Bihari languages
Angika (700,000 speakers). Written in Anga, Kaithi and Devanagari scripts.
Bhojpuri (29,384,562 speakers). Written in the Kaithi and Devanagari scripts.
Fiji Hindi – (460,000 speakers). Form of Bihari and Awadhi, spoken by Fiji Indians and written in the Roman and Devanagari scripts.
Kudmali (37,000 speakers)
Magahi (11,362,000 speakers). Written in the Kaithi and Devanagari scripts.
Maithili (7,500,000 speakers). Written in the Maithili and Devanagari scripts.
Panchpargania (274,000 speakers)
Sadri (1,965,000 speakers)
Sarnami Hindustani (150,000 speakers) Form of Bihari with Awadhi influence spoken by Surinamers of Indian descent.
Surajpuri (273,000 speakers)
Vajjika (500,000 speakers)
The Bhojpuri Language
The Bhojpuri language is part of the Eastern-Hindi or Begali continuum of languages which once exended from Assam and Begal to Benares. While the rest of Bihar and UP slowly adopted the new Hindi standard, the language remained strong in the areas between Patna and Benares. But now the government of India is preparing to grant it statutory status as a national scheduled language. They are part of the Eastern Zone group of Indo-Aryan languages which includes Bengali and Oriya. It means that if government of India grants Bhojpuri the status of language which is in process it will become third most spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali. Today, many Indians in the West Indies, Oceania, and South America still speak Bhojpuri as a native or second language. The Bhojpuri language has been heavily influenced by other languages in many parts of the world. In Kathmandu, Music FM broadcasts Bhojpuri songs and some daily programmes in this language. Although the Bhojpuri has been introduced recently as one of alternative languages in some of Bihar and UP Universities and this will have far reaching impact in evolution of this dialect into a language.
