What is "bhumij"

Bhumij are a tribal/ Adivasi people living primarily in the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand, mostly in the old Singhbhum district. They speak the Mundari language of the Austroasiatic language family or sometimes the predominant local language such as Bengali.

In the 2001 census, they numbered 336,436 in West Bengal, accounting for 7.6 per cent of the scheduled caste population of the state. In Odisha, Bhumijes had a population ranging from 248,144 to 321,592 and were among the twelve most populous tribes. In Jharkhand Bhumijes were one of the eight most populous tribes, their population ranging between 164,022 and 192,024. In Assam Bhumij had a population around 150000. Bhumij means one who is born from the soil. They form one of the Hinduised Adivasi groups in Jharkhand. Bhumij Kols have adopted the surname 'Singh.'