Munda (original) (raw)
In Hinduism, Munda is a monster that was killed by Devi.
See also Chamunda.
The Munda languages are spoken in West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, India. Together with the Mon-Khmer languages, they form the Austro-Asiatic phylum. The main branches are:
- Santali, Mundari and Kharia,
Juang, Bhumij, Korva and Ho,
- Sora and Gutob
- Kurku
Altogether speakers number several millions but they are without a linguistic state, in contrast to, for example, Hindi, Dravidianand Tibeto-Burmese speakers in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram respectively. The Munda languages are thought to be the most ancient linguistic stratum of India, ante-dating even Dravidian. Their relationship to the Mon-Khmer languages is remote.