Madhesi
Encyclopedia
The Madhesi are the native people of Nepal
who reside in the southern, plains region the Terai
which they refer to as Madhesh
. Madhesis comprise about 40% of the total population of Nepal. Madhesi people are ethnically, culturally and lingually similar to people of Bihar
and eastern Uttar Pradesh
states of India
.
, which usually refers to the Terai
region. Madhesh (मधेश) derives from the Sanskrit
words madhya desh (मध्य देश), meaning "middle country."
-observant Hindu
, there is great cultural and religious diversity in the Madhesh
. Four distinct religious groups — Hindu
s, Buddhists, Muslim
s and Jains — live there. The social structure of Madheshi caste Hindus is very similar to that of Pahari
Hindus from the hills.
as the official language, Madhesi people also speak various local languages as their mother tongue. These include Maithili
– 33%, Hindi
- 20%, Bhojpuri
– 18%, and Awadhi
(including Tharu
Awadhi) – 18%. The rest speak Nepali
, Northern Bengali, Santhal, and other minor languages.
The above mentioned languages or dialects are regional, except Hindi
. Maithili
and Northern Bengali are spoken in the east of the Terai
; Bhojpuri
in the central areas; and Awadhi
in the west. However, there are no hard boundaries separating these languages. Instead, these languages or dialects flow into one another and the dialects lying at the edges of their influence region can be categorized as either of the neighboring dialects; for example, the local language of Rautahat
can be classified as Bhojpuri as well as Maithili; the Lumbini
dialect can be referred to as Awadhi as well as Bhojpuri.
The non-regional languages spoken by Madhesi people are primarily Nepali
, Hindi
, and Urdu
. English is understood by educated classes, while Marwadi, Punjabi
, Newari, and others are spoken by the non-native communities living in the Terai.
Hindi
is spoken as a lingua franca
all over the region, but less so natively. Among the wider Madhesi community there has been support for the making Hindi an official language in order to end the hegemony of the national Khasa Nepali
language. In practice, this has led to some controversy. During the oath taking ceremony, vice president Parmanand Jha
read his oath in Hindi
as an act of activism supporting Madhesis' demand to bring Hindi
into practice. The constitution, however, requires the oath to be taken in Nepali
. Because the vice president, whose mother tongue is Maithili
, resorted to using Hindi
, his speech was controversial. Various political parties, organizations and intellectuals have criticized Jha. Jha later justified his use of Hindi
claiming that it is understandable to all residents in Terai districts, who speak different languages.
Jha has acquired greatest fame. He is noted for his soothing voice quality that suits all the Terai languages. He is very famous in Nepal, singing numerous Nepali
hit songs during his early career before entering in Bollywood
singing. He has sung in Maithili, Bhojpuri and Awadhi as well. Although he is still one of a dominant Nepali singer he now is more active in Bollywood.
, King Janak
was the emperor of Mithila
Rastra kingdom (eastern Madhesh) whose daughter Sita got married to Ram of Ayodhya (northern Uttar Pradesh
, India
). The capital of Mithila was Janakpur, which is still called by the same name. Lord Ram
, an incarnation of Vishnu
, was married to the goddess Sita
in a "swayamvar" (self-chosen groom) ceremony in King Janak
's palace. Today, Janakpur is an important city in the Terai
of eastern Nepal. Gautam Buddha was born at Lumbini of Terai presently in Nepal
.
The Madheshis or Madyadesis are believed to descend from a Brahman of Virbhumi named Virupaksha.
The Tarai, today one of the most agriculturally productive regions in Nepal, has been inhabited by humans and hominids for about 30,000 years. Historically, the Terai was inhabited by Tharus, Yadav
s and other indigenous groups before the arrival of Indo-Aryan peoples from the northwest (Khas
).
Since the establishment of the absolute Shah monarchy
in 1768, the wider Pahari community
, particularly Bahun
s and Chhetris, held a virtual monopoly on government, military, and administrative posts throughout the kingdom. During the pre-democratic era, Pahari Chhetri culture and language dominated multiethnic Nepal to the disadvantage and exclusion of many Nepalese minorities and indigenous peoples including the Madhesi. Discriminatory practices were, before reforms late in the monarchy era, a matter of law and the government's "one nation, one culture" policy.
In the 19th century, Madhesi agriculturalists of Indo-Aryan origin moved into the region from within Nepal
and India
, becoming the predominant population. Before large-scale development, the Terai was densely wooded, highly malarial frontier land.
During the late Shah dynasty
, Pahari
from the Hill Region began to settle the Terai
under a system that politically and socially sidelined Madhesis, who had dominated the region since the 19th century. Paharis regarded Madhesis as un-Nepalese and as Indian immigrants. Madhesis became victims of serious abuses, and the regime sought to exclude non-Paharis from national politics through discriminatory laws and electoral gerrymandering
, despite a massive population influx that saw growth bound from 5% to 40% over the twentieth century. The Pahari community in the Terai
purchased, or otherwise got hold of large landholdings. Together with traditional Tharu landlords, they came to constitute the upper level of the economic hierarchy, which in the rural parts of the Terai is determined to a large extent by the distribution and the value of agriculturally productive land. The poor were the landless, or near landless, Terai Dalit
s, including the Musahar
and Chamar
, as well as the traditional fishermen, the Mallaah
, and some of the hill Dalits. In particular the Musahars rarely got other work than hard farm labor.
The "one nation, one culture" policy implemented by King Mahendra
during his absolute rule created a setback for non-Pahari cultures other, including Newars, Tamangs, Magars, Kirats, and Madhesis. The approach of the Royal Government was largely to ignore the frustrations among the Madhesi community and their demands for political access. Even after the pro-democracy 1990 People's Movement, there were little improvements in the condition of ethnicities including Madhesis. Although Maithili and Bhojpuri, along with other languages such as Nepal Bhasa, Tamang, Limbu, Gurung, and Magar were recognized as national languages by the constitution, nothing was done for the improvement of any of these languages.
The desire for increased self-determination among Madhesis was one of the central issues in the Nepalese Civil War and subsequent democratic movement
. During and after the Nepalese Civil War, Madhesi movements – from peaceful pro-autonomy demonstrations to armed separatist conflict – have been active in the Terai region. This included backlashes against Paharis in the form of ransom
ing, murder
, and land dispossession by armed Maoist groups such as the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha
(JTMM) seeking Madhesi independence.
) and vice president (Parmanand Jha
) of the new government. The bureaucracy and other sectors of Nepalese society, which were largely dominated by Pahari people
from the hilly region, have begun to incorporate people from other ethnicities including Madhesis. However, the bureaucracy still had an overwhelming majority of Khas
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. The greatest blow pertaining to language issues was delivered when the Supreme Court forbade the Kathmandu Metropolitan City
, Rajbiraj
Municipality and other civil bodies to use any language other than Nepali such as Nepal Bhasa
, Maithili
for any official purpose. Furthermore, many Tarai Madhesis perceive a lack of interest on the part of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M), now part of government, in bettering the lot of Madhesis and therefore feel estranged from and resentful of the CPN-M and its politicians.
As Madhesi political movements pursue greater political access and autonomy, indigenous groups of the Terai have harbored apprehension toward some Madhesi themes such as "one Madhes, one province," which they perceive as assimilatory.
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
who reside in the southern, plains region the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
which they refer to as Madhesh
Madhesh
Madhesh is a term given to areas of the Nepali outer Terai or to the outer Terai as a whole inhabited by peoples who are racially, culturally and linguistically related to people on the Indian side of the border. These peoples are referred to or refer to themselves as Madheshi...
. Madhesis comprise about 40% of the total population of Nepal. Madhesi people are ethnically, culturally and lingually similar to people of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and eastern Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
states of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Etymology
The word madhesi or madheshi is the adjectival form of madheshMadhesh
Madhesh is a term given to areas of the Nepali outer Terai or to the outer Terai as a whole inhabited by peoples who are racially, culturally and linguistically related to people on the Indian side of the border. These peoples are referred to or refer to themselves as Madheshi...
, which usually refers to the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
region. Madhesh (मधेश) derives from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
words madhya desh (मध्य देश), meaning "middle country."
