One of Snapchat’s Official Lens Creators – Atit Kharel – has created a new experience to mark Marathi Bhasha Diwas. His ‘Learn Marathi’ Lens allows people to learn the language in a fun and interactive way through Augmented Reality on Snapchat, and celebrate the legacy of the vibrant state of Maharashtra and Goa.
Marathi Bhasha Diwas – also known as Marathi Din – marks the birth anniversary of Gyanpeeth award-winning poet, V. V. Shirwadkar. It is celebrated every year on the 27th February, with the aim of raising awareness around the Marathi language and unfolding its beauty. Whether you live in Maharashtra, want to learn a new skill, or are simply interested in learning the language, this year you can get started with the ‘Learn Marathi’ Lens – available on Snapchat – designed by Atit Kharel, an Official Lens Creator from Nepal.
The Lens uses Augmented Reality and machine learning to recognise over 1000 objects and translate their name to Marathi in real-time. Snapchatters just have to point their cameras at an object to scan it, and the Lens automatically displays the English and Marathi names, along with a phonetic transcription of the word to help with pronunciation.
The Lens is available on Snapchat by searching ‘Learn Marathi’, scanning the Snapcode below, or clicking this link on your phone.
“I have always been fascinated by the cultural diversity in India and the wide range of languages spoken around the country. The idea behind this Lens was to make learning Marathi fun and easy – especially for new learners. Last year, I created Lenses encouraging people to learn Hindi and Kannada and seeing the success they have had, I was excited to create more experiences for Snapchatters to celebrate the Indian culture with their friends. Marathi Bhasha Diwas was the perfect opportunity,” commented Atit Kharel, Snapchat Official Lens Creator.
