Bengalis: Difference between revisions

Bengalis
	File:Bengalis.PNG
Regions with significant populations
	Majority populations in: Bangladesh; India (West Bengal, other eastern states); Significant populations in: Malaysia; Myanmar; Pakistan; United Kingdom; Canada; United States;
Languages
	Bengali
Religion
	Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
	Indo-European, Tibeto-Burman, Proto-Australoid, Oriya, Assamese, Biharis, Tripuri

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The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between India and Bangladesh) in Indian subcontinent with a history going back more than two millennia. They speak Bengali (Bangla), a language of the eastern branch of the Indo-European languages. In their native language, they are referred to as Bangali. They are Indo-Aryans closely related to Biharis and Assamese, though they are also related to the indigenous Munda people (Proto-Australoids), the Tibeto-Burmans and Austro-Asiatics of North-East India, and the Dravidian people of South India. As a result, Bengalis are a heterogeneous and considerably diverse ethnic group. They are mostly concentrated in Bangladesh and in the state of West Bengal in India. There are also a number of Bengali communities scattered in New Delhi and also in several states of India, such as Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharastra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura and the North-East Indian states, as well as in other countries including Pakistan, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Middle East, UK and USA.

History

Early history

Middle ages

Renaissance

Independence Movement

Bengalis also played a notable part in the independence movement. Many of the early proponents of the freedom struggle were educated Bengalis such as Chittranjan Das and S.N.Bannerjee; subsequently others such as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chaki, Khudiram Bose and Rashbehari Bose were part of the more militant "extremists".

Culture

The Bengalis are known for their artistic and cultural achievements. Noted Bengali authors, playwrights, music composers, painters and film-makers have played a significant role in the evolution and development of Indian artistic expression. The Bengal renaissance of the 19th century was brought about when the British introduced Western education and ideas. Among the various Indian cultures, the Bengalis were relatively quick to adapt to the British rule and actually use its principles (such as the judiciary and the legislature) in the subsequent political struggle for independence. The Bengali renaissance contained the seeds of a nascent Political Indian Nationalism and was the precursor in many ways to modern Indian artistic and cultural expression. The Bengali poet and novelist, Rabindranath Tagore became the first Nobel laureate from Asia when he won the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature.

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-The '''Bengali people''' are the ethnic community from [[Bengal]] (divided between [[India]] and [[Bangladesh]]) in [[Indian subcontinent]] with a history going back more than two millennia. They speak [[Bengali language|Bengali]] (''Bangla''), a language of the eastern branch of the [[Indo-European]] languages. In their native language, they are referred to as ''Bangalis''. They are [[Indo-Aryans]] closely related to [[Bihari people|Biharis]] and [[Assamese]], though they are also related to the indigenous [[Munda people]] ([[Proto-Australoid]]s), the [[Tibeto-Burman]]s and [[Austro-Asiatic]]s of [[North-East India]], and the [[Dravidian people]] of [[South India]]. As a result, Bengalis are a [[heterogeneous]] and considerably diverse ethnic group. They are mostly concentrated in [[Bangladesh]], and in the state of [[West Bengal]] in [[India]]. There are also a number of Bengali communities scattered in New Delhi and also in several states of India, such as [[Assam]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bihar]], [[Maharastra]], [[Karnataka]] , [[Uttar Pradesh]],[[Tripura]],majority of north-east Indian states, as well as in other countries including [[Pakistan]], [[Malaysia]], the [[Middle East]], [[UK]] and [[USA]].
+The '''Bengali people''' are the ethnic community from [[Bengal]] (divided between [[India]] and [[Bangladesh]]) in [[Indian subcontinent]] with a history going back more than two millennia. They speak [[Bengali language|Bengali]] (''Bangla''), a language of the eastern branch of the [[Indo-European]] languages. In their native language, they are referred to as '''Bangali'''. They are [[Indo-Aryans]] closely related to [[Bihari people|Biharis]] and [[Assamese]], though they are also related to the indigenous [[Munda people]] ([[Proto-Australoid]]s), the [[Tibeto-Burman]]s and [[Austro-Asiatic]]s of [[North-East India]], and the [[Dravidian people]] of [[South India]]. As a result, Bengalis are a [[heterogeneous]] and considerably diverse ethnic group. They are mostly concentrated in [[Bangladesh]] and in the state of [[West Bengal]] in [[India]]. There are also a number of Bengali communities scattered in New Delhi and also in several states of India, such as [[Assam]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bihar]], [[Maharastra]], [[Karnataka]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Tripura]] and the North-East Indian states, as well as in other countries including [[Pakistan]], [[Malaysia]], [[Myanmar]], the [[Middle East]], [[UK]] and [[USA]].
 ==History==