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Chhetri
क्षेत्री/खस | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of a Chhetri "Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal" who ruled the country as a Queen regent from 1806 -1832 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Nepal | 4,796,995 (16.4% of Nepal's population) (2021)[1] |
| Languages | |
| Nepali (Khas-Kura), Dotyali (Doteli)[2] | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism 99.25% (2011), Christianity 0.6% (2011)[3] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Khas peoples Bahun, Thakuri, Kumaoni, Magar, and other Indo-Aryan peoples | |
Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), (Nepali: क्षेत्री pronounced [tsʰetri]; IAST: Kṣetrī) historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speaking indo-aryans historically associated with the warrior class and administration, some of whom trace their origin to migration from medieval India.[4][5] Chhetri was a caste of administrators, governors, warriors and military elites in the medieval Khas Kingdom and Gorkha Kingdom (later unified Kingdom of Nepal).[6] The nobility of the Gorkha Kingdom mainly originated from Chhetri families. They also had a strong presence in civil administration affairs.[7] 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.[8]
Khas Chhetris were traditionally considered a division of the Khas people with Khas Brahmin (commonly called Khas Bahun).[9] 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.[10] Chhetris speak an Indo-Aryan Nepali language (Khas-Kura) as mother tongue.[2][4]
- ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
- ^ a b Dhungel 1998, p. 5.
- ^ Central Bureau of Statistics (2014). Population monograph of Nepal (PDF) (Report). Vol. II. Government of Nepal.
- ^ a b Lawoti 2005, p. 91.
- ^ Bista, Dor Bahadur (1980). People of Nepal (4 ed.). Ratna Pustak Bhandar. pp. 2–4.
- ^ Pradhan 2012, pp. 20–21.
- ^ Pahari 1995, p. 632.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Hitchcock 1978, pp. 116–119.
- ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
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