Jharra Chhetri

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Jharrā
Classification Subcaste of Chhetri
Religions Hinduism
Languages Nepali, Sanskrit
Country Nepal, India
Family names Basnet / Basnyat, Bista/Bisht, Bohra, Budhathoki, Chauhan, Karki, Katuwal, Khadka, Kunwar, Mahara, Rawal, Raut,Thapa,Ranabhat
Feudal title Kaji Sa'ab , Dewan sahib, Mukhtiyar, Chautariya (चौतरिया) etc. All the titles being different administrative posts.
Victory weaponKhukuri
Notable members Bagale Thapa(बगाले थापा),Basnyat family, Kunwar family, Thapa dynasty, Family of Amar Singh Thapa
SubdivisionsBahuthariya
Ekthariya
Related groupsThakuri , Bahun
Historical grouping Tagadhari castes
Reservation (Education) No (Forward Caste)
Reservation (Employment) No
Reservation (Other) No
Kingdom (original) Khasa Kingdom
Kingdom (other) Gorkha Kingdom, Jumla Kingdom

Jharra Chhetri( /ˈʒərrɑː/ ) are the subgroup of the Chhetri/Kshatriya caste. Jharra Chhetri wear the six threaded Janai (sacred thread). They are historically Indo Aryan people. Communities of Jharras are Basnet / Basnyat, Thapa, Karki, Kunwar, Khadka, Katuwal,Rawat,Bisht etc.

Contents

Jharra Chhetri are Kshatriya in Hindu Social status. They follow Bratabandha ceremony and were historically warriors, administrators, or government officials. Chhetri with heterogenous surnames are also called as Bahuthariya, such as Thapa (Bagale/Lamichhane/Godar/Suyal/Puwar), Karki (Mudula/Lama/Sutar), Basnet (Khaptari/Shripali/Khulal), Khadka (Kalikote/Puwar/Khulal/Maharajhi) whereas those with homogenous are known as "Ekthariyas" like Katwal, Raut, Kunwar etc. They are mostly descendants of different rank holding Indo-Aryan people in different feudal kingdoms of Medieval Himalayas.

Etymology and Background

"Chhetri" is a direct derivative [1] or a Nepalese vernacular of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya . [2]

Chhetris along with Brahmins are considered among the twice born castes called Tagadhari in Nepal and they wear the sacred thread called the Yagnopavita. [3] Chhetris are considered among the Pahadi caste groups and they speak Nepali language as their mother tongue which is highly influenced by Sanskrit. [3] The term 'Chhetri' was introduced by Jang Bahadur Rana because he felt that the previous term of Khas (which the warrior castes of the hill people - i.e. present day Chhetri were known by) was not grand sounding enough and would cause him to lose face in front of foreigners.

Culture and Traditions

Sacred thread being given to young boys in Himalayas A yagyopaveet sanskar upanayana samskara.jpg
Sacred thread being given to young boys in Himalayas

The children born from the union of a Chhetri man and his married Chhetri wife, only accomplished by a proper Brahmā vivāha are considered "Jharrā" (meaning: 'pure') while those children born from the union of a Hill Brahmin man and a Chhetri woman are considered "Thimā" (meaning: 'hybrid'). [4]

A Jharrā boy would be given a six threaded Janai (sacred thread) at his Hindu passage of rite Bartaman ceremony while a Thimā boy would be given only a three threaded Janai (sacred thread). [4] A Thimā son would inherit a sixth of the ancestral property compared to that of the Jharrā son. [4]

Most Jharra Chhetris were aristrocrats, administrators, warriors, landholders and farmers of medieval himalayan states. From Unification of Nepal to King Mahendra's Panchayat rule they occupied majority of government posts. They had Monopoly in and other major posts in Nepal Army and Nepal Police including Army chief.

Notable People

Related Research Articles

Bisht is a surname found in the country of Nepal and the Indian state of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh. Bisht was a title given by kings to nobles, derived from the Sanskrit vishisht ("distinguished").The term "Bisht" originally referred to someone who held a land grant from the government. The Bisht families in Uttarakhand were chiefly Thokdars(Zamindars) of Thuljat origin. In Uttrakhand, Bishts are generally Kshatriya Rajputs. In Nepal, Bisht was adopted as a surname by Raute and Raji people. Bishta, as Bista, was also used as a surname used by Khas people, group under the caste Chhetri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khas people</span> Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group of Nepal and India

Khas peoples or Khas Tribes, popularly known as Khashya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, in what is now the South Asian country of Nepal, as well as the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam and Sikkim. Khas consists of many subtribes like Kshetri, Thakuri, Bahun, khas dalit and Sanyasis and all spread across the Himalayas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chhetri</span> Kshatriya caste of patrilineal Khas-Aryan descent

Chhetri, historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speaking Rajputs historically associated with warriors and administrators, some of whom trace their origin to migration from medieval India. Chhetri was a caste of administrators, governors, warriors and military elites in the medieval Khas Kingdom and Gorkha Kingdom. The nobility of the Gorkha Kingdom mainly originated from Chhetri families. They also had a strong presence in civil administration affairs. The bulk of prime ministers of Nepal before the democratization of Nepal belonged to this caste as a result of the old Gorkhali aristocracy. Gorkha-based aristocratic Chhetri families included the Pande dynasty, the Basnyat dynasty, the Kunwar family and the Thapa dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rana dynasty</span> Nepali Kshetri dynasty (1846–1951)

The Rana dynasty was a Chhetri dynasty that imposed authoritarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making the Prime Minister and other government positions held by the Ranas hereditary. The Rana dynasty is historically known for their iron-fisted rule in Nepal. This changed after the Revolution of 1951 with the promulgation of a new constitution, when power shifted back to the monarchy of King Tribhuvan.

