Society and Culture in Hills of Nepal

(Based on the lectures of Professor Dr. Ramesh Kuwar)

Hilly region of Nepal lies 3000ft-7000ft above the sea level. The gently sloppy land of the hills is comparatively arable than the land in the Himalayas. The temperature ranges from 30 degree Celsius in the dry season and 10 degrees in the winter. The people in the hills are involved in agriculture, animal husbandry, cottage industries and many of them join the British Army, Indian Army and the Nepalese Army. Due to the critical economic conditions of the people of far western hills, they are bound to leave their home in search of labor jobs in India.

People in the hills follow double cropping pattern. Maize is grown in the eastern hills which is their staple food and the culture is totally influenced by it. Millet and wheat are grown in the northern hills. Comparatively, rice is consumed by the people living in Kathmandu Valley. 

Lahure culture is one of the strongest institution prevailing in the hills. People of Rai, Gurung and Magar groups are supposed to join any of the security forces in the country or abroad. Being a lahure is considered to be prestigious and it helps in achieving higher status in the community. Therefore, children are socialized to become a lahure. 

Apart from lahure, agriculture is the main source of income followed by animal husbandry. Although, majority can't save property and grain, the economic condition is found to be far better than that of the Himalayas.  

Social Life and Settlement Patterns:

The hill is inhibited by:

All of the above mentioned groups belong to Caucasoid and Mongoloid races. Mongoloid races can be divided into two groups.

Indo-Mongoloid: Rai, Limbu, Lepcha, Sunuwars etc.

Tibeto-Mongoloid : Gurung, Tamang, Magar

Most of the mongoloid population speak Tibeto-Burman Language whereas caucasoid speak Indo-European language. Sociologically, the communities living in the hills can be divided into three major groups.

Hunters and Gatherers group: Rautes are the only remaining hunters and gatherers group in Nepal. Their population is less than 200 and their culture dates back to 10000 years. They address themselves as Sahi which means Kings of the forest. They strongly believe in supernatural powers and their staple food is monkey. There is found close interactions between men and nature in their habitat. They have their own cultural and natural universe.They rotationally change their camp and spend almost a month in each camp. Now a days, due to the impact of development agents Rautes have gradually started using modern products which will be traded with wooden goods made by themselves. They first approach to buy plastic which is used as a roofing material in the monsoon. 

Caste Groups: "Jaat" refers to particular type and "Jaati" is equivalent to caste group. Caste is deeply rooted in South Asia and it was also prevalent in Europe in the medieval times. Caste can be defined as:  Hereditary social group who will follow the rules of clan exogamy and marriage endogamy, occupation determined by birth, believed to be descended from a particular sage, ascribed status, follow rules of purity and pollution, fall into the hierarchy and non-alcoholic drinkers.

Ethnic groups: Ethnic groups are independent, specific or distinctive community whose culture, religion, territory, language, history and natural resources are integral part and identity markers. So, they are segmental and are also known as autochthonas.

There are four types of ethnicity. 

Primordial ethnicity

Instrumental ethnicity

Constructivism

Institutionalism

Sometimes scholars also use "symbolic ethnicity".

Single ethnic caste group dominate 5 districts (Manang, Rasuwa, Kailali, Bhaktapur and so). Generally, the people of different groups live in similar landscapes. Newars merchants live in the river banks. The problems of one community are be solved by another community. Every community is present in the life crisis situation irrespective of caste or ethnic group to help and festivals of one community is observed by all other groups. This is called rural-cosmopolitanism. 

Composite culture: Approach the same thing with different ways. Significance of Swyambhu for buddhists and Hindus is equal however they approach it differently. This type of culture is only found in Nepal. The main reason of maintaining composite culture is that they had a minimum population in each region and they had to intermix with the heterogenous population. There is not found homogenous settlements throughout the country. 

Opposite views are found in the urban areas due to two forces centripetal and centrifugal force or insider and outsider force. The outsider force influences the insider. 

One group belong to caste. Whenever they have life crisis events they perform rituals with the priest and sacred-text. This is called textual tradition (shastriya sanskriti). Ethnic group also perform the ritual during life crisis but all different rituals are done through memorization (oral culture/alaukik sanskriti). There are some completely different communities who will be yogis, yoginis, monks and nuns who have a totally different cultural universe. They will renounce this pragmatic world. When they die they do not need to be cremated instead buried. This is called ascetic culture or ascetic tradition (naibrittik sanskreetee). These three culture form Nepalese society and culture.

If you want to learn more about Nepal then visit Explore Nepal.