhimrao Ambedkar]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Handbook of twentieth-century literatures of India |last=Natarajan |first=Nalini |author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson|chapter= Chap 13: Dalit Literature in Marathi by Veena Deo|year=1996 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=0-313-28778-3|page=363 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&q=Dalit+literature&pg=PA363 }}</ref> [[Baburao Bagul]] (1930–2008) was a pioneer of [[Dalit]] writings in Marathi.<ref name=han>{{cite book |last1=Natarajan |first1=Nalini |last2=Nelson |first2=Emmanuel Sampath |title=Handbook of Twentieth-Century Literatures of India |date=9 September 1996 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-0-313-28778-7 |page=368 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&dq=Baburao+Bagul&pg=PA368}}</ref> His first collection of stories, ''Jevha Mi Jat Chorali'' ({{lang|mr|जेव्हा मी जात चोरली}}, "''When I Stole My Caste''"), published in 1963, created a stir in [[Marathi literature]] with its passionate depiction of a cruel society and thus brought in new momentum to Dalit literature in Marathi.<ref name=sa>{{cite book |last1=Rāmakr̥ṣṇan |first1=I. Vi |title=Indian Short Stories,1900-2000 |date=2005 |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |isbn=978-81-260-1091-2 |page=409 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kLn11KD4ea0C&pg=PA409 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Datta |first1=Amaresh |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti |date=1988 |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |isbn=978-81-260-1194-0 |page=1823 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&dq=Baburao+Bagul&pg=PA1823 |language=en}}</ref> Gradually with other writers like [[Namdeo Dhasal]] (who founded [[Dalit Panther]]), these Dalit writings paved way for the strengthening of Dalit movement.<ref>{{cite news |title=Of art, identity, and politics |url= http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/23/stories/2003012300470200.htm|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030702073745/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/23/stories/2003012300470200.htm|url-status= dead|archive-date= 2 July 2003|newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=23 January 2003 }}</ref> Notable Dalit authors writing in Marathi include [[Arun Kamble]], [[Shantabai Kamble]], [[Raja Dhale]], [[Namdev Dhasal]], [[Daya Pawar]], [[Annabhau Sathe]], [[Laxman Mane]], [[Laxman Gaikwad]], [[Sharankumar Limbale]], [[Bhau Panchbhai]], [[Kishor Shantabai Kale]], [[Narendra Jadhav]], [[Keshav Meshram]], [[Urmila Pawar]], Vinay Dharwadkar, Gangadhar Pantawane, [[Kumud Pawde]] and Jyoti Lanjewar.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mathur |first1=Barkha |title=City hails Pantawane as 'father of Dalit literature' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/city-hails-pantawane-as-father-of-dalit-literature-mourn-his-passing-away/articleshow/63494065.cms |access-date=22 February 2019 |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=28 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Deo |first1=Veena |title=Dalit Literaturetwenty-Five Years of Protest? Of Progress? |last2=Zelliot |first2=Eleanor |journal=Journal of South Asian Literature |date=1994 |volume= 29 |issue=2 |pages=41–67 |jstor=25797513}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Feldhaus |first1=Anne |title=Images of Women in Maharashtrian Literature and Religion |date=1996 |publisher=SUNY Press |page=78 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ooV3Rz9zQvQC&q=Jyoti+Lanjewar+news&pg=PA78 |access-date=22 February 2019|isbn=9780791428375 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/gender/how-three-generations-of-dalit-women-writers-saw-their-identities-and-struggle-4984202/ |title=How three generations of Dalit women writers saw their identities and struggle? |website=[[The Indian Express]] |author=Maya Pandit |date=27 December 2017 |access-date=22 February 2019}}</ref>

In recent decades there has been a trend among Marathi speaking parents of all social classes in major urban areas of sending their children to [[English-medium education|English medium schools]]. There is some concern that this may lead to the marginalisation of the language.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Assayag|first1=Jackie|last2=Fuller|first2=Christopher John|title=Globalizing India: Perspectives from Below|date=2005|publisher=Anthem Press|location=London, UK|isbn=1-84331-194-1|page=80|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aLd5yo3JIgkC&q=marathi+maharashtra+school+english+medium&pg=PA141}}</ref>