Bagal (caste)

Bagal
Bagal women are returning from forest after collecting Sal leaves.
ReligionsFolk Hinduism
LanguagesL1Kudmali/ Bengali (Manbhumi dialect)
L2Hindi, Odia, Bengali
CountryIndia
Populated statesJharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal
RegionBalasore, Mayurbhanj, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, East Singhbhum, Sareikela Kharsawan
Related groupsBhumij, Munda, Rajwar, Mahato
Historical groupingPastoralist Caste, Serving Caste, Aboriginal race, Tribal Hindu

Bagal (pronounced as Bāgāl) is a cattle herding caste of East India. Bagal people are living in the state of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. They use Kudmali/ Manbhumi dialect of Bengali as their mother tongue (with local variations, labelled as Bagal Bhasa) and use Bengali, Hindi and Odia language to communicate with the outside society.