Thakuri
ठकुरी | |
---|---|
Regions with significant populations | |
![]() | 494,470 (2021 Census) (1.7% of Nepal's population)[1] |
Languages | |
Nepali | |
Religion | |
Hinduism 99.31% (2021) |
Thakuri (Nepali: ठकुरी) is a royal tribe of Nepal. It consists of the historical ruling class, and is made up of the descendants of the Great Khasa Malla kingdom rulers of the Baisi and Chaubisi principalities. The former royal family of Nepal also belong to this tribe.
Etymology
Nepali sociologist Harka Bahadur Gurung noted that the Thakuri is the Nepalese version of the Hindi word Thakur which means 'master of the estate'.[2] Thakuris of Nepal are also associated with some territory inherited from the days of Baisi and Chaubisi principalities and the term Thakurai actually refers to 'fiefdom'.[2]
Origins
Thakuris traditionally constituted the ruling and warrior classes, and claimed ancient royal descent[3] Thakuris are a high socio-political group considered to have arisen from intermarriage between Khas, Magars, and perhaps Indian Rajput immigrants.[4] The 1854 Muluki Ain (Legal Code) refers Thakuris by the term Rajput despite being descended from the local Nepalese tribes.[5] Many historians contended that the theory of Rajput descent was used for political purposes by the various ruling families of Nepal.[6] Historian Mahesh Chandra Regmi contends that "Each ruling dynasty in Nepal has tried to connect its lineage with well known dynasties of India."[7] One of the Thakuri Shah ruler of Gorkha,[4] King Ram Shah, also attempted to forge recognition of kinship relations from the Ranas of Udaypur.[7]
Society
Thakuris constitute the aristocracy and possess the high social, ritual and political status.[4] Thakuris are politically and socially ahead of others.[4] Traditionally, the Thakuris' main occupations involved government, agriculture and military.[3] Thakuri traditionally constituted the ruling and warrior classes.[8] Most of the Thakuris are agriculturalists in Western Nepal except few aristrocratic families in the capital city.[4] The children born from a Brahman father and a Thakuri mother is categorized into a new caste called "Hamal".[3]
Demographics
The 2011 Nepal census classifies the Thakuri as a subgroup within the broader social group of Hill Chhetri (together with Chhetri and Sanyasi/Dasnami).[9] At the time of the Nepal census of 2011, 425,623 people (1.6% of the population of Nepal) were Thakuri. The frequency of Thakuri by province was as follows:
- Karnali Province (10.3%)
- Sudurpashchim Province (4.4%)
- Gandaki Province (1.6%)
- Lumbini (1.3%)
- Bagmati Province (0.7%)
- Koshi Province (0.1%)
- Madhesh Province (0.1%)
The frequency of Thakuri was higher than national average (1.6%) in the following districts:[10]
- Kalikot (25.1%)
- Humla (19.8%)
- Jajarkot (16.8%)
- Mugu (15.4%)
- Dailekh (14.1%)
- Jumla (7.4%)
- Baitadi (6.8%)
- Dolpa (6.4%)
- Kanchanpur (5.6%)
- Bajura (5.2%)
- Western Rukum (5.0%)
- Bajhang (4.9%)
- Darchula (4.9%)
- Surkhet (4.6%)
- Kailali (3.9%)
- Banke (3.6%)
- Doti (3.5%)
- Salyan (3.5%)
- Achham (2.5%)
- Dadeldhura (2.5%)
- Parbat (2.5%)
- Syangja (2.5%)
- Bardiya (2.3%)
- Tanahun (2.3%)
- Myagdi (2.0%)
- Nawalpur (1.8%)
Thakuri family and dynasties
The ruling Shah dynasty of Gorkha Kingdom and later Kingdom of Nepal are ranked among Thakuris.[4]
Notable Thakuri surnames
In alphabetical order, the commonly known Thakuri surnames are:[11][12][13]
- Bam
- Chand
- Khand
- Malla
- Pal
- Sen
- Shah (not to be confused with Sah of Terai, Shah caste in Kumaon region in Uttarakhand State of India)
- Shahi
- Singh
Of these, Chand, Bam, Malla, and Pal are also associated with Kumaon/Kuramanchal kingdom.
Unproven Thakuri Claimants
The following surnames have recently begun to claim Thakuri status but their claims are not corroborated by governmental inclusivity organizations or historical sources:[14][15]
The surnames mentioned above are predominantly associated with the Chhetri subcaste rather than the Thakuri subcaste. These surnames, including Thagunna, Thakurathi, Rana/Jabara/Jang Bahadur Rana/JBR, Rawal, Bogati, and Deuba, are commonly found among individuals belonging to the Chhetri community. It is important to note that they are Chhetri by caste, not Thakuri.
See also
- Prithvi Narayan Shah
- Baise Rajya (Twenty-Two Principalities)
- Khasa Kingdom
- Chand Kings
- Jaya Prithvi Bahadur Singh
- Katyuri Kings
- Kunwar Inderjit Singh
- Thirbam Malla
References
- ^ https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf
- ^ a b Gurung 1996, p. 29.
- ^ a b c Dharam Vir 1988, pp. 56–57.
- ^ a b c d e f g Dharam Vir 1988, p. 56.
- ^ Sharma 2004, p. 133.
- ^ Nagendra Kr Singh 1997, pp. 1–2.
- ^ a b Mahesh Chandra Regmi 1976, p. 5.
- ^ Dharam Vir 1988, p. 57.
- ^ Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II [1]
- ^ 2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report
- ^ Vanisttart, Eden (1896). Notes on Nepal. Asian Educational Services. pp. 80-81.
- ^ Adhikary, Surya (1988). The Khasa Kingdom : A Trans-Himalayana Empire of the Middle Age. Jayapur, New Delhi: Nirala Publications. p. 19. ISBN 978-8185693026.
- ^ Hodgson, Brian (May 1833). "Origin and Classification of the Military Tribes of Nepal". Journal of the Asiatic Society. 17: 223.
- ^ "Recommendation to Government of Nepal for listing Khas-Arya surnames". https://ninc.gov.np. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
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: External link in
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- ^ "खस आर्थ थर सूची ( राय, सुझाव तथा प्रतिक्रियाका लागि प्रकाशन गरिएको)". National Inclusion Commission of Nepal. p. 31. Archived from the original on 2022-10-11. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
Books
- Dharam Vir (1988). Education and Polity in Nepal: An Asian Experiment. Northern Book Centre. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-81-85119-39-7.
- Gurung, Harka Bahadur (1996). Faces of Nepal. illustrated by Jan Salter. Himal. p. 29. ISBN 978-9993343509.
- Hamilton, Francis Buchanan (1819), An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal, and the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha, A Constable
- Nagendra Kr Singh (1997). Nepal: Refugee to Ruler : a Militant Race of Nepal. APH Publishing. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-81-7024-847-7.
- Mahesh Chandra Regmi (January 1, 1976), "Some Questions on Nepali history" (PDF), Regmi Research Series, 8 (1): 1–20
- Sharma, Prayag Raj (2004). The State and Society in Nepal: Historical Foundations and Contemporary Trends. Himal Books. ISBN 9789993343622.