Dialects of Marathi include Konkani, Ahirani, Manadeshi.
Marathi uses the Devanagari script for writing and is of the Indo-European family of languages. It partly preserves the locative case in noun declension as follows:
Sanskrit:
prabhaat: dawn grha: house prabhaate: at dawn grhe: at/in houseMarathi:
pahaat: dawn ghar: house pahaate: at dawn ghari: at/in/to houseIt is mostly spoken in the state of Maharashtra.
Marathi has a long literary tradition. Famous Marathi authors include P. L. Deshpande, V. P. Kale, D. M. Mirasdar.
See also: Languages of India and Pakistan