Religion
While the majority of Madhesis are casteCaste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
-observant Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, there is great cultural and religious diversity in the Madhesh
Madhesh
Madhesh is a term given to areas of the Nepali outer Terai or to the outer Terai as a whole inhabited by peoples who are racially, culturally and linguistically related to people on the Indian side of the border. These peoples are referred to or refer to themselves as Madheshi...
. Four distinct religious groups — Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s, Buddhists, Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and Jains — live there. The social structure of Madheshi caste Hindus is very similar to that of Pahari
Pahari people
The Pahari people, ; also called Pahadi, Parbati, Khāsā, or Chhetri, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group of the Himalaya living in Nepal, India, and Pakistan. In Nepal, the Pahari constituted the single largest ethnic group at about 20,000,000, or three-fifths of the Nepalese population through the 1990s...
Hindus from the hills.
Language
Beside speaking NepaliNepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
as the official language, Madhesi people also speak various local languages as their mother tongue. These include Maithili
Maithili language
Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...
– 33%, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
- 20%, Bhojpuri
Bhojpuri language
Bhojpuri is a language spoken in parts of north-central and eastern India. It is spoken in the western part of state of Bihar, the northwestern part of Jharkhand, and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh , as well as adjoining parts of the Nepal Terai. Bhojpuri is also spoken in Guyana,...
– 18%, and Awadhi
Awadhi language
Awadhi is an Indo-Aryan language, part of the Hindi-Urdu continuum. It is spoken chiefly in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh, although its speakers are also found in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Nepal. Furthermore, the Fiji Hindi dialect spoken by Indo-Fijians is considered a variant of Awadhi,...
(including Tharu
Tharu language
Tharu is an Eastern zone Indo-Aryan language, or cluster of languages, spoken by the Tharu people. Not all Tharu speak distinct languages, but the languages of those who do may be divided as follows,...
Awadhi) – 18%. The rest speak Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
, Northern Bengali, Santhal, and other minor languages.
The above mentioned languages or dialects are regional, except Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. Maithili
Maithili language
Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...
and Northern Bengali are spoken in the east of the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
; Bhojpuri
Bhojpuri language
Bhojpuri is a language spoken in parts of north-central and eastern India. It is spoken in the western part of state of Bihar, the northwestern part of Jharkhand, and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh , as well as adjoining parts of the Nepal Terai. Bhojpuri is also spoken in Guyana,...
in the central areas; and Awadhi
Awadhi language
Awadhi is an Indo-Aryan language, part of the Hindi-Urdu continuum. It is spoken chiefly in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh, although its speakers are also found in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Nepal. Furthermore, the Fiji Hindi dialect spoken by Indo-Fijians is considered a variant of Awadhi,...
in the west. However, there are no hard boundaries separating these languages. Instead, these languages or dialects flow into one another and the dialects lying at the edges of their influence region can be categorized as either of the neighboring dialects; for example, the local language of Rautahat
Rautahat
Rautahat is a village development committee in Saptari District in the Sagarmatha Zone of south-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2252 people living in 468 individual households....
can be classified as Bhojpuri as well as Maithili; the Lumbini
Lumbini
Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal. It is the place where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who as the Buddha Gautama founded the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha lived between roughly 563 and 483 BCE...
dialect can be referred to as Awadhi as well as Bhojpuri.
The non-regional languages spoken by Madhesi people are primarily Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
, Hindi
Hindi languages
The Hindi languages, also known as Madhya and the Central Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages, is a subset of the varieties of Hindi spoken across northern India that descend from the Madhya prakrits, and includes the official languages of India and Pakistan, Hindi and Urdu...
, and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. English is understood by educated classes, while Marwadi, Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, Newari, and others are spoken by the non-native communities living in the Terai.
Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
is spoken as a lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
all over the region, but less so natively. Among the wider Madhesi community there has been support for the making Hindi an official language in order to end the hegemony of the national Khasa Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
language. In practice, this has led to some controversy. During the oath taking ceremony, vice president Parmanand Jha
Parmanand Jha
Parmanand Jha is the current Vice President of Nepal and a former Supreme Court judge. He was born and brought up in Darbhanga, Bihar, India. Jha resigned as a judge in December 2007 after he was not proposed by the Judicial Council as a permanent judge at the apex court, following allegations of...
read his oath in Hindi
Hindi languages
The Hindi languages, also known as Madhya and the Central Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages, is a subset of the varieties of Hindi spoken across northern India that descend from the Madhya prakrits, and includes the official languages of India and Pakistan, Hindi and Urdu...
as an act of activism supporting Madhesis' demand to bring Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
into practice. The constitution, however, requires the oath to be taken in Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
. Because the vice president, whose mother tongue is Maithili
Maithili language
Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...
, resorted to using Hindi
Hindi languages
The Hindi languages, also known as Madhya and the Central Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages, is a subset of the varieties of Hindi spoken across northern India that descend from the Madhya prakrits, and includes the official languages of India and Pakistan, Hindi and Urdu...
, his speech was controversial. Various political parties, organizations and intellectuals have criticized Jha. Jha later justified his use of Hindi
Hindi languages
The Hindi languages, also known as Madhya and the Central Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages, is a subset of the varieties of Hindi spoken across northern India that descend from the Madhya prakrits, and includes the official languages of India and Pakistan, Hindi and Urdu...
claiming that it is understandable to all residents in Terai districts, who speak different languages.
Music
Among Madhesi singers, Udit NarayanUdit Narayan
-Career:King of melody, Udit Narayan Jha was born on 1 December, 1955 in a village called Bhardaha in the Saptari district , Nepal. His father was Hare Krishna Jha and his mother was Bhuwaneshwari Devi.Narayan studied at P.B...
Jha has acquired greatest fame. He is noted for his soothing voice quality that suits all the Terai languages. He is very famous in Nepal, singing numerous Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
hit songs during his early career before entering in Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
singing. He has sung in Maithili, Bhojpuri and Awadhi as well. Although he is still one of a dominant Nepali singer he now is more active in Bollywood.
History
According to Hindu mythologyHindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
, King Janak
Janaka
Janaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
was the emperor of Mithila
Mithila
Mithila was a city in Ancient India, the capital of the Videha Kingdom. The name Mithila is also commonly used to refer to the Videha Kingdom itself, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha...
Rastra kingdom (eastern Madhesh) whose daughter Sita got married to Ram of Ayodhya (northern Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
). The capital of Mithila was Janakpur, which is still called by the same name. Lord Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, an incarnation of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, was married to the goddess Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
in a "swayamvar" (self-chosen groom) ceremony in King Janak
Janaka
Janaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
's palace. Today, Janakpur is an important city in the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
of eastern Nepal. Gautam Buddha was born at Lumbini of Terai presently in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
The Madheshis or Madyadesis are believed to descend from a Brahman of Virbhumi named Virupaksha.
The Tarai, today one of the most agriculturally productive regions in Nepal, has been inhabited by humans and hominids for about 30,000 years. Historically, the Terai was inhabited by Tharus, Yadav
Yadav
Yādav refers to an umbrella group of traditionally non-elite pastoral communities, or castes, in India and Nepal which since the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has claimed descent from the mythological King Yadu as a part of a movement of social and political resurgence.The term 'Yadav' now...
s and other indigenous groups before the arrival of Indo-Aryan peoples from the northwest (Khas
Khas
Originally the Khas / Khasas or Khasiyas are the mountain dwellers living in the southern shadow of the Himalayan range from Kashmir to Bhutan, but mostly in Nepal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan,...
).
Since the establishment of the absolute Shah monarchy
Shah dynasty
The Shah dynasty was the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Nepal.-The Rajput Lineage :The former royal family of Nepal claims descent from the Parmar Rajput dynasty of the Narsinghgarh state in Malwa . The famous kings of the Malwa region were Raja Bhrathari, Samrat Vikramaditya, and Raja Bhoj....
in 1768, the wider Pahari community
Pahari people
The Pahari people, ; also called Pahadi, Parbati, Khāsā, or Chhetri, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group of the Himalaya living in Nepal, India, and Pakistan. In Nepal, the Pahari constituted the single largest ethnic group at about 20,000,000, or three-fifths of the Nepalese population through the 1990s...
