The Malayalam Language

Information about Malayalam language

Malayalam, a vibrant Dravidian language, thrives in the lush, South-West region of India, nestled between the towering Western Ghats to the East and the Arabian Sea to the West. As the principal language of Kerala's picturesque hill country, Malayalam has uniquely preserved its ancient characteristics, thanks to the natural barriers surrounding it. Yet, through extensive trade networks and the spread of diverse religions, it has also embraced influences from a plethora of external languages, including Sanskrit, Prakrits, Syriac, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Portuguese, and Dutch.

Malayalam, one of India's classical languages, boasts around 37 million native speakers and 0.7 million second-language speakers. The Malayali diaspora has also brought the language to the Middle East, and it has significant minority communities in the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As the official language of Kerala and Lakshadweep, Malayalam is also the primary language of Mahe (Mayyazhi), part of the Union territory of Puducherry.