Madhesi
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| Madhesis |
|---|
| Total population |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Nepal, India, |
| Languages |
| Maithili, Bhojpuri |
| Religions |
| Hinduism |
| Related ethnic groups |
| other Indo-Aryans groups of Gangetic plain |
Madhesi, also called Terai people, are an ethnic group found in southern Nepal. The term Madhesi represents the social group of Teari. Their language is in the Indo-Aryan family. Maithali, Bhojpuri, Awadhi and Janjati are also spoken. The Madhesi are a people of diverse languages, cultures, and sociopolitical identities.
The term Madhesi is often used in contrast with the word Pahadi (Khasa: पहाडी) which refers to Nepalis who live, or whose ancestors lived, in the hill regions of the country.
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[edit] Etymology
The word Madhesi is used to describe a cultural group of the plains area in Nepal. 'Madhesh comes from Madhyadesh or Matsadesh which is described in the Mahabharat. But at this time the words 'Madhesh' and Madhesi are not found in India. It is therfore assumed to be used primarily to describe the plains people of Nepal.
Jat, Janjati and Muslim social groups are all considered to be indigenous to the Nepalese plains. Sociologically, people of "Hill Origin" (known as Pahade in Nepali) and Terai Origin (called Madhesi in Nepali) have lived in Nepal for a long time and have a distinct culture to the rest of the country.
Madhesh history in Nepal dates back centuries. This region has also been the site of many ancient civilisations, cuch as Bidheha and Limbuni. It has been proven that certain groups, such as Bahun and Chhetri, came from India during the Muslim invasion. The Madhesi, however, have been established in Nepal for thousands of years.
The Bahun-Chhetri dominated-state, however, ignore the Madhesi people and treat them as non-Nepali. Settlement in Plain area by hill origin people means state does not believe as Terai origin people are Nepali. A large number of Tharus, Dhimal, and other janjati people who are Terai origin became landless .But these janjati were straightforward, they didn't understand kathmandu's policy.Kathmandu always did wish to break the unity among Terai origin People(Madhesi).Hill culture heavily dominated in these people, they lost their culture and language. Today large number of hill origin people have lived in plain areas and they wish to call Teraibasi. But All Teraibasi never suffered discrimination from state. who came from hill are enjoying in Terai area but terai origin people are still facing problem and kathmandu does not playing positive role. So Teraibasi does not refer for original teraibasi. Thus Madhesi will be better for represent all Terai origin people. It is not necessary to describe about Madhesh and Madhesi. It is the propaganda of Hill origin people and they always tried to break the unity of Madhesi. It is clear that if Madhesi people doesn't unity, center never positive towards terai origin people.
All Madhesi are indigenous because their settlement have been been for long time. All Pahade accused that Terai origin people came from India but they forgot where they came from. It is also true that high caste hindus are domonated in Terai and their character is as Bahunism. It is also dangerous for development. But Madhesh is geographical boundary. It is also called Terai. Madhesh assume in Nepali and Terai is in English. But practically, both are used as same .
[edit] Culture
The word Madhes represents the geographical area of the Southern Nepalese Plains and its inhabitants. The area is also known as Terai. Overall, the Madhesi groups have a similar cultural pattern. Caste groups of Hindus such Janjatis (Tharu), Danuwars, Dhimals and Majhis and Muslims form the majority of the population. Mithila culture is the dominant Madhesi culture.
Madhesi culture is a blend of Hindu and Tribal beliefs and customs, and historically, Madhesh was thr birthplace of Buddhism and Jainism, as well as an asylum for several Princes from India.
[edit] Language
Several languages, such like Maithili, Bhojpuri and Avadhi, Nepali and Urdu, are spoken by the Madhesi people.
[edit] Madhesi politics
The history of Nepal has little mention of the Madhesi other than Prithivi Narayan Shah's conquest of them during the unification of Nepal. Even after the unification, there is very little evidence of any of the Shah or Rana rulers trying to address the Madhesis. On the contrary, to appease the powerful families, army personnel from conquered principalities (mainly Kaski, Parbat, Lamjung and Kathmandu) were appointed as governors of the various parts of the Tarai.
The Madhesi people have not reached the top levels of Nepal. Very few of the Madhesi people are present in the bureaucracy or any other sectors of Nepal compared with their percentage in the population. The "one nation, one culture" policy implemented by King Mahendra during his absolute rule did not only create a setback to Madhesi culture but also created an atmosphere in which their language was considered as Indian, their culture as a copy of Indian culture, and their ethnic origin as Indians who infiltrated purely Pahadi (hill) Nepal.Madhesis are also not in the armed forces of Nepal.
Even after the democratic movement of 1989-1990, there was no improvement in the condition of Madhesis. Although Maithili and Bhojpuri were recognized as national languages by the constitution, nothing was done for the improvement of those languages. The bureaucracy still had an overwhelming majority of Pahade people, since aspiring candidates to the civil service, the Lok Sewa Ayog, had to take exams only in Nepali and no extra credit, value or consideration was given for knowledge of other national languages.
Furthermore, there were problems with political representation in the Tarai. Because of the remoteness of hill districts, a smaller population enjoyed the representation of a single senator, while in the Tarai, a much larger number of people were represented by a single senator. Because of this imbalance, Parliament did not often consider issues affecting the Tarai and lobbying from hill representatives could overrule the Tarai. All these issues accumulated for over centuries. Although some of the political parties tried to address these problems, such efforts appear to have been insufficient.
[edit] Recent developments
Recently in the Tarai area of Nepal a movement called the Madhesi movement began. It demands an end to discrimination against the Madhesi people. The different parties involved in the movement range from student wings of the ruling parties to the armed Tarai Janatantrik Morcha (Tarai Populist Front) and thus the various demands of each group are different. In general, the unarmed groups are calling for a federal political system, whereas the armed rebels demand a separate state. The Madhesi movement has been violent with some speculative involvement from India. Recently, one of those shot by the police was a boy from the Indian city of Raxaul.
Activists of the Madhesi revolution, primarily centered in the Tarai, have operated by manipulating shock value. Desecration of literary figures like Bhanubhakta, the father of Nepali literature, and Laxmi Prashad Devkota, the greatest poet in the Nepali language. Additionally, the removal of the words "Government of Nepal" from signs at government offices and their replacement with the words "Madhesh Government" has added to the gravity of the situation.
Disputes and schisms within the movement have made the situation more violent. On January 5, 2007, three cadres of the Tarai Janatantrik Morcha (Jwala Singh) group were killed by a rival faction, the Tarai Jantantrik Morcha (Goit).
