Thakuri
ठकुरी
Regions with significant populations
   Nepal494,470 (1.7% of Nepal's population)[1]
Languages
Nepali
Religion
Hinduism 99.3% (2011), Christianity 0.54% (2011)[2]

The "Thakuri" (Nepali: ठकुरी) is a royal tribe of Nepal. It constitutes the historical ruling class and is composed of the descendants of the Great Khasa Malla kingdom rulers in Baisi and the descendants of Magarat in Chaubisi principalities. The Shah royal family of Nepal also belonged to the Chaubisi principalities.

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'.[3] 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'.[3]

Origins

Thakuris traditionally constituted the ruling and warrior classes, and claimed ancient royal descent[4] Thakuris are a high socio-political group considered to have arisen from Khas, Magars, Bahun and perhaps Indian Rajput immigrants.[5] The 1854 Muluki Ain (Legal Code) refers Thakuris by the term Rajput despite being descended from the local Nepalese tribes.[6] Many historians contended that the theory of Rajput descent was used for political purposes by the various ruling families of Nepal.[7] Historian Mahesh Chandra Regmi contends that "Each ruling dynasty in Nepal has tried to connect its lineage with well known dynasties of India."[8] One of the Thakuri Shah ruler of Gorkha,[5] King Ram Shah, also attempted to forge recognition of kinship relations from the Ranas of Udaypur.[8]

Society

Thakuris constitute the aristocracy and possess the high social, ritual and political status.[5] Thakuris are politically and socially ahead of others.[5] Traditionally, the Thakuris' main occupations involved government, agriculture and military.[4] Thakuri traditionally constituted the ruling and warrior classes.[9] Most of the Thakuris are agriculturalists in Western Nepal except few aristrocratic families in the capital city.[5] The children born from a Brahman father and a Thakuri mother is categorized into a new caste called "Hamal".[4]

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).[10] 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:

The frequency of Thakuri was higher than national average (1.6%) in the following districts:[11]

Thakuri family and dynasties

The ruling Shah dynasty of Gorkha Kingdom and other dynasties such as the Malla dynasty from Galkot later Kingdom of Nepal are ranked among Thakuris.[5]

Notable Thakuri surnames

In alphabetical order, the commonly known Thakuri surnames are:[12][13][14]

  • Bam
  • Chand
  • Khand
  • Malla
  • Pal
  • Sen
  • Shah (not to be confused with Sah/Shah of Terai, Shah caste in Kumaon region in Uttarakhand State of India)
  • Shahi
  • Singh
  • Thakuri

Simha

Of these, Chand, Bam, Malla, and Pal are also associated with Kumaon/Kuramanchal kingdom.

Unproven Thakuri Claimants

The surnames mentioned below 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. The following surnames have recently begun to claim Thakuri status but their claims are not corroborated by governmental inclusivity organizations or historical sources:[15][16]

  • Bogati
  • Deuba
  • Kunwar
  • Rana /Jabara / Jang Bahadur Rana / JBR
  • Thagunna
  • Thakurathi
  • Sijapati

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
  2. ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (2014). Population monograph of Nepal (PDF) (Report). Vol. II. Government of Nepal.
  3. 1 2 Gurung 1996, p. 29.
  4. 1 2 3 Dharam Vir 1988, pp. 56–57.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dharam Vir 1988, p. 56.
  6. ↑ Sharma 2004, p. 133.
  7. ↑ Nagendra Kr Singh 1997, pp. 1–2.
  8. 1 2 Mahesh Chandra Regmi 1976, p. 5.
  9. ↑ Dharam Vir 1988, p. 57.
  10. ↑ Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II
  11. ↑ 2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report
  12. ↑ Vanisttart, Eden (1896). Notes on Nepal. Asian Educational Services. pp. 80-81.
  13. ↑ Adhikary, Surya (1988). The Khasa Kingdom : A Trans-Himalayana Empire of the Middle Age. Jayapur, New Delhi: Nirala Publications. p. 19. ISBN 978-8185693026.
  14. ↑ Hodgson, Brian (May 1833). "Origin and Classification of the Military Tribes of Nepal". Journal of the Asiatic Society. 17: 223.
  15. ↑ "Recommendation to Government of Nepal for listing Khas-Arya surnames". ninc.gov.np. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  16. ↑ "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.

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