Consider the following statements:
1. Bengali is the second most spoken language in India after Hindi.
2. Urdu is often associated with the Deccan region and its literature includes the
famous Deccan poetry.
3. Punjabi is unique among Indian languages for its use of the Gurmukhi script,
developed by the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad.
Which of the statements above is/are correct?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• As per Census 2011, Hindi is the most spoken language in India.
• Bengali comes second, with over 9 crore native speakers.
• Bengali is widely spoken in West Bengal, Tripura, and parts of Assam.

• Urdu evolved in northern India but has deep roots in the Deccan region, particularly Hyderabad.
• The Deccani Urdu literary tradition includes early poetry and prose from the Bahmani and Qutb Shahi dynasties.
• Famous poets like Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah wrote in Deccani Urdu.

• Punjabi is written in Gurmukhi script in India (in Pakistan it’s written in Shahmukhi).
• The Gurmukhi script was standardized by Guru Angad Dev, the second Sikh Guru.
• It is the primary script of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture.

Information Booster:

Top 5 Most Spoken Languages in India (Census 2011):

1. Hindi – ~52 crore speakers
2. Bengali – ~9 crore
3. Marathi – ~8.3 crore
4. Telugu – ~8.1 crore
5. Tamil – ~6.9 crore

Gurmukhi Script:

• Used exclusively for Punjabi in Indian Punjab.
• Promotes Sikh religious literature and philosophy.

Urdu in the Deccan:

• Influenced by Persian, Arabic, and local dialects.
• Home to a rich literary tradition, including ghazals and nazms.