Chhetri

Selected ethnic groups of Nepal; Chhetri are members of the wider Pahari community (yellow).

Chhetri (Chettri, or Chetri) (Nepali: छेत्री), synonymous with Kshetri (Nepali: क्षेत्री) and Khatri (Nepali: खत्री) is a Nepali caste, which are part of Khas people along with Bramins, Thakuris, Dalits. (Nepali: खस).^[3][4] Chhetris are of Indo-European origin claiming to be of the Kshatriya varna.^[3] They make up 16.6% of Nepal's population according to the census of 2011, making them the most populous caste or ethnic community in Nepal. The majority of Chhetris speak Nepali.^[5][6][7]

Chhetris are primarily Hindu (99.48% according to the 2001 Census). Those Chhetri who follow Hinduism may also follow Buddhism. The ancient religion of the Chhetri is Masto which uses nature worship and can still be seen in western Nepal's Karnali district. In Nepal's hill districts the Chhetri population rises to 41% compared to 31% Brahmin and 27% other castes. This greatly exceeds the Kshatriya portion in most regions with predominantly Hindu populations.^[8][9]

History

Chhetris History is unknown because there is no evidence of from where chhetri people may have originated. Many chhetris are mixture of Khas and Magar people, that is the reasons why many Magar people and Chhetri people have similar Surnames. Chhetris traces their history to Central Asia. Initially they first settled in Sinja Valley of Karnali in Nepal. The ancient name of this Himalayan region was Khas-des. Chhetri peoples (Nepali: खस) were the most populous and are mentioned in the histories of India and China. The Chhetri were Indo-European-speaking Aryan mountain dwellers, spreading from west to east across the hills of the Central Himalaya from Indian states Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur to Bhutan and Myanmar. They established many independent dynasties in early medieval times. The Chhetri people had an empire, the Kaśa Kingdom which included Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, some part of Tibet and Western Nepal Karnali Zone. Hence Chhetir people of that reason also called Khas chhetri.^[10][11][12]

Many Chhetris exhibit traits of mixed racial heritage, more so than Brahmins (also called Bahun in the Nepalese hills).^[13][14] There are several recognized ways to enter the Chhetri caste apart from Jharra (pure) Chettri :

1. Having nothing but ancestors ultimately tracable to Kshatriyas.
2. Being the scion of a pure Brahmins father and any "clean" Nepali native caste including Magar or other Tibeto-Burman "hill tribes" such as Gurung, Tamang, etc.
3. The child of a Chhetri father and a woman from these lower but "clean" castes is still Chhetri.^[15][16]
4. An arbitrary community can start following Chhetri caste rules (especially in diet), hiring Brahmin to conduct certain rituals and even writing dubious genealogy. Over generations these claims of Chhetri affinity become plausible to broader audiences.^[17]

Despite racial admixture, Chhetris remain strongly indo-Nepalese in culture and language.

In the early modern history of Nepal, Chhetris played a key role in the unification of the country, providing the core of the Gorkhali army of the mid-18th century. During the monarchy, Chhetris continued to dominate the ranks of the Nepalese Army, police, Nepalese government administration, and one regiment of the Indian Army.^[13]

Society

The most prominent feature of Nepalese Chhetri society has been the ruling Shah dynasty (1768–2008), the Rana Prime Ministers (1846–1953), khadka, Karki, Bhandari, Basnet, Pandey etc. that marginalized the monarchy, and the Chhetri presence in the armed forces, police, and government of Nepal. In traditional and administrative professions, Chhetris were given favorable treatment by the royal government.^{[5][13][14][18][19][20]}

Chhetris comprise many subgroups, including Khasa (clans from Khas) and Thakuri (aristocratic clans). The Khasa subgroups are widespread in Karnali and Indian States Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, North side of West Bengal, Assam, Manipur as well as in Bhutan and Myanmar. Members of certain Khasa subgroups are called pawai ("peripheral"), or matwali ("bacchanal"), because of their use of alcohol. These populations are descendants of Khas people who did not convert to Hinduism, and who today do not don the janai (sacred thread).^[13]

Chhetris do not practice cross-cousin marriage, which distinguishes them from the Thakuri who marry maternal cross-cousins. Though marriage among Chhetris is usually monogamous, some practice polygamy. Girls are married at an early age, and remarriage by widows is prohibited by social norms. Chhetris practice cremation of the dead.^[13].

