Ethnic group in Nepal
Ethnic group
Rana Tharu
is an ethnic group generally classified as part of the
Tharu people
of
Nepal
and
India
. They are living in
Kailali
and
Kanchanpur Districts
of the far western Nepali
Terai
and also in India, in
Udham Singh Nagar district
,
Uttarakhand
and
Kheri district
of
Uttar Pradesh
.
[3]
As of 2001, Rana Tharu people were the largest of five
scheduled tribes
in Uttarakhand, with a population of 256,129 accounting for 33.4% of all scheduled tribes.
[4]
The Rana Tharu community of Kailali and Kanchanpur districts have long demanded an identity separate from other Tharus. The Nepal Charter dated 18 May 2020 lists Rana Tharus as a distinct ethnic group; this listing was celebrated by Rana Tharus across Kaliali and Kanchanpur.
[5]
Origin
[
edit
]
The Rana Tharus in western Nepal claim to be of
Rajput
origin and to have migrated from the
Thar Desert
in
Rajasthan
to Nepal's
Far Western
Terai region after the defeat of
Maharana Pratap
against a
Mughal emperor
in the 16th century.
[6]
Most scholars refute this claim. The Rana Tharu version of the origin myth as that of Indian origin is long-standing and locally shared by all Tharus in Nepal’s far west, a version that has been reported by anthropologists and travelers from the time of the British
East India Company
up to the present.
[7]
Marriage System
[
edit
]
Traditionally, Rana Tharus practice
arranged marriages
, which parents often arrange already during the couple's childhood. The wedding ceremony is held when the bride and groom reach marriable age. The ceremony lasts several days, involving all the relatives of the two families.
[8]
Among the Rana Tharus in
Bardiya District
, it is also custom to arrange marriage of a daughter in exchange for getting a bride for a son or vice versa. Parents give particular attention to the working capacity of the groom and bride, rather than the economic situation of the in-law family.
Polygamous
marriages are also customary among Tharu people, with rich land holders marrying between two and five women.
[9]
Language
[
edit
]
The language of the recognized indigenous nationality of Rana Tharu is ‘
Rana Tharu
’.
[10]
Under the umbrella of the Nepal Rana Tharu Samaj, a protest was held demanding the Rana Tharu language be made one of the official languages of Sudurpaschim Pradesh. In Kanchanpur, mother-tongue education is provided in the Rana Tharu language up to grade three. The
Language Commission of Nepal
has recommended Rana Tharu as official language in Sudurpashchim Province. Rana Tharu is also spoken in specific areas of
Uttar Pradesh
,
India
including the
Lakhimpur Kheri
district, particularly in
Palia Kalan
and Chandan Chauki block, situated on the
India?Nepal border
. Additionally, it is spoken in the
Udham Singh Nagar
district of
Uttarakhand
state.
The language has linguistic distinctions with dialects in India and shows lexical similarities with
Awadhi
as well.
[11]
Additionally
Buksa language
, is largely mutually intelligible with Rana Tharu.
Rana Tharu is used in various aspects of life, including at home, with friends, and in religious contexts. It is actively spoken outside the home such as in the workplace and education. The language is widely utilized by all members of the community and coexists with the use of
Hindi
and
Nepali
.
[11]
[10]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
National Statistics Office (2021).
National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report
.
Government of Nepal
(Report).
- ^
General & Census Commissioner (2011).
A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix
.
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
(Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India
. Retrieved
2017-11-20
.
- ^
Guneratne, A. (2002).
Many tongues, one people: The making of Tharu identity in Nepal
. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
ISBN
0801487285
.
- ^
Office of the Registrar General (2001).
"Uttaranchal. Data Highlights: The Scheduled Tribes. Census of India 2001"
(PDF)
. Retrieved
2008-03-16
.
- ^
Rana, B. (2022).
"Five misconceptions about Rana Tharus"
.
The Record
. Retrieved
27 October
2023
.
- ^
Shukla, P.K. (1994). "The Tharus of Bihar : A historical and anthropological study".
Proceedings of the Indian History Congress
.
55
: 646?654.
All these scholars reject the claim of the Tharus as originally coming from the region of Thar desert in Rajasthan
- ^
Skar, H. O. (1995).
"Myths of origin: the Janajati Movement, local traditions, nationalism and identities in Nepal"
(PDF)
.
Contributions to Nepalese Studies
.
22
(31?42).
- ^
Kittelsen, T. C. & Gurung, G. M. (1999). "Symbols of tradition, signs of change: marriage customs among the Rana Tharu of Nepal". In Skar, H. O. (ed.).
Nepal: Tharu and Tarai Neighbours
. Bibliotheca Himalayica. Vol. 16. Kathmandu: Educational Enterprises. pp. 205?222.
- ^
Pun, S. (2000).
"Gender, land and irrigation management in Rajapur"
. In Pradhan, R.; Benda-Beckmann, F. v.; Benda-Beckmann, K. v. (eds.).
Water, land, and law. Changing rights to land and water in Nepal. Proceedings of a workshop held in Kathmandu, March 1998
. Kathmandu, Wageningen, Rotterdam: Legal Research and Development Forum, Wageningen Agricultural University, Erasmus University Rotterdam. pp. 195?216.
ISBN
9993316008
.
- ^
a
b
Dhakal, Dubi Nanda.
"Notes on Rana Tharu language"
.
- ^
a
b
"Rana Tharu language"
.