MAHARASHTRI

'Maharashtri' (Marathi: महाराष्ट्री प्राकृत), not to be confused with Marathi, is a language of ancient and medieval India, descended from Sanskrit, and spoken in what is now Maharashtra and other parts of India. It is the ancestor of Marathi, Divehi and Sinhalese as well. It is one of the many languages (often called dialects) of a complex called Prakrit, and the chief Dramatic Prakrit. Its literary use was made famous by the playwright Kalidasa.
Maharashtri was the most popular amongst all Prakrits. It was spoken from Malwa and Rajputana (north) to Krishna and Tungabhadra river region (south). Sanskrit lost its status as 'communication language' somewhere around 500 B.C and Prakrit language came into use. Satavahanas king Haal used then popular Maharashtri to write ''Saptashati''(सप्तशती), ''Setubandh'' (सेतुबंध) and ''Karpurmanjari'' (कर्पुरमंजरी).^[1]. Maharashtri was in use for 1000 years (500 BC to 500 AD). Historians have consensus about Maharashtri and other Prakrit languages had its supremacy in modern Maharashtra.^[2]
Maharashtri was widely spoken in western India and even down south in the parts which speaks Kannada.^[3]

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References

References

1. Marathyancha Itihaas by Dr.Kolarkar
2. Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte by V.Rajwade
3. History of medieval Hindu India
(BEING A history of Indian from 600 to 1200 AD) Vol I pg.317 by C.V.Vaidya