The Bhil languages are a group of
Indo-Aryan languages
The Indo-Aryan languages (or sometimes Indic languages) are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. As of the early 21st century, they have more than 800 million speakers, primarily ...
spoken by around 10.4 million
Bhil
Bhil or Bheel is an ethnic group in western India. They speak the Bhil languages, a subgroup of the Western Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages. As of 2013, Bhils were the largest tribal group in India.
Bhils are listed as tribal people of the s ...
s in western and central
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
as of 2011.
They constitute the primary languages of the southern
Aravalli Range
The Aravalli Range (also spelled ''Aravali'') is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. ...
in
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
and the western
Satpura Range
The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and ends in Chhattisgarh. The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these ...
in
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
, northwestern Maharashtra, and southern Gujarat. According to the 52nd report of the commissioner for linguistic minorities in India,
Ministry of Minority Affairs
The Ministry of Minority Affairs is the ministry in the Government of India which was carved out of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and created on 29 January 2006. It is the apex body for the central government's regulatory and ...
, Bhili is the most commonly spoken language of the
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
of
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Dadra and Nagar Haveli is a district of the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu in western India. It is composed of two separate geographical entities: Nagar Haveli, wedged in between Maharashtra and Gujarat states to ...
constituting 40.42% of its total population. Bhili speakers are also significant in the states of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
(4.75%),
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
(4.93%) and
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
(4.60%).
See also
*
rathwi Bareli
*
Languages of India
Languages spoken in India belong to several language families, the major ones being the Indo-European languages spoken by 78.05% of Indians and the Dravidian languages spoken by 19.64% of Indians, both families together are sometimes known ...
*
Gujarati language
Gujarati (; gu, ગુજરાતી, Gujarātī, translit-std=ISO, label=Gujarati script, ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian state of Gujarat and spoken predominantly by the Gujarati people. Gujarati is descended from Old Gu ...
*
Gujarati people
The Gujarati people or Gujaratis, are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who reside in or can trace their ancestry or heritage to the present-day western Indian state of Gujarat. They primarily speak Gujarati, an Indo-Aryan language. While G ...
*
Languages with official status in India
There is no national language in India. However, article 343(1) of the Indian constitution specifically mentions that, "The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script. The form of numerals to be used for the official pur ...
*
List of Indian languages by total speakers
India is home to several hundred languages. Most Indians speak a language belonging to the families of the Indo-Aryan branch of Indo-European (c. 77%), the Dravidian (c. 20.61%), the Austroasiatic ( Munda) (c. 1.2%), or the Sino-Tibetan (c. 0.8 ...
Relationship
The Bhil languages form a link midway between the
Gujarati language
Gujarati (; gu, ગુજરાતી, Gujarātī, translit-std=ISO, label=Gujarati script, ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian state of Gujarat and spoken predominantly by the Gujarati people. Gujarati is descended from Old Gu ...
and the
Rajasthani–Marwari languages.
Grouped geographically, the Bhil languages are the following:
*Northern Bhil
**
Bauria
''Bauria'' is an extinct genus of the suborder Therocephalia that existed during the Early and MiddleTriassic period, around 246-251 million years ago. It belonged to the family Bauriidae. ''Bauria'' was probably a carnivore or insectivo ...
**
Wagdi (perhaps central: reportedly highly intelligible with Adiwasa, Patelia, and other varieties of Bhil proper)
**
Bhilori (Noiri, Dungra)
**
Magari (Magra ki Boli; incl. under Bhili proper in ''Ethnologue'')
*Central Bhil
**
Bhili proper (Patelia), Bhilodi, Adiwasa & Rajput Garasia
Marwari.html"_;"title="Marwari_language.html"_;"title="utually_intelligible;_some_intelligible_with_Marwari_language">Marwari">Marwari_language.html"_;"title="utually_intelligible;_some_intelligible_with_Marwari_language">Marwari**
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**
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**
Chodri
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**Chodri_language">Chodri
**Dhodia_language">Dhodia
_
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**
Chodri
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**Chodri_language">Chodri
**Dhodia_language">Dhodia
_
Dhodia_are_an_Adivasi_people_who_have_been_placed_in_the_Indian_communities_recognition,_under_Schedule_Tribes._The_majority_of_the_Dhodia_tribes_are_located_in_the_southern_part_of_Gujarat_(Navsari,__Surat_and_Valsad_districts),_Dadra_and_Nagar_H_...
**Dhodia_language.html"__"title="Chodri_language.html"_;"title="Bhilali_language.html"_;"title="Marwari_language">Marwari.html"_;"title="Marwari_language.html"_;"title="utually_intelligible;_some_intelligible_with_Marwari_language">Marwari">Marwari_language.html"_;"title="utually_intelligible;_some_intelligible_with_Marwari_language">Marwari**Bhilali_language">Bhilali_(Rathawi)
**Chodri_language">Chodri
**Dhodia_language">Dhodia