Eradicate Dowry System

Possible Solution to Eradicate Dowry
Lets work as a team to abolish dowry! The solution lies in our hands. How can we as individual contribute to the destruction of dowry? The answer is to analyze our role in this society and how we play our role. 

FOR MEN:

1) Are u happy to be looked upon like items sold in market? Did u realise u are priced and traded as per the cost determined, by the society for ur social background and education? 

2) Please feel ASHAMED TO BE BRANDED AS PRODUCTS SOLD, to be bought by affordable girls and their parents. 

3) You are inviting a partner to share ur life and love. She is equal to you in everyway. Neither have u done a sacrifice by marrying her nor has she, so where is the question of money involved? Love her for her 
character, not for her money. 

4) The aspirations and aims, should be achieved by one's own hard efforts. The pride of touching ur dreams, with your own dedication is unique. TRY FOR IT. 

5) Woman fulfills your needs as regards food, laundry, house-maintenance, sex, bear your children, guard the house, earn for you. All those people who ask dowry, with ur clever mathematical skill, if u calculate monetarily, U OWE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT TO YOUR WIFE. 

6) In olden days, there used to be Contests in various forms, to test the skills of men in the fields of intelligence, strength, character and appeal. Guess you fall into the lucky era where YOU assess the girl in multiple aspects. 

FOR WOMEN:

1) Take an oath not to marry any person who demands dowry. 

2) Be brave when you face situations of adverse effects. Fully believe that you are in noway inferior to men. Don’t be a coward and a victim of torture. 

3) If they harass u beyond any particular limit, GET A DIVORCE. Committing Suicide is NOT the solution. Life does NOT become futile, for one worthless human being or a family. 

4) Divorcees can earn a good living, thro any decent job. If u don’t have children, spend the money for good cause. Do social service. If u succeed in meeting any man, who can live up to ur expectation, marry him. 

5) The society does not look down upon divorcees anymore. If u accidentally happen to hear any wounding words, DONT CARE A PENNY FOR IT. It is better than tolerating wounding words against ur parents by some unworthy in-laws. 

6) Sit and talk with your parents. Explain them ur desires. Do not be forced into any marriage. 

7) Sit and talk with your future in-laws and fiancé as to yours expectations. Do not just pose before them, for their acceptance of your appearance alone. You are much more than just your physical appearance. Ask them their demands, dreams, aims, expectations. This would surely lead to happy marriage from both sides. 

8) Be a part of planning your marriage. Know the reasons, causes, and sources of expenses. Do not be ignorant of your parents’ hardships. If they spend on any unwanted item, which is either not demanded upon or is unnecessary, then, CUT THOSE EXPENSES. 

9) Ladies should understand and think about this problem as a curse to womanhood. Forget that u are a groom’s mother or sister or relative. YOU ARE A WOMAN. Rules don’t change because you accidentally happen to be groom’s relatives. IT IS A SHAME, TO FIND THAT THE PRESSURE ON DOWRY, AND DEATH DUE TO DOWRY, IS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF WOMEN WHO STAND ON THE OTHER SIDE AND DEMAND THE SAME. 

FOR BRIDE'S PARENTS:

1) Parents should stop feeling burdened or sad to 
have an unmarried daughter at home. The purpose of female birth is NOT ONLY marriage and re-production. 

2) The parents of the bride should take primary action in abolishing dowry. Do not accept to give dowry beyond ur monetary capacity. ( Still better, SAY NO TO DOWRY) 

3) Sending the unmarried daughter or divorcee for higher studies or a good job, would increase her confidence and your happiness. 

4) When the bride faces inhuman tortures in her in-laws place, DO NOT SEND HER BACK, at the cost of her life. Re-marriage is not at all a weird idea to consider. 

FOR FUTURE PROSPECTIVE BRIDE GROOMS:

1) Nowadays the trend is to settle through your hard-earned money, not your parents, not your in-laws. 

2) Buy necessary items for basic living, even before u invite ur life partner to share ur life. That’s the best gift u can give her, rather than roses and cards on valentine's day. 

3) If she is also an earning member, sit with your fiancée, plan out the necessary items, and share the cost equally. 

4) Talk to you parents, and make them agree, to share the marriage cost equally! (food, choultry and other extravaganzas) 

5) If possible try to settle for simple marriage, and a small party afterwards.

We should all think, lead way and be an example for better tomorrows, and happy marriages.

