Editing Magahi language (section)

==Geographical distribution==
There are several dialects of Magahi. It is spoken in the area which formed the core of the ancient kingdom of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] - the modern districts of [[Patna District|Patna]], [[Nalanda District|Nalanda]], [[Gaya District|Gaya]], [[Jehanabad District|Jehanabad]], [[Arwal District|Arwal]], [[Aurangabad District, Bihar|Aurangabad]], [[Lakhisarai District|Lakhisarai]], [[Sheikhpura District|Sheikhpura]] and [[Nawada District|Nawada]]. Magahi is bounded on the north by the various forms of [[Maithili language|Maithili]] spoken in [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]] across the Ganga. On the west it is bounded by the [[Bhojpuri region|Bhojpuri]], On the northeast it is bounded by [[Angika]]. A blend of [[Magahi]] known as [[Khortha language|Khortha]] is spoken by non-tribal populace in [[North Chotanagpur division]] of [[Jharkhand]] which comprises districts of [[Bokaro district|Bokaro]], [[Chatra district|Chatra]], [[Dhanbad]], [[Giridih]], [[Hazaribagh]], [[Koderma]] and [[Ramgarh district|Ramgarh]]. People of Southern Bihar and Northern Jharkhand are mostly speakers of Magahi.<ref>Verma, Sheela (2003). "Magahi". In Jain Dhanesh, Cardona George, ''The Indo-Aryan Languages''. London: Routledge.</ref> Magahi is also spoken in [[Malda district]] of [[West Bengal]].<ref name="Magahi01"/><ref name="Magahi02"/><ref>{{cite book |title=Magahi Folklore and Folk Tales |first=Sheela |last=Verma |publisher=Manohar |date=2008 |pages=29-30 |isbn=9788173048043}}</ref> According to 2011 Census, there were approximately 12.7 million Magahi speakers.<ref name="census2011"/> Apart from India it is spoken in various districts of [[Terai|south eastern]] Nepal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 Nepal Census, Social Characteristics Tables |url=https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314170005/https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |archive-date=14 March 2023 |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref>