Millet Names in Hindi: Bajra, Jowar, Kangni, Kutki & More
Certified organic food specialists · Sources: NIN Hyderabad, ICMR, USDA FoodData Central
If you are searching for millet names in Hindi, this is the quick reference. In Hindi, millets as a group are called मोटे अनाज (mote anaj) — literally “coarse grains” — and the Government of India now promotes them as श्री अन्न (Shree Anna). Below is each millet with its Hindi name in Devanagari and English, verified against our own millet names in Indian languages glossary.
Millet names in Hindi — full chart
| English | Hindi (हिन्दी) | Also known as |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl millet | बाजरा (Bajra) | Bajri (Marathi), Sajje (Kannada) |
| Sorghum | ज्वार (Jowar) | Jola, Cholam |
| Finger millet | रागी / मंडुआ (Ragi / Mandua) | Nachni, Kezhvaragu |
| Foxtail millet | कंगनी (Kangni) | Kakum, Navane, Thinai |
| Little millet | कुटकी (Kutki) | Sava, Shavan, Saame, Samai |
| Barnyard millet | सांवा / झंगोरा (Sanwa / Jhangora) | Samak, Vrat ke chawal, Bhagar |
| Kodo millet | कोदो / कोदरा (Kodo / Kodra) | Kodon, Harka, Varagu |
| Proso millet | चेना / बर्री (Cheena / Barri) | Barri, Panivaragu |
| Browntop millet | — (no widely used Hindi name) | Korale (Kannada), Andu Korralu (Telugu) |
Browntop millet is a rare South-Indian grain and does not have a widely standardised Hindi name — in Hindi-speaking regions it is usually referred to by the generic “millet / मोटा अनाज”. See our guides to browntop in Telugu and browntop in Kannada for its verified regional names.
The general Hindi words for millets
The three big millets — bajra (pearl), jowar (sorghum) and ragi (finger) — are household names across North and West India. The smaller “Siridhanya” millets are less commonly known by Hindi names, which is why searches like “little millet in Hindi” (kutki) and “foxtail millet Hindi name” (kangni) are so common. Collectively you will see them called मोटे अनाज (mote anaj) or श्री अन्न (Shree Anna).
Millets used in vrat (fasting)
Two of these are especially associated with Hindu fasting: barnyard millet — सांवा / समक (samak), often sold as “vrat ke chawal” — and little millet. They are popular during Navratri because they are grain-like but not cereals. (A dedicated fasting guide is on the way.)
Buy these millets, unpolished
Shop unpolished millets · Positive (Siridhanya) millets · new to them? how to cook millets.
मिलेट्स को हिन्दी में मोटे अनाज या श्री अन्न कहते हैं। मुख्य नाम: बाजरा (pearl), ज्वार (sorghum), रागी / मंडुआ (finger), कंगनी (foxtail), कुटकी (little), सांवा / झंगोरा (barnyard), कोदो / कोदरा (kodo)। सभी मिलेट्स पोषक और ग्लूटेन-मुक्त होते हैं।
Sources & References
- Orggu millet-names glossary (verified regional names across 8 Indian languages)
- Indian Food Composition Tables (2017) — National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad / ICMR