Zindagi

Harr pal harr tahnaiyo mai karte rahte hai yaad aap ko,harr saso mai lagta hai bas zindagi chal rahi hai aap ke naam se,harr din zindagi aage chalte rahte hai bas madhur awaz aap ka sune ka intazar mai,jane na jane kab ohgi mulakat hamre,phir vi zindagi chal rahi hai aap ke chaherre dekh kar

Intazar

kitne din bitgaye khat ke intazar mai jo likha ho mere naam se,bas waquat yehi gujar gaye nayan ko aap ko dekhne ke liya,khuda sad khus rakhe aur yeh duniya mai aap ko bacha ke rakhe hamare zindagi banne ke liya...

आपके याद

जब कभी यह भूकंप,सुनामी,पानीका बहाब,उमीद से अजादा बारिश देखता हु तोह भगवन पे गुस्सा आता है की इंसान को कितना तकलीफ देते है,पर जब उनका चेरा देखा हू तोह भगवन को माफ़ कर देता हू कियो की भगवन ने काफी फुर्सद से उनको बनाये है.

Poor Condistion of JANAKPUR'S Ponds

Janakpurdham is a religious and eastern philosophy originated town in Nepal. The description of such dynamic places cannot be limited in few words. The history has been originated from the ancient Vedeh King - Janak. It is believed that Janakpurdham is the capital of ancient Mithila kingdom. Janakpurdham’s culture, structure of society religious importance, building system, ponds and temples are totally different from other World.

Janakpur has more than 100 ponds and lakes within the town. Water is an inherent component of the ecological chain on which all life and life-supporting systems depend. Lack of knowledge of this bare fact, residents of Janakpur misuse and neglects their huge water resource mainly ponds. Janakpur is developed a ceremonial town where 0.2 million to 0.5 million people annually come in festival and return back. Not only this, there is around 0.2 million population in the town. Ponds of town are developed damping site through this large number of people interacts and are leads for eutrophication.

Ponds in Janakpur have a very large historical background. So they are the most valuable and tourist sites of Nepal. Janakpur has potential for effective regional linkage due to rich & wider economic watershed.

But, beautiful Janakpur has been under-estimated from Nepalese Government and local authority. Lack of beautification works, lack of tourism development strategy, and lack of code of conduct on the use of the pond, large number of ponds and temples, historical assets, (potential to fight against the crisis of the locals) are on the edge of destruction. To make base foundations of the sustainable use of ponds, the research concept is forwarded.

EXTINCT PONDS

S.N Name of Ponds Location
1 Janak sarowar Janakpur Municipality - 1
2 Amrit Kund Janakpur Municipality - 6
3 Gopal Sar Janakpur Municipality - 4
4 Payshune sar Janakpur Municipality - 3
5 Baldev Sar Janakpur Municipality - 11

PONDS ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION

S.N. Name of Ponds Location
1 Dewan Pokhari Janakpur Municipality-2
2 Telha Pokhari Janakpur Municipality-6
3 Mahara Pokhari Janakpur Municipality-6
4 Laxman sar Janakpur Municipality-10
5 Papmochani Pokhari Janakpur Municipality-6 


Source: - Survey by Mr. Nishant Shah (Chairman of ECHO) 

तमन्ना

बस इतनी सी तमन्ना है , जब हसू तो तुम्हारा साथ हो

गिरे इन आँखों से आंशु , तो पोछने वाले तुम्हारे हाथ हो

अगर जो छूटी कभी साथ तो न जाने क्या मैं कर जाऊंगा

जिन्दा तो रहूँगा , पर शायद हसना और रोना भी भूल जाऊंगा

साथ सुख दुःख बाँटने की कल्पना से ही रोम रोम पुलकित हो गया है

जीवन के इस डगर पे पाके साथ तुम्हारा मन मेरा प्रफुल्लित हो गया हैं

साथ न छूटेगी कभी हमारा जब तक हैं साँस , तब तक हैं आश

बस , एक यही विस्वाश है , कैसे बताऊ की कैसा यह एहसा......By Sujit Kumar Thakur

मधेसी मोर्चाका चरित्र

मधेसी पार्टी का चरित्र.....जब मधेसी पार्टी नेपालके सरकारमै रहतेहै तब ओह सब भूल जाते है की हम मधेसी है और सब आपने बारे या पार्टीको आगे बढाने मै लग जाते है,पर जब सरकार बिघटन होता है तब नेता लोग मधेसी और मधेस के याद करते है और एक नाम देकर बारगेनिंग सुरु करते है ओह है मधेसी मोर्चा,मोर्चा के तरफ लगते है और मधेसी के समस्या सोचने लगते है,मोर्चा मै सोच इसलिय सुरु होता है की नेता लोग आछा से बारगेनिंग करसके और कोई एक या दुई आचा मंत्रले मिलजाए,मोर्चा कुछ नहीं करसकता है बस मधेसी जनता को मुर्ख बनके आपने बारे मै सोच ता है नेता लोग....जागो मधेसी जागो

Madheshi Armed Outfits

Terai Mukti Morcha (TMM).

Madhesh Janadhikar Forum (MJF)

Madhesh Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik (MJF-L)

Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM)

Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha –Jwala Singh (JTMM-J)

Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha – Jay Kishan Goit (JTMM-G)

Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha – Ranjan Mukti (JTMM-R)

Terai Janatantrik Party- Madhesh (TJP-Madhesh)

Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP)

Tharuhat Struggle Committee (TSC)

Terai Army

Khambuwan National Front (KNF)

Samyukta Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (SJTMM)

Samyukta Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (SJTMM,-Pawan Faction)

Madhesh Mukti Tigers (MMT)

Janatantrik Terai Madhesh Mukti Morcha (JTMMM)

Sanyukta Jatiya Mukti Morcha (SJMM)

Madheshi Raksha Dal (MRD)

Joint Ethnic Liberation Front (JELF)

Lumbuwan State Force (LSF)

Rastrya Prajatantra Party (RPP-N)

Bhisma Ekta Parishad (BEP)

Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha (ATMM)

Madheshi Virus Killers (MVK)

Tarai Samyukta Jantantrik Party (TSJP)

Krantikari Rastriya Madheshi Mukti Morcha (KRMMM)

Terai Cobra

Nepal Janatantrik Party (NJP)

Chure Bhawar Ekta Samaj (CBES)

Tharuwan National Liberation Front (TNLF)

Role of Budget

I was updated with meeting which was held between Nepal Government and United Madhesi to fulfill the demand of UMF which they were forwarded to Government. After consuming long time meeting came to end and 4 points agreement was finalized between two groups(Govt n UMF).

As soon as meeting was over Nepal Finance Minister Honb'le Bharat Mohan Adhikari move to Constitutional Assembly to announce the budget. But unfortunately budget were publish thought out the country and world before he read out. It was amazing news to hear and assembly was like a fish market as position major party called congress were against the budget as it was publish to public.

I think such unwanted activities before budget publishing was held by three parties to against 4points agreement with Uinted Madhesi Front as they never want to see Madhesh as a develop compare to Hilly region. Now new statement is coming from congree party that they will accept this budget as valid because congree is main enemy of Madhesh and they do not want to give money for any development in Madhesh. Now what will be the action from United Madhesi Front and how they are going to handle this.

मधेशी

कस्तो मधेश, को मधेशी?
अपना प्रान्त, अपना शासन
अपनी संस्कृति, अपना प्रशासन
अपना पुलिस, अपना न्यायालय
अपनी भाषामे, अपना विद्यालय
मातृभूमिकी तब होगी रक्षा
सेनामे हो जब मधेशी हिस्सा

Future of Madhesi Child

We do not know that when Madhesi and Madhesh will get their rights or value from them.We have to start think in a different way for our rights and value otherwise one day will come when child of Madhesh will ask us where is their identity and we will not be in position to answer their questions.Madhesi child's need their own identity and value as they have open their eyes in Madhesh.

We have seen and we watching the present behavior of Madhesi politician from past till present.They are doing everything for their own child not for their voters children's.No politician use to visit any schools of Madhesh but they keep going for any ceremony of schools.This will not bring the solution for the future of madhesi child and they are going to be in dark where we use to be.The new born child is going to be there only from where we have grown up.So have to think and we have to do something for the bright future of Madhesh children's.Please come out of this net communication world and do some work for Madhesh bright future.By speaking only a society can not change,we have to do.

Q.Who will be responsible for dark future of child?
Q.where will be the position of child?

The Historical Culture of the Madhesi People of Nepal

Madhesi, or in the original text ‘Madhesh’, comes from the Sanskrit language native to India and Nepal. Madhesh is something of a legend and it is believed to be the central kingdom of the mythical Hindu King Janak. Interestingly, today, the Madhesi people can be found in the southern district of Nepal, commonly known as Terai.

Over time the Madhesi people have formed the Mithila culture, believed to be one of the originalcultures to have been established and nurtured within the Nepalese Kingdom. According to folklore, the Ramayana King Janak was ruler during this particular time and to this day his legend still lives on through his daughter Sita who is lovingly worshipped as an ideological example of what a woman should be according to the Hindu culture. This bounteous Mathila Kingdom was established in what is present day Janakpur long before the Shah rulers had formalized residency within Nepal’s borders.

The Madhesh people have a very diverse culture which has incorporated three mainreligious groups, namely: Hindu, Jain and Islam. Unfortunately, this rich culture is fast becoming a thing of the past due to the lack of support by the Nepalese government and the inculcation of cultural influences through the school curriculum. This is not a particularly new phenomenon as they experienced much the same during the rule of the Shahs and Ranas, who even then showed a lack of interest in the Madhesi's culture and its influence on the history of Nepal.

This political confluence has even extended to the realms of bureaucracy including many other sectors where the participation of this particular group is greatly limited. A major contribution to this anomaly is the policy implemented by king Mahendra of “one nation, one culture”. This has resulted in a form of alienation within their own country with certain leaders regarding the language of the Madhesi to be no part of the Nepalese people, their culture a direct copy of the Indian culture and their identification – Indian.

However, a movement has recently begun in the Terai region, calling for an end to discrimination against the Madhesi people and in most cases shock value is the technique that is being used by activists. This has somehow lost the basic principles and purposes, instead turning it rather into a violent and misguided act.

CHHATH PUJA...Festival of Madhesh

The Chhath Festival is basically a major festival of Madhesh, but is celebrated with equal devotion in Kathmandu as well. This festival, which honors the Sun God, is celebrated six days after the festival of Diwali. The Chhath puja celebrations do not include much fanfare, rather, it is a festival of prayer and propitiation that is undertaken with somberness. Through this festival, people express their thanks and seek the blessings of the forces of nature, mainly the Sun and river. It is believed that the prayers of the devotees are always answered during the festival and, at the same time, they are also punished for doing any misdeed.

More than festivities, festival of Chhat Puja in Madhesh involves a sacrifice on the part of the devotee, which leads to his purification. For Chath celebrations in Madhesh, several ghats (embankments) are reserved at the rivers in the Madhesh. The puja takes place at these ghats only. Performed both by men as well as by women, the puja preparations start with the end of Diwali. Through the period, an austere lifestyle is followed. First of all, the house is cleaned and the family members of the person doing the puja take a holy dip. Throughout the festival of Chhath, the food prepared is saltless and totally vegetarian, without even onions and garlic. Even the vessels used are mostly earthen and people sleep on the floor.

The person who performs the Chath puja observes a fast from dawn to the dusk and ends by eating sweets. Thereafter, another fast is observed that continues for thirty-six hours and ends on the dawn of the final day. On the final day, the puja starts at the bank of a river some time before sunrise. People who perform the puja remain in river water from late midnight till the time the first ray of sunlight touches the earth. From that time onwards, devotees start flooding the river with offerings to the Sun God. This is followed by the distribution of the prashad amongst the devotees.

Tharus Are More Madheshi than Others

A GLIMPSE OF MADHYADESH / MAJJHIMADESHA TO MADHESH

Historians agree that ‘Madhesh’ is a morphological derivative of Madhyadesh (Sanskrit for ‘the Middle Country’) or Majjhimadesh (Pali for ‘the Middle Country’) and means the same — ‘the Middle Country’.

The region of Madhyadesh has been well defined in ancient texts. For example, Manusmirti (circa 1500 BC, 2/21) defines Madhyadesh region as vast plains between Himalaya and Vindhya mountains and to the east of the river Vinasana (invisible Saraswati) and to the west of Prayag.

Around 500 BC, at the time of Buddha, Buddhist texts calls this ‘Middle Country’ Majjhimadesh in Pali language and defines the region in canonical texts Vinaya Pitaka as extended “in the east to the town of Kajangala, beyond which was Mahāsāla; on the south-east to the river Salalavatī; on the south west to the town of Satakannika; on the west to the Brahmin village of Thūna; on the north to the Usiraddhaja Mountain.” At the time of Buddha, the eastern limit of the Middle Country had extended nearly 400 miles eastward of Prayaga which was its eastern most point in Manu's time (Bhandarkar, 1918).  According to Pali Canon, the Middle Country was “three hundred yojanas in length, two hundred and fifty in breadth, and nine hundred in circumference”. It contained fourteen of the sixteen Mahājanapadas (Kāsī, Kosala, Anga,Magadha, Vajji, Mallā, Cetiya, Vamsā, Kuru, Pañcāla, Macchā, Sūrasena, Assaka, Avantī). This land of the Middle country was ruled by several great dynasties in ancient and medieval times.

Upon the arrival of Islamic rulers from the Mid East, they also called the plains of “undulating former marshland” of the Middle Country as ‘Terai´, a word derived from Persian (तराई / ترائی ‘wetland´ fromتر ‘wet´ ), meaning “moist land” (Encyclopedia Britannica). The British missionaries and the East India Company who came after Mughals also refer this region of Madhyadesh with this name or its variants. However they also continued to use Madhyades as well, for example, see Martin (1838), Elliot (1849), Muir (1873). At the later stage of British Raj, the northern part of Madhyadesh was ruled by Sen and other kingdoms as suzerainty states and paid taxes to Nawabs and the East India Company.

With the state expansion initiated by Gurkha ruler Prithvi Narayan Shah in the late 18th century, Gurkhas got hold of many parts of the Madhyadesh (Madhesh) and took many from Nawabs and the East India Company by paying tax or through treaties. At the time of Prithvi Narayan Shah, Nepalextended well into the east up to Kankai river as Prithvi Narayan Shah's letter to Bhagavanta Nath says: “…The boundaries have been extended to the Kankai river in the Madhesh and the Hasabharyakhola and the Tamor river in the hills.” And in the west, once the Nepal was extended up to Sutluj River including Kumaon and Garhwal. On the annexed land of Madhesh, Gurkhas continued to levy tax and started “land management” by establishing administrative units like “Madhesh Bandobast Adda” (Madhesh Administration Office), “Madhesh Pahila Phat” (Madhesh Audit Department), “Madhesh Report Niksari” throughout the Madhesh, from east to the west as far as Garhwal. For example, the royal order issued in June 1805 says: “… Because Ranabir has behaved in an improper way, we hereby appoint you three brothers [Dhaukal Khatri, Surabir Khatri, and Ranabir Khatri] to replace him as Subbas for one-third of the territories of Garh in the Madhesh, the hills, and the Bhot.”  It shows that even at this time, the whole Terai region, from east to west, even up to Garhwal, was known as Madhesh. Therefore, the whole Terai (plain) region at the foothills ofHimalayas from east to the west is located in Madhesh.

The part of Madhesh present today in Nepal is a result of memorandum of 1816 and treaty of 1860 with the East India Company. Through the memorandum of 8 December 1816, the Company government handed the region between west of Koshi and east to Rapti river to Nepal instead of paying two hundred thousands rupees per year as agreed previously on Gurkhas’ request for supporting living cost of their employees. The region west of Rapti and east of Mahakali came through the treaty of 1960 as a reward to Gurkhas for their support to the East India Company for suppressing Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 to 1859 and is also called Naya Muluk (New Region).

NOW, THARUS AS MADHESHI BASED ON ORIGIN AND HISTORY

There are different theories on the origins and history of Tharus. The most popular ones are taken into account in this article.

Sakya and Kolya/Buddha Theory

This theory was mostly popularised by one of the most influential Tharus, Ramanand Prasad Singh (The Real Story of the Tharus, 1993) and Tej Narayan Panjiyar (Faceless in History, 1993), himself a Tharu as well. The theory claims that Tharus are descendants of Shakya and Kolyas or Budha. Whatever the substance be in this theory, it has become the ‘little red book’ for current Tharu politicians and revolutionaries and this is the theory based upon which few Tharus leaders are involved in anti-Madhesh activities, denying Tharus to be called Madheshi. Alas! Rather than basing their claims on hearsay, had they read the same documents fully.  In the same document ‘The Real Story of the Tharus’, Ramanand Singh writes, “[Tharus] …are the remnants of the Sakya’s and Kolya’s, the two branches of the descendants of Okaka and Okamukha, the kings of Banaras.”  So if Tharus are descendants of Sakya’s and Kolyas, Okaka and Okamukha — the kings of Banaras, how can Tharus avoid the identity of being Madhyadeshi or Majjhimadeshi as Banaras was located in the very heart of Madhyadesh/ Majjhimadesh? Second, how can Tharus claim to be ‘sons of Buddha’, and yet deny being Madheshi, as Buddha was born nowhere but in Majjhimadesh and is one of the greatest Madheshis of all time? All the Buddist Pali Canon text is evidence of this, for example it contains:

Next he made the observation concerning the place. "The continent of India is large," thought he, "being ten thousand leagues around. In which of its countries are the Buddhas born?" Thus he decided on the Middle Country (Majjhimadesa). It is three hundred leagues in length, two hundred and fifty in breadth, and nine hundred in circumference. In this country are born The Buddhas, the Private Buddhas, the Chief Disciples, the Eighty Great Disciples, the Universal Monarch, and other eminent ones, magnates of the warrior caste, of the Brahman caste, and the wealthy householders. And in it is this city called Kapilavatthu," thought he, and concluded that there he ought to be born. (from Warren’s translation of The Birth of Buddha in ‘Buddhism in Translation’, 1896)

So there is not much choice: if Tharus are descendant of Sakyas and Kolyas or Buddha, all of whom belonged to Majjhimadesh/Madhyadesh, they are Madheshi.

