Back Maïthils French 마이틸인 Korean मैथिल MAI मैथिल Nepali ਮੈਥਿਲਸ Punjabi میتھلس PNB Maithils SIMPLE மைதிலி மக்கள் Tamil
 Women performing Jhijhiya, the traditional dance of Mithila | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 73 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| India | 70 million (2011 Census)[1][2] |
| Nepal | 3.1 million (2011 Census)[3] |
| Languages | |
| Maithili Hindi and Nepali[4] | |
| Religion | |
Majority: HinduismMinority:  Islam ·  Buddhism · Others | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Magahi · Bhojpuris · Awadhis | |
Maithils (Tirhuta: মৈথিল, 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.[5] They inhabit the Mithila region,[6] which comprises Northern and Eastern Bihar and Northeastern Jharkhand in India[7][8] and some adjoining districts of Nepal constituting Madhesh Province in addition to some terai districts of Bagmati and Koshi Provinces.[9]
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.[10]
- ^ "Kirti Azad demands a separate Mithila state". m.indiatoday.in. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
- ^ Dr. Arun C. Mehta. "District-wise Population (Census) Data: 2001 Census, India". Educationforallinindia.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ^ Dr. Arun C. Mehta. "Maithil Population (Nepali Census) Data: 2011 Census, Nepal". Educationforallnepal.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ^ "Demographics of Maithil population of Nepal".
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Jha, Pankaj Kumar (2010). Sushasan Ke Aaine Mein Naya Bihar. Bihar (India): Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789380186283.
- ^ Brass, Paul R. (8 September 1994). The Politics of India Since Independence. Cambridge University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780521459709. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Minahan, J.B. (2012). Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781598846607. Retrieved 14 February 2017.