Marathi Wikipedia

Marathi Wikipedia
Web address mr.wikipedia.org
Commercial? No
Type of site
 Internet encyclopedia project
Registration Optional
Available in Marathi
Owner Wikimedia Foundation
Launched 1 May 2003

The Marathi Wikipedia (Marathi: मराठी विकिपीडिया) is the Marathi language edition of Wikipedia, a free and publicly editable online encyclopedia, and was launched on 1 May 2003. The project is one of the leading Wikipedia among other South Asian language Wikipedia's in various quality matrices.[1] It has grown on to become a Wiki containing more than 34,000 articles and has more than 23,000 registered users as of February 2012.[2]

Among most visited Marathi language websites, Marathi Wikipedia is ranked tenth by alexa.[3]

History

Beginning

Marathi language Wikipedia is available in the wikipedia.org domain from 2003 May 1. 'Vasant Panchami'(वसंत पंचमी)[4] (Vasant Panchami) and 'Audumbar' (औदुंबर (कविता)), a poem by the poet Balkavi[5] were the first articles created on Marathi Wikipedia on 2 May 2003.

Initial growth phase

Marathi language Wikipedia peaked up growth from 2006 onwards. On 13 January 2006 Marathi Wikipedia had 1500 articles.

Community and Events

Media coverage and increased growth

Marathi Daily news paper Maharashtra Times was the first to cover and recommend 'Marathi language Wikipedia' on 27 July 2006.[6]

Fonts and input methods

One can use ULS "अक्षरांतरण" (Transliteration) or "मराठी लिपी" (Inscript) typing options to search or edit Marathi Wikipedia articles as shown in this video clip; One can click on the 'cc to change the subtitle languages to Marathi, English, Sanskrit, Kokani, Ahirani languages.

Any one of Unicode Marathi fonts input system is fine for Marathi Wikipedia. Some people use inscript. Majority uses either Google phonetic transliteration or input facility Universal Language Selector provided on Marathi Wikipedia.

Marathi Wikipedia typing in progress.

Phonetic facility provided initially was java-based later supported by Narayam extension for phonetic input facility. Currently Marathi Wikipedia is supported by Universal Language Selector (ULS), that offers both phonetic keyboard (Aksharantaran,Marathi:अक्षरांतरण) and InScript keyboard (Marathi:मराठी लिपी).

References

  1. ↑ http://stats.wikimedia.org/EN/TablesWikipediaML.htm
  2. ↑ Stats at meta List_of_Wikipedias
  3. ↑ http://www.alexa.com/topsites/category/Top/World/Marathi
  4. ↑ http://mr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=वसंत_पंचमी&action=history
  5. ↑ http://mr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=औदुंबर_(कविता)&action=history
  6. ↑ 'मराठीप्रेमी लेखक पाहिजेत!' a report filed by Maharashtra Times reporter 'Neel Weber' Marathi language Web Site as seen on 15 March 2012 20.00 Indian standard time

External links

Marathi edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia