The Maithil People, Heirs of Ancient Mithila

In the fertile plains of northern Bihar and the eastern Terai of Nepal lives the Maithil people, heirs to the ancient kingdom of Mithila. Speakers of the Maithili language, famed for their goddess worship, their vibrant Madhubani paintings, and their deep roots in the Ramayana as the people of Sita’s birthplace, they are one of the oldest and most distinctive communities of the Indian subcontinent.

From the philosopher-king Janaka and the poet Vidyapati to the world-renowned folk art of Mithila, the Maithil people carry a heritage of scholarship, devotion, and creativity that reaches back to the Vedic age. This article traces their origins, language, homeland, society, religion, and traditions, and the living culture that binds Mithila across the India-Nepal border today.