Bhojpuri is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Bhojpur-Purvanchal region of India and the Terai region of Nepal. It is chiefly spoken in eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Bihar and western Jharkhand in India as well as western Madhesh and eastern Lumbini in Nepal. It is an eastern Indo Aryan language and as of 2000 it is spoken by about 5% of India's population. Bhojpuri is a descendant of Magadhi Prakrit and is related to Maithili, Magahi, Bangla, Odia, Assamese, and other eastern Indo-Aryan languages.
Magahi, also known as Magadhi, is a Indo-Aryan language spoken in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal states of eastern India, and in the Terai of Nepal. Magadhi Prakrit was the ancestor of Magahi, from which the latter's name derives.
Nadiya Ke Paar is a 1982 Indian drama film directed by Govind Moonis. Based on the first half of the novel Kohbar Ki Shart by Keshav Prasad Mishra. It featured an ensemble cast comprising Sachin, Sadhana Singh, Inder Thakur, Mitali, Savita Bajaj, Sheela David, Leela Mishra and Soni Rat.
Manoj Kumar Tiwari is an Indian politician, singer and actor serving as a Member of Parliament from North East Delhi. He contested the 2009 general election as a Samajwadi Party candidate from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha but lost to Yogi Adityanath. Again, he contested 2014 Indian general elections as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and won. He was appointed as Delhi BJP president in 2016. He was the head of the BJP organisation in Delhi when the party recorded a record victory in 2017 MCD elections.
Bhikari Thakur was an Indian Bhojpuri language poet, playwright, lyricist, actor, folk dancer, folk singer and social activist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the Bhojpuri language and most popular folk writer of Purvanchal and Bihar. Thakur is often called the "Shakespeare of Bhojpuri" and "Rai Bahadur". His works consist of more than a dozen plays, Monologues, poems, and Bhajans, which were printed in nearly three dozen books. His noteworthy works include Bidesiya, Gabarghichor, Beti Bechwa and Bhai Birodh. Gabarghichor is often compared with Bertolt Brecht's play The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Thakur is known as the father of the naach folk theatre tradition. He is also credited as the first person to cast male actors in female roles.
Litterateur and parliamentarian Shankar Dayal Singh was twice elected to the Parliament of India. He was one of the youngest members of the Fifth Lok Sabha, in which he represented the Chatra parliamentary constituency in Bihar. Contesting his maiden Lok Sabha election in 1971, he defeated Smt. Vijaya Raje, the wife of Sri Kamakhya Narayan Singh, Raja of Ramgarh. He was again elected to the upper house, the Rajya Sabha, in 1990 from Bihar.
Dinesh Bhramar is a Hindi and Bhojpuri poet from Bihar, India. He has been credited to introduce the Ghazal and Ruba'i in Bhojpuri literature.
The Bhojpuri people, also known as Bhojpuriya-sawb are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent who speak the Bhojpuri-language and inhabit the Bhojpur-Purvanchal region. This area is now divided between the western part of the Indian state of Bihar, the eastern part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, western Jharkhand, along with some neighbouring districts in the Madhya Pradesh and Madhesh and Lumbini of Nepal. A significant diaspora population of Bhojpuris can be found in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, other parts of the Caribbean, Fiji, South Africa, Mauritius, United States, Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Ramesh Chandra Jha was an Indian poet, novelist and freedom fighter. Son of a senior gandhian and freedom fighter Lakshmi Narayan Jha, who also contributed in Indian Freedom Struggle from Bihar. His maternal grandson Sanjeev K Jha is well-known Screenwriter who is working in Indian film industry. Ramesh Chandra Jha's poems, ghazals and stories evoke patriotism and human values. Romanticism and struggle of life are also important aspects of his writing. His poetry expresses concerns of people's life struggle, their dreams and hopes.
Dr. Shailendra Nath Shrivastava was an Indian essayist and poet, who wrote in Hindi, English and Bhojpuri. His body of work comprised over 100 publication of books like poetry, biographies, essays,Literary criticism etc. he also featured in more than 120 programs/broadcast of All India Radio / Doordarshan Patna and Delhi branch. He visited many foreign countries such as England, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Holland, Mauritius and Nepal. He was former Indian politician from Bihar born at Chausa, Bhojpur district. In 1980 he was elected to Bihar Legislative Assembly and in 1989, he was elected to Lok Sabha from Patna constituency of Bihar. He was a recipient of the civilian honor of Padma Shri (2003).
