Bhoksa people
Ethnic group
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bhoksa, also known as Buksa/Bukhasiya, are indigenous peoples living mainly in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. They are mostly concentrated in Dehradun and Nainital districts of Uttrakhand in the foothills of the outer Himalayas.[3] They are also found in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. Both communities have been granted Scheduled Tribe status.
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Uttarakhand | 46,771[1] |
| Uttar Pradesh | 4,367[2] |
| Languages | |
| Buksa language, Tharu languages regional languages | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism, traditional beliefs | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Chhetri · Khas · Pokhariya · Banrawats · Kumaoni people · Rana Tharu | |
History
The Bhoksa speak the Buksa language.[4]
The language is spoken in Uttarakhand, mainly in southwestern Nainital district, along a diagonal from Ramnagar to Dineshpur. It is spoken in around 130 villages in Kichha and Kashipur tehsils, some in Bijnor and Pauri Garhwal district.[citation needed]
Present circumstances
As of 2001[update], the Bhoksa of Uttarakhand were classified as a Scheduled Tribe under the Indian government's reservation program of affirmative action.[5] As Buksa, they are similarly classified in Uttar Pradesh.[6]