Culture of Bihar

Angika Region

Angika region, comprises of the districts of Banka, Bhagalpur, Munger, Jamui, Lakhisarai, and Shekhpura in the eastern part of India. Angika is the mother-tongue of people of this area. [http://discoverbihar.bih.nic.in/pages/angika_culture.htm]

Bhojpuri Region

Bhojpuri region, comprises of the districts of Rohtas, Kaimur, Buxar and Bhojpur to the south of the Ganges; and, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, East Champaran and West Champaran to the north of the Ganges in the eastern part of India. Bhojpuri is the mother-tongue of people of this area. [http://discoverbihar.bih.nic.in/pages/bhojpuri_culture.htm]

Magadh Region

Magadh region, comprises of the districts of Patna, Nalanda, Nawada, Gaya, Arwal, Aurangabad, and Jehanabad, in the Central Bihar region, are the nourishing ground of the ancient Magahi (Magadhi) culture in the eastern part of India. Magadhi is the mother-tongue of people of this area. [http://discoverbihar.bih.nic.in/pages/magahi%20_culture.htm]

Maithili Region

Mithila region broadly comprises of the districts of Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, Purnia, Araria, and Kishanganj in the eastern part of India. Maithili is the mother-tongue of people of this area. [http://discoverbihar.bih.nic.in/pages/maithili_culture.htm]

The relationship of Maithili community with Bhojpuri and Magahi communities – the immediate neighbors have been neither very pleasant nor very hostile. Maithili has been the only one among them which has been trying to constantly deny superimposition of Hindi over her identity. The other two have given up their claims and have resigned to accept the status of dialects of Hindi.

It goes without saying that the relationship of Maithili and Hindi have been most complicated. While almost all Maithils have accepted Hindi as a language of formal occasions, the retention of Maithili for cultual, social , familial as well as literary purposes have also been more or less steady. The trend among the youngest generation to use Maithili in lesser and lesser occasions should be viewed in the context of the same thing happening among Hindi, Telugu or Marathi speakers who are tilting towards use of English rather than their mother tongue.

ee also

*Bhojpuri
*Bihar
*Bihari languages
*Magadhi
*Maithili
*Magadha

References and footnotes