Nepalese People

Nepal is bounded by by India on three sides and on the fourth northern side by Tibet. In more sense than one Nepal, specially the Kathmandu Valley, has acted as a receiver and preserver as well a transmitter of cultural and intellectual strains of ideas from the south to the north and from the north to the south. It has also provided sanctuaries to different racial, ethnic and linguistic groups. Different racial and ethnic groups brought with them varied culture, language, arts, crafts, thought forms, social practices, religion and way of life.
True. Due to migration, military expeditions, trading and commercial activities there has been tremendous intermingling of the races on both the southern and northern borders of Nepal. Mongolian groups of Tibeto-Burmese language group has had contacts with the "Caucasian" groups of Indo-Aryan language groups. While the former have been basically followers of Buddhism and other natural religions, the later follow Hinduism. It has always acted as a sort of the Himalayan bridge between the south and the north.


The people belonging to Mongoloid groups live mainly in the northern areas while those belonging to Indo-Nepalese groups live in the southern areas.

Since the paucity of land in the high northern areas, agriculture product is not sufficient for life. As such, Mongoloid groups have acted as livestock (Yaks, goats and sheep) breeders for centuries.

They have doubled as traders bringing Tibetan salt and wool for grains. Their trading activities took place over the high Himalayan passes and it is then that they came in contact and adapted the Tibetan culture.

On the other hand people belonging to the Indo-Aryan group inhabiting the flat Terai region, have been producing agriculture surpluses which, in the earlier times, they marketed in the easily accessible and close Indian market. However, the things have changed now and because of the increasing pressure of population within the country, exports from the Terai to the Indian markets have decreased.

These two groups come in close contact with each other in the central mountains or the hill regions. In these rice and other grains are grown on the well laid out terraced fields between the altitude of 500 to 2,200 meters. It is the most densely populated region of the Kingdom with 60 percent of the population inhabiting these hills dotted with valleys. With only 30 percent of the land available in the area fit for tilling, requirements. It is due to seasonal migration and the hired services of Gorkha troops that economic sustenance is possible.

The Mid Hill And Valley People

Newari Girls serving in a celebration

As stated earlier, the mid hill region is the melting pot of the Mongoloid and Indo-Aryan groups poeple. Here people belonging to two different racial strains have been meeting and intermingling for centuries. As such there is a lot of commonality in the way they dress, the language they speak, the social customs, religion and the overall way of life.

The Sanskrit based Nepali language in Devanagiri script is spoken and understood by everyone. The Brahmin, Chhetri and other occupational castes dominate the region. Having been in the ethnic neighbourhood of the Hindu ethnic population, the religion they follow is Hinduism. Among the ethnic groups, the Newars are the most dominant and they were the first to adopt the urbanised culture. The richness of art, crafts, wood and metal carving as well as the other fine arts which one finds in the Kathmandu Valley as also elsewhere is the contribution of the Newars.

Then, there are the Kiranti, perhaps the first rulers of Nepal, the Rai, the Limbus, the Tamang, the Magar, the Sunwar and Jirel, the Gurung, the Thakali and the Chepang. While most of these ethnic groups speak Bodic of the Sino-Tibetean language family, the Newars and the Pahari speak Tibeto-Burman language.


The Terai People

A Tharu girl

While many ethnic groups like the Tharus, the Darai, the Kumbhars, the Manjhi and Danuwar live here, the bulk of the population is of the Indo-Aryan Hindu stock with roots in India. The Brahmins, the Rajputs, the vaishya and other occupational castes dominate this region. Being part of the vast Gangetic basin, the Terai people speak language akin to those to the south and practice the Indian religious and social functions. They speak Bengali, Maithili and Bhojpuri in the east and Hindi and Urdu in the west. Of course almost everyone has knowledge of the official Nepali language. They are basically engaged in agriculture, commerce and industry.

The Far North Hill People
Like their compatriots in the south whose cultural and religious roots are in India because of the geographical proximity, those living in the areas adjoining the Tibetan Plateau have their cultural and religious roots in Tibet. They also speak the Tibetan language. While there are many ethnic groups like Sherpa, Lhomi, Lopa, Thudam, Topke Gola, Dolpo clan, Manangba dotting this northern most region of Nepal, the most famous of them are the Sherpas of Solu-Khumbu in Mount Everest region. These groups inhabit altitudes of 9,000 feet to over 16,000 feet above the sea level. The climate here is extremely cold and brisk. The Sherpas, so also some other groups, derive their subsistence from being the leaders and or the porters for mountain climbing expeditions. Wherever possible, they indulge in some agricultural activity. Their main activity is cattle raising. During the cold winter months a number of people belonging to these groups venture out towards the south of the country and even beyond for trading. They sell herbs and spices grown in their areas and also woollen blankets and purchase products which they need themselves or for trading back home.

A sherpa girl in Bakhhu

There is one very unique thing about the Sherpas. Fraternal polyandry is prevalent and two brothers can marry one joint wife. Also two brothers can marry two joint common wives. Having a very relaxed attitude towards sex in general, the Sherpas normally do not allow three brothers marrying a common wife. If a family has three sons the middle one is automatically turned into a celibate monk. A family with more than three sons is uncommon.