Jharra Chhetri

Jharra Kshetris(/ˈʒərrɑː/) are the subgroup of the Kshetri caste who are socio-religiously considered the purest among all Kshetri subcastes. Jharra Kshetri wear the six threaded Janai (sacred thread). Matwali Kshetri or Pawai Kshetri outnumber Jharras but notable people from Kshetri community are Jharras like Bogati, Basnet/Basnyat,Thapa, Karki, Kunwar, Khadka, Budathoki, Katuwal, Mahat.

Jharrā
JātiKhas people
ClassificationSubcaste of Kshetri
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesNepali, Sanskrit
CountryNepal, India
Family namesBasnet/Basnyat,Bista/Bisht, Bohra, Budhathoki, Chauhan, Karki, Katuwal, Khadka, Kunwar, Mahat, Mahara Rawal, Rawat, Rayamajhi, Thapa
Feudal titleKaji
Notable membersBasnyat family, Kunwar family, Thapa dynasty, Family of Amar Singh Thapa
SubdivisionsBahuthariya
Ekthariya
Related groupsBahun, Khas people
Historical groupingTagadhari castes
Kingdom (original)Khasa Kingdom
Kingdom (other)Gorkha Kingdom, Jumla Kingdom

Jharra Kshetri are Kshatriya in Hindu Social status. They follow Bratabandha ceremony and proclaim a caste-based supremacy over other Kshatriya communities like Thakuri (Rajputs) and Pawei Khasa Kshetri based on the socio-religious gradation of purity.They are historically indo aryan people with concept of racial purity Most of them were historically warriors nobles ruler administrator or government official as their surname suggest.

Jharra

Kshetri 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 Rayamajhi, Katwal, Raut, Kunwar etc. They are mostly descendants of different rank holding Indo-Aryan people in different feudal kingdoms of Medieval Himalayas.

Jharra Kshetris are strict Tagadhari hindus to the extent that Jharras who consumed alcohol and pork were even degraded to [Matwali Kshetri](liquor drinkers) and robbed from Jharra status.

Etymology and Background
Main article: Chhetri

The meaning of the terminology "Jharra" is 'pure'[1] and 'unpolluted'[2] while the terminology "Chhetri" is a direct derivative[3] or a Nepalese vernacular of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya.[4]

Chhetri Background
Further information: Tagadhari

Chhetris along with Brahmins and Thakuris are considered among the twice born castes called Tagadhari in Nepal and they wear the sacred thread called the Yagnopavita.[5] Chhetris are considered among the Pahadi caste groups and they speak Nepali language as their mother tongue which is highly influenced by Sanskrit.[5]

Culture and Traditions
Sacred thread being given to young boys in Himalayas

Definition and distinction with Thima

Jharra Kshetri title applies to those who are hindus. Hypergamous marriages are traditionally considered acceptable among Kshetri . The children born from the union of a Kshetri man and his married Kshetri wife are considered "Jharrā" (meaning: 'pure') while those children born from the union of a Kshetri man and a Matwali woman or a Kshetri widow are considered "Thimā" (meaning: 'hybrid').[1][6] Jharrā children are traditionally assigned a higher ritual status above the Thimā children.[1]

A Jharra Kshetri would accept ritually relevant food items from only among respective Jharra Kshetri in terms of traditional touchability. They were demoted to Matwali Kshetri if they consumed foods like Pork, Alcohol in different places. [1] During the rituals of annual sacrifice to the clan deities, only Jharra Kshetri would be allowed to enter into the inner sphere of the shrine.[1][6]

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).[1] A Thimā son would inherit a sixth of the ancestral property compared to that of the Jharrā son.[1]

Socio-religious standing

Jharra Chhetris claim the highest social ranking among all subgroups of Chhetris.[7] It is either "allegedly pure" Khas tribe origin or Rajput origin that is considered to have constituted the Jharra division.[7] Jharra Chhetris are ritually observed to be higher than other non Jharra Chhetris[8] based on the concept of purity of descent.[9] The concept of purity distinguishes Jharra Chhetris from the children of other inter-ethnic or inter-caste marriages.[4] Jharra Chhetris are considered to have maintained a caste based superiority over other Thakuri Khatri and Matwali/pawai Chhetri sub-castes based on the gradation of purity.[10]

Marriage with Khatri Chhetri is quite common nowadays but still marriage between a Jharra and matwali/pawais is still rare. Most Jharra Chhetris were landlords' military man and farmers. From Unification of Nepal to King Mahendra's Panchayat rule they occupied majority of government posts. They also have Monopoly in and other major posts in Nepal Army including Army chief.

Touchability

On the basis of concept of Jharra caste purity, some Chhetri men traditionally do not consume food cooked by their lower caste wives.[4]

Notable People

See also

References
  1. Bennett 1978, p. 135.
  2. Subba 1989, p. xvi.
  3. Burghart 1984, p. 119.
  4. Gurung 1996, p. 31.
  5. Adhikary 1988, p. 19.
  6. Bista 1972, p. 123.
  7. Pahari 1995, p. 186.
  8. Subba 1989, p. 63.
  9. Iijima 1977, p. 101.
  10. Sharma Upreti 1979, p. 37.

Books
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.