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Chhetri
Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), (Nepali: क्षेत्री pronounced [tsʰetri]; IAST: Kṣetrī) historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speaking people historically associated with the warrior class and administration, some of whom trace their origin to migration from medieval India. Chhetri was a caste of administrators, governors, warriors and military elites in the medieval Khas Kingdom and Gorkha Kingdom (later unified Kingdom of Nepal). The nobility of the Gorkha Kingdom mainly originated from Chhetri families. They also had a strong presence in civil administration affairs. The bulk of prime ministers of Nepal before the democratization of Nepal belonged to this caste as a result of the old Gorkhali aristocracy. Gorkha-based aristocratic Chhetri families included the Pande dynasty, the Basnyat dynasty, the Kunwar family (and their offspring branch, the autocratic Rana dynasty) and the Thapa dynasty. From 1806 to 1951, Chhetri prime ministers wielded absolute rule in the country and the monarchy was reduced to a powerless figurehead.
Khas Chhetris were traditionally considered a division of the Khas people with Khas Brahmin (commonly called Khas Bahun). They make up 16.45% of Nepal's population according to the 2021 Nepal census, making them the most populous caste or ethnic community in Nepal. Chhetris speak an Indo-Aryan Nepali language (Khas-Kura) as mother tongue.
Chhetri is considered a direct derivative of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya from the root kṣatra meaning "rule or authority" which was associated with the ruling and warrior class of Hindu society. According to the 1854 Legal Code (Muluki Ain) of Nepal, Chhetris were a social group among the sacred thread bearers (Tagadhari) and twice-born people of the Hindu tradition. Almost all Chhetris are Hindu.
The term 'Chhetri' was adopted by a lot of the high-ranking Khas after the unification of Nepal, and it was formalized by an order of Bir Narsingh Kunwar(Jang Bahadur Rana), who considered their original name (Khasa) to be derogatory.
The caste system of Nepal was decided according to the occupation they did from the ancestors of their family, known as Dharma (Devanagari: धर्म). The family occupation of Brahmin was guru or the spiritual leader in Hinduism whereas that of Chhetri was military and political leaders. Hence, the majority of military and political positions have been historically occupied by Chhetris until now.
They are thought to be connected to the Khasas mentioned in the ancient Indian literature and the medieval Khasa kingdom. In the early modern history of Nepal, Chhetris played a key role in the Unification of Nepal, providing the core of the Gorkhali army of the mid-18th century. Bir Bhadra Thapa was a Thapa of Chhetri group and leading Bharadar during Unification of Nepal. His grandson Bhimsen Thapa became Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) of Nepal. Swarup Singh Karki, a leading politician and military officer, belonged to Chhetri family. Abhiman Singh Basnyat of Basnyat dynasty, Damodar Pande of Pande dynasty were both members of Chhetri caste, and Jung Bahadur Rana, founder of Rana dynasty also belonged to the Chhetri community.
For 104 years since the middle of the 19th century until 1951, hereditary Rana prime ministers wielded absolute rule in the country relegating the monarchy to a mere figurehead.During the monarchy, Chhetris continued to dominate the ranks of the Nepalese government, Nepalese Army, Nepalese Police and administration.
Most of the political leadership of the Gorkha Kingdom (and later, Kingdom of Nepal) hailed from Chhetri families; primarily from the families of Basnyats, Baniyas, Kunwars, Khatris, Pandes, and Thapas who formed the nobility known as Kazis and Sardars. The political and administrative dominance of Chhetris in the kingdom of Nepal continued with the dynastic rule of the Rana Prime Ministers (1846–1953), the Pande family, the Thapa family, and the Basnyat family, all of whom held the most prominent positions in the country and overwhelmingly monopolized the Chhetri presence in the Government of Nepal, its military and police. In traditional and administrative professions, Chhetris were given favorable treatment by the royal government.
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Chhetri
Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), (Nepali: क्षेत्री pronounced [tsʰetri]; IAST: Kṣetrī) historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speaking people historically associated with the warrior class and administration, some of whom trace their origin to migration from medieval India. Chhetri was a caste of administrators, governors, warriors and military elites in the medieval Khas Kingdom and Gorkha Kingdom (later unified Kingdom of Nepal). The nobility of the Gorkha Kingdom mainly originated from Chhetri families. They also had a strong presence in civil administration affairs. The bulk of prime ministers of Nepal before the democratization of Nepal belonged to this caste as a result of the old Gorkhali aristocracy. Gorkha-based aristocratic Chhetri families included the Pande dynasty, the Basnyat dynasty, the Kunwar family (and their offspring branch, the autocratic Rana dynasty) and the Thapa dynasty. From 1806 to 1951, Chhetri prime ministers wielded absolute rule in the country and the monarchy was reduced to a powerless figurehead.
Khas Chhetris were traditionally considered a division of the Khas people with Khas Brahmin (commonly called Khas Bahun). They make up 16.45% of Nepal's population according to the 2021 Nepal census, making them the most populous caste or ethnic community in Nepal. Chhetris speak an Indo-Aryan Nepali language (Khas-Kura) as mother tongue.
Chhetri is considered a direct derivative of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya from the root kṣatra meaning "rule or authority" which was associated with the ruling and warrior class of Hindu society. According to the 1854 Legal Code (Muluki Ain) of Nepal, Chhetris were a social group among the sacred thread bearers (Tagadhari) and twice-born people of the Hindu tradition. Almost all Chhetris are Hindu.
The term 'Chhetri' was adopted by a lot of the high-ranking Khas after the unification of Nepal, and it was formalized by an order of Bir Narsingh Kunwar(Jang Bahadur Rana), who considered their original name (Khasa) to be derogatory.
The caste system of Nepal was decided according to the occupation they did from the ancestors of their family, known as Dharma (Devanagari: धर्म). The family occupation of Brahmin was guru or the spiritual leader in Hinduism whereas that of Chhetri was military and political leaders. Hence, the majority of military and political positions have been historically occupied by Chhetris until now.
They are thought to be connected to the Khasas mentioned in the ancient Indian literature and the medieval Khasa kingdom. In the early modern history of Nepal, Chhetris played a key role in the Unification of Nepal, providing the core of the Gorkhali army of the mid-18th century. Bir Bhadra Thapa was a Thapa of Chhetri group and leading Bharadar during Unification of Nepal. His grandson Bhimsen Thapa became Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) of Nepal. Swarup Singh Karki, a leading politician and military officer, belonged to Chhetri family. Abhiman Singh Basnyat of Basnyat dynasty, Damodar Pande of Pande dynasty were both members of Chhetri caste, and Jung Bahadur Rana, founder of Rana dynasty also belonged to the Chhetri community.
For 104 years since the middle of the 19th century until 1951, hereditary Rana prime ministers wielded absolute rule in the country relegating the monarchy to a mere figurehead.During the monarchy, Chhetris continued to dominate the ranks of the Nepalese government, Nepalese Army, Nepalese Police and administration.
Most of the political leadership of the Gorkha Kingdom (and later, Kingdom of Nepal) hailed from Chhetri families; primarily from the families of Basnyats, Baniyas, Kunwars, Khatris, Pandes, and Thapas who formed the nobility known as Kazis and Sardars. The political and administrative dominance of Chhetris in the kingdom of Nepal continued with the dynastic rule of the Rana Prime Ministers (1846–1953), the Pande family, the Thapa family, and the Basnyat family, all of whom held the most prominent positions in the country and overwhelmingly monopolized the Chhetri presence in the Government of Nepal, its military and police. In traditional and administrative professions, Chhetris were given favorable treatment by the royal government.
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