Digital Humanities and Marathi Literature

Abstract

Digital Humanities (DH) has emerged as a transformative interdisciplinary field that integrates computational technologies with humanities research, reshaping the methods of studying, preserving, and disseminating literature, culture, and history. Globally, Digital Humanities has enabled large-scale textual analysis, digital archiving, visualization, and public engagement with cultural heritage. In India, and particularly in the context of regional languages such as Marathi, the application of Digital Humanities remains relatively underdeveloped, despite its immense potential. Marathi literature, which possesses a rich historical legacy ranging from medieval devotional poetry to contemporary Dalit, feminist, and postmodern writings, presents a vast repository for digital research. This research paper critically examines the intersection of Digital Humanities and Marathi literature by analyzing theoretical frameworks, digitization initiatives, computational methodologies, digital archives, pedagogy, translation, and public humanities. The paper also highlights the institutional, linguistic, and technological challenges hindering the growth of Digital Humanities in Marathi literary studies. It argues that with consistent institutional support and interdisciplinary collaboration, Digital Humanities can democratize access to Marathi literary heritage, introduce new research paradigms, and enhance its global visibility.