Bhoksa, also known as Buksa, are indigenous peoples living mainly in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. They are mostly concentrated in Dehradun and Nainital districts in the foothills of the outer Himalayas.[1] They are also found in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh, where they are known as Mehra. Both communities have been granted Scheduled Tribe status.
Culture
Language
The Bhoksa speak the Buksa language.[2] The language is spoken in Uttarakhand, mainly in southwestern Nainital district, along a diagonal from Ramnagar to Dineshpur. It is spoken around 130 villages in Kichha and Kashipur tehsils, some in Bijnor and Pauri Garhwal district.[3]
Religion
Hinduism is the main and prominent religion, followed by nearly 99.4% of the total tribal population and most of the Bhoksa people follows the Folk Hinduism. Though some of them have also converted to Christianity and Buddhism.[4]
Present circumstances
Template:As of, 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]
See also
References
- ↑ Buksa. ethnologue.com. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
- ↑ Tribal population in India. Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Government of India.
- ↑ Bhoksa in India, Project, Joshua. joshuaproject.net. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
- ↑ List of Scheduled Tribes. Census of India: Government of India(7 March 2007). Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ↑ State wise Scheduled Tribes — Uttar Pradesh. Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. Retrieved 2017-02-04.