People &
Society of Nepal
Nepal is a melting pot of many races and
tribes. She has population of around twenty-two million, made up of
an assortment of races and tribes, living in different regions,
wearing different costumes and speaking different languages and
dialects. They live under quite diverse environmental conditions
from the low, nearly sea level plains at the border of India,
northward through the middle hills and valleys and up to the flanks
of the great Himalayan range where there are settlements at altitude
of up to 4,800m. Farming practices are therefore equally diverse
along with life styles and social customs.
The high Himalayan settlements of Tibetan speaking people are found
perched precariously on mountain ledges and slopes. Life here is
delicate balance of hard work and social merrymaking, tempered by a
culture deeply steeped in ancient religious traditions. The best
known of the high mountain peoples are the Sherpas who inhabit the
central and eastern regions of Nepal. The Sherpas have easy access
to Bhot (Tibet) for trade and social intercourse and
therefore Tibetan influence on their culture and civilization
remains distinct. The midlands are inhabited by various
Tibeto-Burman and Indo-Aryan speaking hill and valley people, for
example the Brahmins, Chettris, and Newars. While the Brahmins and
Chettris are widely distribute through out the country, the Newars
are mainly concentrated in the Katmandu Valley and other towns.
The Rais, Limbus, Tamangs, Magars, Sunwars, Jirels, Gurungs,
Thakalis, and Chepangs are other Tibeto-Burman speaking Mongoloid
peole found living in the middle hills. They each have their own
distinct social and cultural patterns. The Dun valleys and the
lowland Terai are inhabited by people such as the Brahmins, Rajputs,
Tharus, Danwars, Majhis, Darais, Rajbansis, Statars, dhimals and
Dhangars. Though Nepal is a veritable mosaic of dozens of ethnic
groups, they are bound together by their loyalty to the institution
of Monarchy, and by the ideas of peaceful coexistence and religious
tolerance to form one unified nation.
Nepal has a long-standing feudal tradition with the priestly class
of Brahmins and the warrior class of Chhetris dominating the
caste-based hierarchy. Nepalese also divide themselves into Paharis,
Madeshis and Bhotias: hill people, plains folk and those from the
northern border respectively. The sure-footed Sherpas and Tamangs
live a largely nomadic life in the upper Himalayas. Madeshis are
largely of Tibetan-Burmese origin including groups such as the Rais,
Limbus, Jirels, Gurungs, Thapalis and Chepangs.
The plains-settlers are mostly Indo-Aryan groups like the Tharus,
Rajputs, Rajvashis, Dhimlas and Dhangars. Across communities males
dominate and male life expectancy is, not surprisingly, higher.
The Newaris, who make up about 4% of the population, are thought to
be among the earliest inhabitants of this mountain country. They
practice a synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism and Tibetan influences
can be seen in their language and art. Newari cuisine and art stands
apart from the others. Strong flavours, heavy spice and buffalo meat
figure prominently on the table. Newari wall hangings called Paubha
paintings are simpler versions of the Tibetan Thanka.
For a long time the inhabitants of the terai, tribes such as the
Tharus, Safars, Yadavs, Rajvanshis and Dhimlas and the resident
fauna, were protected by marauding hordes of malarial mosquitoes.
With the coming of the road (east-west highway), quinine and insect
repellent, the terai is now accessible like never before. With the
coming of airplanes and canned oxygen, so too are the great
Himalayas. Consequently all of Nepal, people, animals, and the land
alike, is dealing with the angst of 'development'.
There is a sizeable population of Indians and Tibetans in Nepal
too. In many cases, they settled generations ago and are now
indistinguishable from the indigenous people |
