Jharra Chhetri

Jharra Chhetri(/ˈʒərrɑː/) are the subgroup of the Chhetri/Kshatriya caste. Jharra Chhetri wear the six threaded Janai (sacred thread). They are historically Indo Aryan people. Communities of Jharras are Basnet/Basnyat, Thapa, Karki, Kunwar, Khadka, Katuwal,Rawat,Bisht etc.

Jharra Chhetri are Kshatriya in Hindu Social status. They follow Bratabandha ceremony and were historically warriors, administrators, or government officials. Chhetri with heterogenous surnames are also called as Bahuthariya, such as Thapa (Bagale/Lamichhane/Godar/Suyal/Puwar), Karki (Mudula/Lama/Sutar), Basnet (Khaptari/Shripali/Khulal), Khadka (Kalikote/Puwar/Khulal/Maharajhi) whereas those with homogenous are known as "Ekthariyas" like Katwal, Raut, Kunwar etc. They are mostly descendants of different rank holding Indo-Aryan people in different feudal kingdoms of Medieval Himalayas.

"Chhetri" is a direct derivative^[1] or a Nepalese vernacular of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya.^[2]

Chhetris along with Brahmins are considered among the twice born castes called Tagadhari in Nepal and they wear the sacred thread called the Yagnopavita.^[3] Chhetris are considered among the Pahadi caste groups and they speak Nepali language as their mother tongue which is highly influenced by Sanskrit.^[3] The term 'Chhetri' was introduced by Jang Bahadur Rana, because he felt that the previous term of Khas (which the warrior castes of the hill people - i.e. present day Chhetri were known by) was not grand sounding enough and would cause him to lose face in front of foreigners.

The children born from the union of a Chhetri man and his married Chhetri wife, only accomplished by a proper Brahmā vivāha are considered "Jharrā" (meaning: 'pure') while those children born from the union of a Hill Brahmin man and a Chhetri woman are considered "Thimā" (meaning: 'hybrid').^[4]

A Jharrā boy would be given a six threaded Janai (sacred thread) at his Hindu passage of rite Bartaman ceremony while a Thimā boy would be given only a three threaded Janai (sacred thread).^[4] A Thimā son would inherit a sixth of the ancestral property compared to that of the Jharrā son.^[4]

Most Jharra Chhetris were aristrocrats, administrators, warriors, landholders and farmers of medieval himalayan states. From Unification of Nepal to King Mahendra's Panchayat rule they occupied majority of government posts. They had Monopoly in and other major posts in Nepal Army and Nepal Police including Army chief.

• Bhimsen Thapa
• Abhiman Singh Basnet
• Dilli Jung Thapa
• Amar Singh Thapa
• Bhakti Thapa
• Bal Narsingh Kunwar
• Swarup Singh Karki
• Balbhadra Kunwar
• Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal
• Abhiman Singh Basnet
• Mathabarsingh Thapa
• Pyar Jung Thapa
• Purna Chandra Thapa
• Surya Bahadur Thapa
• Rookmangud Katawal
• Yogi Naraharinath

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