Similarly, many authors claim Tharus ancestry even to the Mauryas and Emperor Ashoka (“The Return of the Mauryas” and “The Great Sons of the Tharus: Sakyamuni Buddha and Emperor Asoka" by Subodh Kumar Singh; “The Real Story of the Tharus”, Ramanand Prasad Singh). Ramanand Prasad Singh in ‘The Real Story of the Tharus’ emphasizes “…Champaran as the land of the Tharus from which tribe issued Ashoka.” It is well known that Maurya Empire included the Middle Country, and Chaparan is in Majjhimadesh. So by this account as well, Tharus are Madheshi.

Rajputana Legend

This is the traditional view and is most celebrated among Tharus and is supported by many scholars as well. Encyclopedia Britannica writes:  “The five higher clans among them [Tharus], which constitute about 80 percent of the population, claim to be of royal origin in Rājasthān.” The theory can be described in the words of Ishwar Baral (The Tharu Community And Their Culture, 1966) as:

“There is a story about the origin of the Tharu community, when the Muslims invaded Chitor (Rajputana) in the 12th century, the Rajputs sent their woman to the hilly regions in the north for safety. These women waited long for their men, but in vain. They then accepted as their husbands their own servants, as well as local low caste people. Children born of such union came to be known as Tharus. Accordingly, Tharu women have greater authority inside the home, and the Tharus still call their wives ''Rani'' (queen).”

Regmi Research Series (Year 2, No. 1, 1970) documents the view of the famous historian Babu Ram Acharya as:  “According to an ancient custom, which is still prevalent in Rajputana, the Tharus cut off their toe and put tika on the head of their King with the blood. Babu Ram Acharya therefore holds that the Tharus were originally Kshatriyas and came from Rajputana.”  This view is supported by many other scholars including Ghimire (1992, Forest or Farm? The Politics of Poverty and Land Hunger in Nepal, Oxford University Press). Some even attribute the etymology of ‘Tharu’ to come from Thar Desert, also located in Rajputana (Rajasthan).

Now, Majjhimadesh does include this region (as fourteen out of the sixteen Mahājanapadas belonged to it) and thus according to this theory also, Tharus are from the Majjhimadesh and are Madheshi.

THARUS AS MADHESHI BASED ON GEOGRAPHY, LANGUAGE & CULTURE

Whichever theory may be true about their origins, Tharus have been living in Madhyadesh (Madhesh) at least for several centuries; therefore based on their residence, they are Madheshi. It should be noted that this inclusion is able to cover Tharus living in Naini Tal, Kheri and Gonda districts of Uttar Pradesh and Champaran district of Bihar in India as well, which were in Madhyadesh.

Tharus do not speak a common language, but speak one of the Madhyadeshiya language—Maithili, Bhojpuri, Hindi and Awadhi or a dialect to them ("Many Tongues, One People: The Making of Tharu Identity in Nepal", Arjun Guneratne; "The Anthropology of the Tharus", Gisèle Krauskopff). Gisèle Krauskopff writes: “All the Tharu minorities speak Indo-European languages related to the North Indian ones. Despite many regional sub-variations, we can draw three main linguistic areas: Dangaura and Chitwanya Tharu dialects are different but exhibit Bhojpuri influence, Rana is closer to Hindi and Koshila to Maithili. Finally, the related Rajbamsis speak a form of Bengali.” Therefore, as Tharus speak one of the Madhyadeshiya language or a dialect close to it, they are Madheshi.

Tharus share many of the cultural practices with other communities in the Madhesh.  Holi, Jitiya Pawani, Sama Chakewa, Maghi, worship of village deity (Bhuinyar), Deepavali and culture of wall painting and many rituals upon birth and deaths are just to name a few. Noting the similarity, Encyclopedia Britannica also writes: “They [Tharus] speak a language of the Indo-Aryan subgroup of the Indo-Iranian group of the Indo-European family, and they are largely Indian in culture.” This further justifies the Madhyadeshiya identity of Tharus.

Therefore, as Tharus have been residing in Madhyadesh, as they speak one of the Madhyadeshiya language and practice Madhyadeshiya culture, they are Madheshi.