, particularly Bahun
Bahun
Bahun is a colloquial Nepali term for a member of the Pahari or "hill" Brahmin caste, who are traditionally educators, scholars and priests of Hinduism. They are also known as Barmu in Newari. By tradition—and by civil law until 1962—they represented the highest of the four Hindu...
s and Chhetris, held a virtual monopoly on government, military, and administrative posts throughout the kingdom. During the pre-democratic era, Pahari Chhetri culture and language dominated multiethnic Nepal to the disadvantage and exclusion of many Nepalese minorities and indigenous peoples including the Madhesi. Discriminatory practices were, before reforms late in the monarchy era, a matter of law and the government's "one nation, one culture" policy.
In the 19th century, Madhesi agriculturalists of Indo-Aryan origin moved into the region from within Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, becoming the predominant population. Before large-scale development, the Terai was densely wooded, highly malarial frontier land.
During the late Shah dynasty
Shah dynasty
The Shah dynasty was the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Nepal.-The Rajput Lineage :The former royal family of Nepal claims descent from the Parmar Rajput dynasty of the Narsinghgarh state in Malwa . The famous kings of the Malwa region were Raja Bhrathari, Samrat Vikramaditya, and Raja Bhoj....
, Pahari
Pahari people
The Pahari people, ; also called Pahadi, Parbati, Khāsā, or Chhetri, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group of the Himalaya living in Nepal, India, and Pakistan. In Nepal, the Pahari constituted the single largest ethnic group at about 20,000,000, or three-fifths of the Nepalese population through the 1990s...
from the Hill Region began to settle the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
under a system that politically and socially sidelined Madhesis, who had dominated the region since the 19th century. Paharis regarded Madhesis as un-Nepalese and as Indian immigrants. Madhesis became victims of serious abuses, and the regime sought to exclude non-Paharis from national politics through discriminatory laws and electoral gerrymandering
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
, despite a massive population influx that saw growth bound from 5% to 40% over the twentieth century. The Pahari community in the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
purchased, or otherwise got hold of large landholdings. Together with traditional Tharu landlords, they came to constitute the upper level of the economic hierarchy, which in the rural parts of the Terai is determined to a large extent by the distribution and the value of agriculturally productive land. The poor were the landless, or near landless, Terai Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
s, including the Musahar
Musahar
The Musahar are a Hindu scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India, & Terai. They are also known as Arya or Banbasi.- Origin :...
and Chamar
Chamar
Chamar |tanner]]"; from the Sanskrit Charmakara) is a prominent occupational caste in India, Pakistan and Nepal. Chamar is a Dalit sub-caste mainly found in the northern states, such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and in Nepal at least north to the Himalayas...
, as well as the traditional fishermen, the Mallaah
Mallaah
The Mallah are the traditional boatmen caste and ethnic group of North India, East India and Pakistan. A small number of Mallah are also found in Nepal....
, and some of the hill Dalits. In particular the Musahars rarely got other work than hard farm labor.
The "one nation, one culture" policy implemented by King Mahendra
Mahendra of Nepal
Possibly no heir for the time period of 1911 through 1920. Previous Crown Prince: Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah, from 1906 to 1911....
during his absolute rule created a setback for non-Pahari cultures other, including Newars, Tamangs, Magars, Kirats, and Madhesis. The approach of the Royal Government was largely to ignore the frustrations among the Madhesi community and their demands for political access. Even after the pro-democracy 1990 People's Movement, there were little improvements in the condition of ethnicities including Madhesis. Although Maithili and Bhojpuri, along with other languages such as Nepal Bhasa, Tamang, Limbu, Gurung, and Magar were recognized as national languages by the constitution, nothing was done for the improvement of any of these languages.
The desire for increased self-determination among Madhesis was one of the central issues in the Nepalese Civil War and subsequent democratic movement
2006 democracy movement in Nepal
The 2006 Democracy Movement is a name given to the political agitations against the direct and undemocratic rule of King Gyanendra of Nepal. The movement is also sometimes referred to as Jana Andolan-II , implying it being a continuation of the 1990 Jana Andolan.-Reinstitution of Parliament:In a...
