Maithils

Maithil
मैथिल
Women performing Jhijhiya, the traditional dance of Mithila
Total population
c. 16.8 million
Regions with significant populations
India13.6 million (2011 Census)[1]
Nepal3.2 million (2021 Census)[2]
Languages
Maithili
Hindi and Nepali[3]
Religion
Majority:
Hinduism
Minority:
Islam · Buddhism · Others
Related ethnic groups
Magahi · Bhojpuris · Awadhis

Maithils (Devanagari: मैथिल), also known as Maithili people, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group from the Indian subcontinent, who speak the Maithili language as their native language.[4] They inhabit the Mithila region,[5] which comprises Northern and Eastern Bihar and Northeastern Jharkhand in India[6][7] and some adjoining districts of Nepal constituting Madhesh Province in addition to some terai districts of Bagmati and Koshi Provinces.[8]

The Maithil region forms an important part of Hinduism as it is said to be the birthplace of Sita, the wife of Ram and incarnation of Lakshmi.[9]

  1. ^ "Census of India 2011" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. 2011. p. 7. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  2. ^ "National Population and Housing Census 2021" (PDF). Census of Nepal. 2021. p. 32. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Demographics of Maithil population of Nepal".
  4. ^ Kumar Jha, Mithilesh (2017). Language Politics and Public Sphere in North India: Making of the Maithili Movement. Oxford University Press. pp. 37–45. ISBN 9780199091720.
  5. ^ Burman, B.K.R.; Chakrabarti, S.B. (1988). Social Science and Social Concern: Felicitation Volume in Honour of Professor B.K. Roy Burman. Mittal Publications. p. 411. ISBN 9788170990628. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  6. ^ Jha, Pankaj Kumar (2010). Sushasan Ke Aaine Mein Naya Bihar. Bihar (India): Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789380186283.
  7. ^ Brass, Paul R. (8 September 1994). The Politics of India Since Independence. Cambridge University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780521459709. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  8. ^ Gellner, D.; Pfaff-Czarnecka, J.; Whelpton, J. (2012). Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics and Culture of Contemporary Nepal. Taylor & Francis. p. 251. ISBN 9781136649561. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  9. ^ Minahan, J.B. (2012). Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781598846607. Retrieved 14 February 2017.

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