Religion

As per 2011 census, almost all Chhetris are Hindu. Chhetri religion began with shamanism and nature worship. The ancient religion of Khas people is Masto. When the Shakya Prince Siddartha Gautama achieved Nirvana and started preaching Buddhism in the 5th century BCE, Khas largely converted to Buddhism. The inhabitants of Khas later largely adopted Hinduism, however they revere and worship Buddha along with Hindu deities, and continue some shamanistic practices.^[21] The Chhetri people started following Hinduism around the 12th century, when Indian Hindus converted them into Hinduism. Today they still follow Buddhist gods along with Hindu, but their ancient Masto religion is now extinct.

The religion followed by most Chhetri today is very much patterned after Hinduism. Like the Brahmin, their caste is among the "twice-born", so called because males are symbolically reborn at age thirteen, when they begin to wear the janai. Likewise, they share the same festivals as the Brahmins; the life cycle rites of birth, initiation, marriage, and death are celebrated with Brahmanic rites. This is especially true of the aristocratic Thakuri subcaste and members of subcastes whose ancestors converted to Hinduism or who claim to be of pure Kshatriya blood.^[13]

Hindu Chhetris, like the Brahmin, wear a sacred thread called a janai, which signifies their "twice-born" status. They also abstain from alcohol, but this is not upheld by most urban Chhetris of today. Among Chhetris, the menstruation period is considered highly polluting.^[13]

Matwali Chhetri religion

Many Chhetri subgroups, collectively called Matwali ("alcohol drinking") Chhetris, retain faith in their traditional shamanistic and oracular religion. Their priests are called dhami, and all adherents are permitted to drink alcohol. However the Matwali do not wear the sacred thread typical of other Chhetris.^[13]

Principal Matwali deities are referred to collectively as masto, and also have individual names, such as Babiro or Tharpo. Each masto has a geographical domain in the Khas region. Other indigenous Khasa deities include the Mali-ka goddesses, associated in Hinduism with Bhagavathi, whom the Matwali worship on certain full moon days on high ridges. Matwali and other Chhetris also have a tradition of worshiping their kul-deuta or kul-devata (ancestral deity) at annual lineage gatherings.^[13]. The matwali (Alcohol drinking) Chhetris share their caste system highly with Magar people of Nepal. The caste of Matwali Chhetri are Thapa, Budha, Roka (Rokaya), Bhandari, Budhathoki, Rana, Pandey, and so on.

• Martial Race

References

Ethnic groups in Nepal Tibeto-Burman Kiranti/Kirati/Rodong (region) Bhotia Bahing Dhimal Kulung Limbu Rai Sherpa Sunuwar Thami Yakha Yolmo Tamang thars (exogamous clans) Goley and Dong brother clans Lama clan (Tamang) 70 clans in total Damai Magar Thapa Chepang Gurung (Tamu) Lohorung Raute Thakali Indo-Aryan Chhetri Newar Madhesi Maithali Austroasiatic Munda Indo-Aryan-Tibeto-Burman Tharu Other basis By Caste Bahun Chhetri Dalit Kami (caste) Pulami By geography+Belief Pahari (Hill and Mountain, all religions) Kirati (East, mostly Buddhist/Animist) Madhesi and Terai (Lowland) Western Nepal (Hindu dominant) Nepali Muslim (South) By law Janajati (which includes upper class Newars) Madheshi Janajati Misc Adivasi Simantakrit Khas people