ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of Hindustani

Okay kiddo, let me tell you about the history of Hindustani!

Hindustani is a language that originated in India and Pakistan and it has a long and interesting history. It is actually a mix of two different languages: Hindi and Urdu. Hindi has its roots in Sanskrit, which is a very old language that was used in ancient India. Urdu, on the other hand, was developed from Persian, which is a language that was used in Iran and Central Asia.

The blending of Hindi and Urdu happened during the Mughal period in India, which lasted from the 16th to the 18th century. The Mughal emperors were Muslims and they spoke Persian, but they ruled over a predominantly Hindu population. The need for communication between the two groups resulted in a new language that combined both Hindi and Persian elements.

Over time, this new language became known as Hindustani. It was used by people of all religions and social classes and it became the lingua franca of North India.

When India gained its independence from British rule in 1947, Hindi and Urdu were officially recognized as separate languages. Hindi was chosen as the official language of India, while Urdu became the official language of Pakistan. However, both languages continued to be very similar in vocabulary and grammar, and the spoken language, Hindustani, remained popular.

Today, Hindustani is still spoken by millions of people in India and Pakistan. It is the language of Bollywood movies and many popular songs, and it continues to evolve and change over time.