A Khas story

NOV 01 -

When I was a kid, the Nepali language was called Khas Kura which means the language of the Khas people. It is a well-known fact that the Karnali region is the source of the modern Nepali language. This fact made my search for my roots easy. I realised I was Khas even though nowadays I am called Chhetri. I did a little bit of research, and found that Khas are warlike mountain dwellers. This race has been mentioned in Hindu religious texts like Manusmriti, Mahabharata and the Purans. 

In some places, it has been mentioned that they are of European origin. Some historians believe that the Khas people may have migrated eastward about 3,000 years ago, and settled in the lower valleys of the Gandak Basin suited for rice cultivation. They were nature worshippers before they became Hindus. Hinduism divided one race into different castes and communities. Some Khas refused to accept the new religion, and they were called Matwali Chhetris. They followed their old tradition and lifestyle even though they had the same family names like Thapa, Basnet, Bohara and so forth. They drink alcohol, and do not wear the sacred thread. The southern neighbours looked down upon hill Hindus. Some rulers of Nepal like the Shah and Rana wanted recognition and respect from the southern rulers, so they linked their family lineage with ancient ruling families of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Professor Dor Bahadur Bista and historian Baburam Acharya have maintained that the Khas are mountain Aryans. It means they are not Vedic Aryans.

When I went to West Nepal to study the tourism potential of Dadeldhura district, I also visited the adjoining districts. I saw with my own eyes the simplicity, honesty and poverty of the Khas. The once powerful and mighty Khas have become helpless, hopeless and spiritless due to government policies. The government has neglected Nepal’s western region for centuries. This area gave birth to two prime ministers, but they turned their backs on the region and did nothing special for it.

The fact is that Chhetris, Bahuns, Thakuris, Dasnamis and Dalits who are all Nepali-speaking people are Khas. Hinduism divided us, and now we identify ourselves with our given caste. All Khas are equal, nobody can claim a higher position by birth. We migrated from Central Asia 3,000 years ago, so historically we are the oldest inhabitants of Nepal. Khas are an indigenous people of Nepal. Many researches, religious texts and historical documents prove this point. For centuries, they have been demoralised by the rulers in Kathmandu and exploited by the political parties. The Khas people in the west are living in poverty. It is the duty of every Khas to contribute something to uplift them. Distancing ourselves with a new caste identity is wrong. We should show gratitude to our ancestors by working for the Khas people, and going on pilgrimage to the Karnali region.