. During and after the Nepalese Civil War, Madhesi movements – from peaceful pro-autonomy demonstrations to armed separatist conflict – have been active in the Terai region. This included backlashes against Paharis in the form of ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
ing, murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, and land dispossession by armed Maoist groups such as the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha
Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha
The Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha is a revolutionary organisation in Nepal. It was formed in 2004 as a split from the Communist Party of Nepal around Jay Krishna Goit...
(JTMM) seeking Madhesi independence.
Politics
Since the end of the Civil War in 2006 and establishment of the Republic of Nepal in 2008, ethnic Madhesis have been elected as first president (Ram Baran YadavRam Baran Yadav
Dr Ram Baran Yadav is the current President of Nepal. He was elected in July 2008 and is the country's first President. He previously served as Minister of Health and as General Secretary of the Nepali Congress party....
) and vice president (Parmanand Jha
Parmanand Jha
Parmanand Jha is the current Vice President of Nepal and a former Supreme Court judge. He was born and brought up in Darbhanga, Bihar, India. Jha resigned as a judge in December 2007 after he was not proposed by the Judicial Council as a permanent judge at the apex court, following allegations of...
) of the new government. The bureaucracy and other sectors of Nepalese society, which were largely dominated by Pahari people
Pahari people
The Pahari people, ; also called Pahadi, Parbati, Khāsā, or Chhetri, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group of the Himalaya living in Nepal, India, and Pakistan. In Nepal, the Pahari constituted the single largest ethnic group at about 20,000,000, or three-fifths of the Nepalese population through the 1990s...
from the hilly region, have begun to incorporate people from other ethnicities including Madhesis. However, the bureaucracy still had an overwhelming majority of Khas
Khas
Originally the Khas / Khasas or Khasiyas are the mountain dwellers living in the southern shadow of the Himalayan range from Kashmir to Bhutan, but mostly in Nepal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan,...
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. The greatest blow pertaining to language issues was delivered when the Supreme Court forbade the Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Kathmandu Metropolitan City is the largest urban area of Nepal. It is the capital city of Nepal. It is located in Western part of Kathmandu valley and South eastern part of Kathmandu district.- Administrative divisions :...
, Rajbiraj
Rajbiraj
Rajbiraj, a mid-sized town in south-eastern Nepal, 16 kilometers north of the Indian border. It is the administrative headquarters of the Saptari district. It has an airfield with flights to Kathmandu. The government planned to convert the airport to an international airport but the program is...
Municipality and other civil bodies to use any language other than Nepali such as Nepal Bhasa
Nepal Bhasa
Nepal Bhasa is one of the major languages of Nepal, and is also spoken in India, particularly in Sikkim where it is one of the 11 official languages. Nepal Bhasa is the mother tongue of about 3% of the people in Nepal . It is spoken mainly by the Newars, who chiefly inhabit the towns of the...
, Maithili
Maithili language
Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...
for any official purpose. Furthermore, many Tarai Madhesis perceive a lack of interest on the part of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M), now part of government, in bettering the lot of Madhesis and therefore feel estranged from and resentful of the CPN-M and its politicians.
As Madhesi political movements pursue greater political access and autonomy, indigenous groups of the Terai have harbored apprehension toward some Madhesi themes such as "one Madhes, one province," which they perceive as assimilatory.
See also
- MadheshMadheshMadhesh is a term given to areas of the Nepali outer Terai or to the outer Terai as a whole inhabited by peoples who are racially, culturally and linguistically related to people on the Indian side of the border. These peoples are referred to or refer to themselves as Madheshi...
- TeraiTeraiThe Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
- Inner Terai
- Pahade people
- Demographics of NepalDemographics of NepalThe population of Nepal is estimated at 29,391,883 people in July 2011, with a population growth rate of 1.596% and a median age of 21.6 years. Female median age is estimated at 22.5 years, and male median age at 20.7 years...
- Identity politicsIdentity politicsIdentity politics are political arguments that focus upon the self interest and perspectives of self-identified social interest groups and ways in which people's politics may be shaped by aspects of their identity through race, class, religion, sexual orientation or traditional dominance...