MADHESH AND MADHESHI: A GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE

- Vijay Kanta Karna, Senior Journalist, Nepal

In geographical term, Terai means a flatland stretching from the foothill of the Himalayan region in the north to the Vindhyachal Parbat (Vindyachal Mountain) in the south situated in central India and Nepal. The term Madhesh itself is derived from Sanskrit word ‘Madhyadesh’ that implies to the Gangetic plain and the Vitri Madhesh area bordering India on the southern side and spreading north up to the foothill of Siwalik range. The Terai region, which is mostly a flatland, is geographically and culturally distinct from the hills. According to the population census in 2001, it occupies 23 per cent of total area and 48.5 per cent of the population of Nepal. Most of the Terai inhabitants are plains (?) people or Madheshi whose religious traditions, language, caste system, food, style of clothing and other social customs and manners are similar to the people of Indo-Gangetic plains in the south.Fridrich Gaige (1975) used the terms ‘hill people’ and ‘plains people’ living in Terai districts, and defined a) “plains people are those who speak any one of the plains languages as their mother tongues or first language, whether they were born or lived in the plains or hills” the plains languages being Maithili, Bjojpuri, Awadhi, Urdu, Hindi and Bengali, and dialects of these languages used by Janjati groups, and b) “hill people whose mother tongue or first language is one that predominates in the hill region of Nepal such as Nepali, Newari, Magar, Gurung, Rai and others.Madhesh has a long historiography dating back to the kingdom of Vaideha or Mithila established in eastern to central Madhesh and a part of the present day north Bihar, India (Malangia, 1997). In the mid western Madhesh, Shakya kings ruled in 600 BC, the Buddha belonging to the Shakya dynasty was born in 563 BC. Similarly, kingdoms were established in Simraungarh in the present day Bara district. In Madhesh, several kingdoms were established and ruled by many dynasties (Thakur, 1956). These states perished with time and were abandoned and the land converted into forests. Gaige (1975) concluded: “the ancient and medieval history of this region is a cyclic one in which men and forests have dominated in turns”.The archeological studies through ancient arts, artifacts and monuments and excavation of historic sites (as in the case of Lumbini) of Madhesh, have not been done so far. Such studies would tell the ancient history of this region. Unlike the detailed historical study and research of Kathmandu Valley and other hilly regions, the Pahadi scholars and historians have never given any importance to the history of Madhesh and completely ignored the region. A few Madheshi historians and scholars who, due to lack of resources, have not yet studied the complex ancient history of Madhesh. In recent decades, Kapilvastu, the birth place of Lord Buddh, received worldwide recognition and support for meaningful excavation and detailed study and renovation of key sites.After the unification of Madhesh in Nepal by Prithivi Narayan Shah in 1769, its border was again re-drawn by the Sugauli Treaty concluded between British India and Nepal in 1816. The treaty scattered the people in Madhesh across the boarder that divides India and Nepal internationally. The Madheshis have ever since been divided till this day. (Singh, Amresh 2004, Restructuring of Nepali State: A Madheshi Perspective) Area and Population The total land area in the 20 Terai districts is 34,109 sq km which accounts for 23.1% of the country’s total area (Table 1). In 2001, 48.4% of the country’s total population of 23.2 million lived in Terai districts with a density of 329 persons/sq km. Terai plain and Vitri Madhesh together cover 15.6% of the country’s total area. Madheshi Issues: Exclusion of Madhesh and Madeshis Social Exclusion Social exclusion is defined as “the inability of our society to keep all groups and individuals within reach of what we expect as a society and the tendency to push vulnerable and difficult individuals in the least populous places”. Language: ‘Until 1958, Terai residents (plains people) as well as Indians were required to stop at the border town ofBirgunj to obtain passport before proceeding to Kathmandu. Passports were then checked at Chisapani Garhi on the route to Kathmandu. Before 1951, one’s nationality appears to have been determined primarily on linguistic basis. Nepalese subjects were the “hill folks” who spoke Nepali or hill languages such as Newari, Magar and Gurung etc. For this reason passports were not required for people traveling to Kathmanduvalley from the eastern or westerns hills.’ (Gaige: 88). Thus, in early 1950s language was the major factor for separating as well as discriminating Madheshi as outsider. This mindset continues until now. Poverty: People living under absolute poverty line in Nepal are currently estimated to be 31%. However, about 46% of Dalits, 41% of Muslims and 33% of indigenous Janjati population are below the poverty line (World Bank, 2006). Together these three major ethnic groups have 52.6% of the total Madheshi population. The rest 47.4% of the Madheshi people have lower poverty level. The above poverty data indicates that a large proportion of Madheshi households are excluded from the mainstream development. Poverty itself is the main factor of exclusion; the poor people could not afford basic education, primary health care, sanitation practices and decent housing.The data and information so far available (Per Capita Budget Allocation and Primary Sector Development Index, Source: Sharma and Shah 2002- New ERA, ICIMOD 1997) indicate that the Terai districts having higher proportion of Madheshi population have much lower socio-economic index values compared to districts where hill people are in dominance. Government and political institutions