Bhojpuri Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Bhojpuri is spoken in western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh in India, and in parts of Nepal. In the 19th century, many Bhojpuri speakers travelled as indentured workers to Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname, so Bhojpuri heritage in Birmingham may come directly from India or by way of the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 1,475 residents gave Hindi as their main language. Main language figures leave out the many bilingual residents who use English day to day, so the number who speak the language at home is higher still. The census records Hindi as one language, so it does not separate out people by the Indian state their families come from. Bhojpuri is not counted separately either.

Working for Birmingham

Bhojpuri speakers in Birmingham work in healthcare, engineering, teaching, business and public service. Families with Caribbean and Mauritian roots have been part of the city for decades, while newer arrivals from India are often doctors, researchers, engineers and students.

Birmingham is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, and its progress has always depended on people who chose to make it home. Its hospitals, schools and universities, its building sites, workshops, warehouses and kitchens all rely on skills brought from around the world. The Bhojpuri community adds its own share to that effort, and takes pride in giving back to the city that welcomed it.

Culture and community life

Chhath Puja, Holi and Diwali are celebrated with folk songs that are famous across north India, and Bhojpuri music and cinema have a huge following. Litti chokha, sattu and thekua are family favourites, and the language's songs and sayings are a bond between families wherever they live.

Like so many of the communities that make up modern Birmingham, the Bhojpuri community shows how a city can be home to many cultures at once. Its members are proud of where they come from, and just as proud to be Brummies.