Other Spellings : Maithil
Religion : Hinduism, Islam
Language : Maithili, Hindi
Regional Spread : Bihar in India, Nepal
Traditional Occupation : Agriculture and mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, mica and bauxite)
Population : 24 million
Food Habits : Mostly vegetarian with a staple diet of wheat bread, rice, maize, pulses, and vegetables.
Marriage Preference : Seek marriage alliances in their own caste and community.
Maithil Brahmins are said to be ancient Vedic Brahmins who still follow rites and rituals prescribed in the Vedas. Maithil Brahmins is a comparatively small community of highly cohesive and gentle, but traditional Brahmins. They are said to be originally from the ancient kingdom of legendary King Janak of Mithila. Maithil Brahmins are seekers of Vedic knowledge with pure minds. They have a reputation for orthodoxy and interest in learning. They have no further endogamous divisions but observe a complicated pattern of marriage among five hierarchically ordered groups, each of which may take a wife from the group below it.