Karki (Devanagari:कार्की) is a Chhetri surname from Nepal and a Kumaoni Rajput clan in Uttarakhand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thapa</span> Surname list

Thapa (pronunciation:[t̪ʰapa]) is an Indo-Aryan surname belonging to the Chhetri caste (Kshatriya) in Nepal and parts of Northern India.[2][3] It is also used by the Magar tribes, a Sino-Tibetan speaking ethnicity.

Adhikari is a surname originating in the Indian subcontinent. Those having their surname as Adhikari are mainly found in Nepal and Indian states of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and also in fewer parts of Southern Bihar such as Bhagalpur, Purnea etc. as these areas have a greater influence of Bengali culture and many Bengalis have settled in these areas. Among Bengali Brahmins Adhikary is one of the common surnames. Brahmin having their surname as Adhikary belongs to Kanyakubja Brahmins. But in Nepal, Adhikari are of both Brahmin and Chhetri Clan. The surname is also found among several groups including Bengalis, Biharis, Sinhalese, Marathis, Odias, Nepalese and Kumaonis. Adhikari is literally translated as Officer.

Khadka, anciently called as Khaḍka, is a surname of Khas/Chhetri caste. Khadga was an ancient Paikelā (warrior) rank along with Thāpā, Rānā and Buḍhā chhetri. Khadka is also a surname of Magar caste which is sub-clan of Rana Magar clan “i.e.” the last magar King Mansingh Khadka Magar of Majhakot (Gorkha), before Drabya Bikram Shah became King of Gorkha

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaji (Nepal)</span> Old Nepalese high ranking official

Kaji was a title and position used by nobility of Gorkha Kingdom (1559–1768) and Kingdom of Nepal between 1768 and 1846. Many other contemporary kingdoms used the same title for their ministers.

Thapa Kaji is a large social group of people of Jharra/Pure Chhettri caste in Nepal. Thapas of Uttrakhand And Himanchal State of India are considered as Pahari Rajput. Over a period of time, this community has spread to many parts of the world. The surname originated during the Khas Kingdom in Karnali region during middle age-it referred to a position/post of a warrior. Chhetri is considered a derivative form of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya.

The surname Patni/Paatni holds historical and cultural significance in the state of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh & Gujarat in India. It is associated with various castes like Rajputs, Brahmins, Banias and Jats.

Basnet/Basnyat is a surname of Khasas of Nepal and India. It is commonly found among Jharra Chhetri community.

Mahat (Nepali: महत) is an Ekthariya chhetri surname among Nepalese, of Khasa heritage. The name may have originated when one of the Jumli Malla kings in medieval times made his younger brother, Dharma Malla, chief of staff in the army. This granted Dharma Malla the title of Mahat (Kshatriya) (meaning The Great One), and as a result, his descendants started using 'Mahat' as their surnames.

Bista is a family name of people of North Indian Hills and Nepal belonging to Khas people group under the caste Chhetri, sub-groups of the Bahun caste. They are Hindu with a local Masto deity.

"Melancholy" is an environmentally-themed song sung by 365 Nepali artists. This song was intended to promote an environmental message by breaking the Guinness World Records for "Most Vocal Solos in a Song Recording", which it successfully did. It was written, music composed and directed by environmentalist Nipesh Dhaka. The song was recorded as a single on 19 May 2016. The recording sessions were inaugurated by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli at 8 am and continued until 6 pm. The song was released on 2 September 2017 by President Bidya Devi Bhandari at Army Officer's Club, Kathmandu.

The Kunwar family was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. The Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, to Pande dynasty through the Thapa dynasty. Three branches of the Kunwars; Ramakrishna, Jayakrishna and Amar Singh Kunwar were formed with opposite political aspirations. Bal Narsingh Kunwar supported Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa while Chandrabir Kunwar supported Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa due to their marital relations with those families. Later, the Ramakrishna section of the family including Amarsingh established the Rana dynasty of Nepal and styled themselves as Rana Rajputs while Jayakrishna most section remained as Kunwars.

<i>Tagadhari</i> Hindu castes wearing sacred thread

Tagadhari are members of a Nepalese Hindu group that is perceived as historically having a high socio-religious status in society. Tagadhari are identified by a sacred thread (Janai) around the torso, which is used for ritualistic purposes in Hinduism. In Sanskrit the sacred thread is called yajñopavītam and in Nepali Janai. The cord is received after the Upanayana ceremony. Tagadharis were historically favoured by the government of Nepal and various religious and caste-based legal provisions were enacted on their behalf. The legal code of 1854, Muluki Ain, which was introduced by Chhetri Maharaja and Prime Minister of Nepal Narsingh Jang Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, made it impossible to legally enslave Tagadharis and decreed fewer punishments for them in comparison to Matawali and Dalits.

Baniya or Bania is a surname of people belonging to the Hindu Chhetri of Nepal. The alternate spelling of Bania is used by Chhetris and in India. Notable people with these surnames include:

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