Jwari, Bajri, Nachni, Vari: Maharashtra's Millet Names, Decoded

Buy millets online in India and you'll meet the same grain under four names. Nachni, nagli, ragi and finger millet are one thing. Jwari, jowar and sorghum are another. And "vari" turns up on packs of at least two different grains. If you've ever stood over a pack wondering whether you're buying what your aaji's recipe meant, this is the decoder.

Quick answer: the Marathi millet names, in one line each

Jwari is sorghum (jowar). Bajri is pearl millet (bajra). Nachni and nagli are both finger millet, called ragi elsewhere in India. Kang or rala is foxtail millet. Kodra is kodo millet. Vari (and bhagar or varai) is used in Marathi for little millet and for proso millet, and packs sold as bhagar are often barnyard millet. Rajgira is not a millet — it's amaranth.

The full list, with what each one is actually used for

Names below follow the list published by ICAR–Indian Institute of Millets Research, the national institute for millets research, which the Government of India also calls Shree Anna.

Why "vari" and "bhagar" are the confusing ones

ICAR-IIMR lists "vari" as a Marathi name for little millet and for proso millet. In shops, "bhagar" and "varai" are used for the fine, quick-cooking grain eaten on fasting days, and many of those packs are barnyard millet. In practice the three cook almost identically, so recipes work either way. If the exact species matters to you, look for the English or botanical name printed on the pack rather than trusting the Marathi name alone. Our Navratri upvas food guide covers how bhagar is used during fasts.

Two things that are not millets

Rajgira is amaranth, a seed from a broadleaf plant, not a grass. Sabudana is sago, made from cassava starch. Both appear alongside millets on fasting plates, which is why they get grouped together, but neither is a millet.

Which millet should you actually buy?

If you want an everyday bhakri

Jwari for most of the year and bajri in winter is the standard Maharashtrian pattern. UmedMart stocks SWARA Jowar (1 kg, ₹238) and Premium Bajra, Mahalaxmi variety (₹103.29), both from Maharashtra producers.

If you're replacing maida snacks

Millet papads and shevai are the easiest swap because nothing about the meal changes. Try Unnati SHG Nachni Papad (250 g, ₹175), RAYGAD Jowar Papad (200 g, ₹155), or GHATAIDEVI SHG Ragi Shevai (200 g, ₹204.32). The six-flavour Ghataidevi shevai combo (₹529) is the cheapest way to find out which one your family prefers.

If you want something ready to eat

SHETI MILLET Roasted Bajra Bhel (200 g, ₹228) and Roasted Ragi Bhel (200 g, ₹228) are roasted rather than fried. ADARSH Jowar Farsan (250 g, ₹204.32) from Panchashil SHG is the savoury option, and ADIVASI Millet Ladu (250 g, ₹394) the sweet one. For biscuits, our guide to DIVYNKA's millet cookies compares oats, jwari, bajri and nachni versions.

The full range lives in the millets collection.

How to store millet flour so it doesn't go bitter

Whole millet grain keeps for months in a dry, airtight container. Millet flours, especially bajri and nachni, are the opposite: they develop an off, bitter taste faster than wheat flour does. Buy flour in small packs, keep it closed and cool, and refrigerate it if you grind in bulk. If a flour smells sharp or musty, don't bake with it.

Why millets are back on shopping lists

The United Nations designated 2023 the International Year of Millets, and the FAO's reasoning was agricultural rather than dietary: millets, it notes, "can grow on arid lands with minimal inputs and are resilient to changes in climate." For Maharashtra's dryland districts, that's not a rediscovery. Jwari and bajri never left the rotation, and the SHG products in this article come from those same growing areas.

On nutrition, it's worth being careful with the claims that circulate online. If you're managing diabetes, coeliac disease or another condition, talk to your doctor or dietitian rather than to a packet, and look up nutrient values in the ICMR–National Institute of Nutrition food composition tables.

Frequently asked questions

What is nachni in English?

Nachni is finger millet. It's called nagli in parts of Maharashtra and ragi in much of southern and northern India. All three names refer to the same grain.

Is nagli the same as nachni?

Yes. Both are Marathi names for finger millet, and ICAR-IIMR lists them together. You'll see packs labelled "nagli papad" and "nachani papad" that contain the same thing.

What is the difference between jowar, bajra and ragi?

They're three different grains. Jowar (jwari) is sorghum, with pale, soft bhakri. Bajra (bajri) is pearl millet, darker and denser, traditionally eaten in winter. Ragi (nachni, nagli) is finger millet, the smallest of the three, used for satva, bhakri, papad and shevai.

Is bhagar the same as vari?

In everyday Marathi, yes — both refer to the fine grain cooked for fasting khichdi. Botanically the name is applied to more than one species: ICAR-IIMR lists "vari" for little millet and proso millet, while many packs sold as bhagar are barnyard millet.

Is rajgira a millet?

No. Rajgira is amaranth, a seed rather than a cereal grass. It's eaten during fasts alongside millets, which is why the two get confused.

Which millet is best for daily bhakri?

Jwari is the everyday choice in most of Maharashtra because its bhakri stays soft. Bajri is denser and is traditionally eaten more in winter. Many households keep both and switch with the season.

In short

Nachni, nagli and ragi are one grain. Jwari is sorghum, bajri is pearl millet, and "vari" is a name shared by more than one small millet, so read the English name on the pack. Once the names are clear, the shopping is easy — browse UmedMart's millet range, all of it grown and made by Maharashtra's women's Self-Help Groups.

Sources: millet names, ICAR–Indian Institute of Millets Research; International Year of Millets 2023, FAO. Prices as listed on UmedMart on 17 September 2026.