The Bishnupriyas, also known as the Bishnupriya Manipuris or Bishnupriya Meiteis, is an ethnic group found in parts of the Northeast Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Manipur and in northeastern Bangladesh. They speak Bishnupriya Manipuri, a language belonging to the Bengali-Assamese branch. Initially regarded as a creole of Bengali and Meitei languages, later studies found that it retains its pre-Bengali features and is closer to both Bengali and Assamese languages. The most distinctive feature of the language is it is replete with Tibeto-Burman elements. The culture of the Bishnupriya people is strongly influenced by that of the Meitei people. They follow Vaishnavism.