The Bhojpuri People, a Great Community of the Ganges Plains

Across the fertile plains of western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, watered by the sacred Ganges, live the Bhojpuri people, one of the largest ethnolinguistic communities of the Indian subcontinent. Named for the Bhojpuri language and often known more broadly as Biharis, they are a people of farmers, singers, and migrants whose culture has travelled from the Gangetic heartland to every corner of the world.

Heirs to the ancient kingdom of Magadha and the birthplace of empires and religions, the Bhojpuri people combine one of the oldest histories in South Asia with a vibrant living culture of folk song, Chhath worship, and a booming film industry. This article traces their origins, language, homeland, society, religion, and traditions, and the great diaspora that has carried them across the globe.