have been advocating and focusing poverty reduction program mostly in the hills and mountains, and they have been convincing the donors that only the hills and mountains have large number of poor people (Source required for this statement). It appears that until now, the politicians, policy makers, decision makers and national planners who are themselves hill origin people have ignored the socio-economic development issues of Madhesh. The fact is that the Madheshi people are not in the right place and their voices are not heard or considered. Land Ownership: Acquisition of land assets is linked to citizenship issues. Since the knowledge of writing and speaking Nepali language was the clause in the Citizenship Act of 1960s for obtaining citizenship certificate, it was intentionally formulated to deny citizenship to Madheshi. The Madheshis of Terai, who have been living for several generations, are denied citizenship certificate due to their in-competency in Nepali language and without citizenship, land registration deed (lalpurja) is impossible and hence so many Madheshi are Landless. Landlessness has become a major problem among Madheshi community. The recent report indicates a grave situation particularly in Dalit, Janjati and Muslim ethnic community; about 37% of Dalits, and 32% of Janjati households do not own agricultural land while 41% of Muslims are landless. About 79% of Mushar, a Dalit community, do not own land; they have the lowest literacy rate of 7.3%. Education: The literacy level of the Madhesis in Terai (including inner Terai) is only 38.4 per cent as compared to 65.6 per cent for the Pahadi (including Himali) group.The Dalits are the most deprived group of population inNepal, with only 39.2 per cent literacy. There is, however, substantial difference in the literacy level between hill Dalits (47.9%) and Terai Dalits (23.4%). Terai Dalits are on the lowest rung of socio-economic development ladder. Similarly, the literacy rate of Janjatis of Inner Terai and Terai together is only 50 per cent as compared to 58.7 per cent for Himal and 63.2 per cent for Hills. The literacy rate of Terai castes (including Muslims and excluding Janjatis and Dalits) is only 35.2 per cent as compared to 72.0 per cent for hill castes groups. Thus, the literacy level of hill castes is more than twice that of Madhesi castes. (Source: Calculated from Harka Gurung’s Nepali Document, Janajati Nepali-Au 8. Doc.)A study done by Dr Devendra Chhetry, entitled ‘Educationally Disadvantaged Ethnic Groups of Nepal’, conducted under MIMAP Project of APROSC and IDRC, in December 1996, points out the existence of a wide disparity in literacy rate between the Madhesi and Pahadi populations of Terai. ‘The average literacy rate of the Pahadi origin groups living in the Terai region is 54.5 per cent, while that of Terai origin groups population living in the Terai region is 26.4 per cent. The wide gap between the Pahadi and Terai origin population in the Terai region is a serious matter which warrants immediate attention of the policy makers” Economic ExclusionEmployment in Civil Services and International Agencies Organizations Three castes/ethnic groups namely Brahmins, Chhetris and Newars have dominated the civil service in the country. In 1991 these three castes constituted 36% of total population in Nepal but occupied 89.2 percent of position in civil service, while Madheshi community accounted for 32% of population but occupied only 8.4% of position in civil service. This indicates that Madheshi people have been highly discriminated in government services. It is interesting to note that in 1971 these three castes had occupied 89% of posts in civil services. Thus the pattern of civil service had not much changed over the past twenty years having these Brahmin, Chhetris and Newars dominating the civil service over the years and it is very unlikely that this trend will change in near future (Pashupati Rana’s Nepal’s Fourth Plan: A Critique. (Yeti Pocket Book Ltd 1971) pp 18- 19; D.N. Dhungel’s article “The Nepalese Administrative System” in Contemporary Nepal .P.P. 122-123).Out of the total 1,012 manpower involved in 91 international organizational agencies in 2001, there were 142 (14.1 %) Foreigners, 817 (80.7%) Pahadis and 53 (5.2%) Madhesi. (Source: UNDP (2001). Directory of the United Nations and Its related Specialized Agencies inNepal, September 2001, UNDP, Kathmandu) Representation in Cabinet, Constitutional Bodies and High Official Posts The Pahadi Brahmins and Chhetris control most of the powerful positions and influence the government and other governing institutions with their action. They consider Madheshi as ‘non-Nepali’ or ‘less Nepali’ and as its consequence, the latter, gets excluded from a higher posts unless he is in their high level of confidence. A very low or negligible representation of Madheshi can be seen in constitutional bodies and in higher posts/ designation — where people make national policies, and are the key decision makers and policy implementers. (Relevant data can be sought from: Singh, A. (2003) Restructuring of Nepali State: A Madheshi Perspective) Representation in Judiciary About 8 per cent of the total judges of the country are from Madhesi communities whereas the remaining 92 per cent are from hill communities. Participation of judges from Madhesi communities at the Appellate Court is 14.9 per cent, which could be considered a ‘high level of participation’ compared to 3.7 per cent at district courts. Political ExclusionElectoral Constituencies The average population per constituency is considerably higher in Terai districts (127,414) than in the mountain (73,026) and 109,081 in the hill districts. This reduces the number of parliamentarians representing Terai region where about 96% of the country’s total Madheshi people live while increases their number from hills and mountains where 82% of the country’s total Pahadi people live.