The Awadhi people or Awadhis (Awadhi/Hindi: अवधी, Urdu: ) are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who speak the Awadhi language and reside in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh. Many Awadhis also migrated to Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha in India and some adjoining regions of the Terai in Nepal, and in addition 3 per cent of Nepalis are Awadhi speakers. Awadhi people can be found throughout the world, most notably in Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, South Africa, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Historically, Indo-Aryans dominated the North Indian Gangetic Planes; thus, the Awadhi language continuously evolved over the centuries in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh.
Language
The Awadhi language is spoken by about 55 million people. In India, native speakers are estimated to be 65 million, while in Nepal native speakers are estimated to be 500,000 people.
Linguistically, Awadhi is a distinct language with its own grammar. However, the Indian government considers Awadhi to be a dialect of Hindi due to political reasons. Awadhi is not formally taught in any institution.
Cuisine
Consisting of both vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes, Awadhi cuisine has influences that can be linked to the Mughal Empire. It is similar to cuisines from surrounding areas, such as Bhojpur, Kashmir, Central Asia, Punjab, and Hyderabad. Awadhi cuisine is known for its use of aromatics and spices, such as cardamom and saffron , in a slow fire cooking process. There is also notable variety in ingredients that are cooked, such as paneer and mutton.
In addition, there are rice, curry, dessert, and chaat preparations that are specific to Awadhi cuisine.