Millet Names in 10 Indian Languages
Millets go by many names across India. The same grain is ragi in Karnataka, nachni in Maharashtra and mandua in Uttarakhand; foxtail millet is navane, thinai, korralu or kangni depending on where you live. This chart puts the common names of eight millets side by side in ten Indian languages, so you can find the grain your grandmother cooked with, whatever she called it.
Millet names chart
| Millet | Hindi | Kannada | Tamil | Telugu | Malayalam | Marathi | Gujarati | Bengali | Odia | Punjabi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Finger millet (ragi) Eleusine coracana |
Mandua / Ragi | Ragi | Kezhvaragu / Keppai | Ragulu / Chodi | Muthari / Panjipullu | Nachni / Nagli | Nagli / Bavto | Marua | Mandia | Mandhuka |
|
Pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum |
Bajra | Sajje | Kambu | Sajjalu | Kambam | Bajri | Bajri | Bajra | Bajra | Bajra |
|
Sorghum Sorghum bicolor |
Jowar | Jola | Cholam | Jonnalu | Cholam | Jwari | Juvar | Jowar | Juara | Jowar |
|
Foxtail millet Setaria italica |
Kangni / Kakun | Navane | Thinai | Korralu | Thina | Kang / Rala | Kang | Kaon | Kanghu | Kangni |
|
Little millet Panicum sumatrense |
Kutki | Saame | Samai | Samalu | Chama | Sava / Halvi | Gajro / Kuri | Sama | Suan | — |
|
Kodo millet Paspalum scrobiculatum |
Kodon | Harka | Varagu | Arikelu | Koovaragu | Kodra | Kodra | Kodo | Kodua | Kodra |
|
Barnyard millet Echinochloa frumentacea |
Sanwa / Jhangora | Oodalu | Kuthiraivali | Udalu / Kodisama | Kavadapullu | — | — | Shyama | Khira | Swank |
|
Proso millet Panicum miliaceum |
Chena / Barri | Baragu | Panivaragu | Varigalu | Panivaragu | Vari | Cheno | Cheena | — | Cheena |
Scroll sideways to see all languages. "—" means we could not confirm a common name. Names are shown in English letters; spellings vary by region. Source: ICAR–Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), common names of millets. Malayalam names are from common usage, as the IIMR table does not list Malayalam.
Teachers, bloggers and millet groups are welcome to use this chart, with a link back to this page.
Major and minor millets
Sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra) and finger millet (ragi) are usually called the major millets because they are grown on the largest areas. Foxtail, little, kodo, barnyard and proso millet are the smaller-grained minor millets, which cook quickly and can replace rice at most meals. Browntop millet (korale in Kannada) is another minor millet that is becoming popular again.
How to start cooking with millets
Little and foxtail millet have the mildest taste and are the easiest swap for rice. Rinse the grain, cook it with about 2½ to 3 cups of water per cup, and fluff it like rice. For rotis and dosas, try millet flours or sprouted millet flours. You'll find more ideas in our recipes.
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