Maithili (/ˈmaɪtᵻli/;[3] Maithilī) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Mithila region which is today mainly situated in northern and eastern Bihar of India and a few districts of the Nepal Terai. It is one of the largest languages in India and the second largest language in Nepal. Less commonly, it was written with a Maithili variant of Kaithi, a script used to transcribe other neighboring languages such as Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Awadhi.[4]
In 2002, Maithili was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which allows it to be used in education, government, and other official contexts.[5] It is recognized as one of the largest languages in India and is the second most widely used language in Nepal.[6]
In 2007, Maithili was included in the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2063, Part 1, Section 5 as a Nepalese language.[7]
In the past, Maithili was written primarily in Mithilakshar, but today it is written in the Devanagari script.[8] Native speakers are referred to as Maithils.