Kalpana Patowary is an Indian playback and folk singer from Assam. She has recorded songs and folk music in several Indian languages, with Bhojpuri music being the major genre.
Manoj Bhawuk is an Indian poet writing in Bhojpuri, actor, television presenter and screenwriter, active in Bhojpuri cinema. He has been awarded by Filmfare & Femina Bhojpuri Icons in the category of ″Outstanding Contribution in Literature″. He has written many awarded books. He promotes Bhojpuri language and literature. Bhawuk has been the Project Head of Zee TV's reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (Bhojpuri). He is a diploma holder in theatre acting and has acted in TV shows, films and serials. He has been awarded national and international honors. Manoj Bhawuk is the first person who thoroughly researched and documented history of Bhojpuri Cinema and published in various magazines. His book 'Bhojpuri Cinema ke Sansaar' is going to publish in both Hindi & Bhojpuri languages.
Chander Singh Rahi was a prominent folk singer, balladeer, musician, poet, storyteller, and cultural conservator from Uttarakhand, India.
Biraha is an ethnic Bhojpuri folk genre of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand in India. Its place in folk songs is as important as that of Dwipadi in Sanskrit, Gatha in Prakrit and Barwai in Hindi. It is composed of two episodes. When one side says their point, the other side answers in the same verse. There is no limit to the number of quantities. The volume varies with the tune of the song. It indicates the intense longing of the spouse and the pain of love or feeling of separation from him. Separation is a king, a body that does not know separation, it is a living corpse. Outside India, this genre can be found in the former colonies of where Indian indentured laborers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand emigrated to, such as Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, South Africa, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Birha technically belongs to Ahir (Yadav) community.
Kamla Srivastava was an Indian folk music singer. She retired as assistant professor in Musicology-cum-practical of Bhatkhande Music Institute, deemed university of Lucknow. She came from a family of artists and poets.
Arjun Singh Dhurve is a folk dancer and a retired teacher from the Dindori district of the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. He is famous for popularising Baiga folk songs and dance. Baiga Pardhauni dance is the main dance of the Baiga tribe. In this form of dance, the performers wear the masks of peacocks, elephants, horses, etc.
Govind Sharan Lohra is an Indian folk artist. He is a Nagpuri folk singer, songwriter and dancer. He had performed in many national events. He is recipient of several awards including Akruti Samman, Peter Naurangi Sahitya Samman and Jharkhand Bibhuti. He was awarded Jaishankar Prasad Smriti Award in 2021.
Jang Bahadur Singh is an Indian Bhojpuri folk singer and wrestler, who was popular during the 1940s to 1970s in Bihar, Jharkhand & Bengal Region. He is an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi and his principles. He was born in Kausad village in Siwan district of Bihar on 10 December 1920. He is a singer of 'Vyas Style', a genre of Bhojpuri folk singing. He was a celebrated wrestler in Bihar and Bengal Region. He was given the title of Sher-e-Bihar when he defeated a heavy weight wrestler from Bengal side. He used to inspire the youth to fight for freedom by singing patriotic songs, for which he was also imprisoned by the British. Nowadays, he resides in his paternal village living his remaining years of life in peace.
Nitin Dubey is an Indian singer, composer, actor, and lyricist. Born in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. Dubey is known for his work as a composer, vocalist, music director, and playback singer in Chhattisgarh cinema and as a performer at various national level music festivals and bhajan programs.
Gautam Sharma "Vyathit", is a folklorist, playwright, and poet from Himachal Pradesh, India. He is also known as Gautam Chand Sharma "Vyathit" or just Gautam Vyathit. He is noted for his literary works in Dogri and Hindi, as well as for his various efforts to preserve and nurture the endangered folk arts of Himachal Pradesh, especially those of the Kangra region. Vyathit was the joint recipient of the 2007 Sahitya Akademi Award for his contributions to Himachali languages and literature. 'Vyathit', Gautam Sharma's pen-name in Hindi, means 'pained', or 'distressed'.
