Newar people

Newar, or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Newars are a distinct linguistic and cultural group, primarily Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman ethnicities, who share a common language, Nepal Bhasa, and predominantly practice Newar Hinduism and Newar Buddhism.
Newars have developed a division of labour and a sophisticated urban civilisation not seen elsewhere in the Himalayan foothills. Newars have continued their age-old traditions and practices and pride themselves as the true custodians of the religion, culture and civilisation of Nepal. Newars are known for their contributions to culture, art and literature, trade, agriculture and cuisine. Today, they consistently rank as the most economically and socially advanced community in Nepal, according to the annual Human Development Index published by UNDP. Newars are ranked the 8th largest ethnic group in Nepal according to the 2021 Nepal census numbering 1,341,363 people constituting 4.6% of the total population.
The Kathmandu Valley and surrounding territories constituted the former Newar kingdom of the Nepal Mandala. Unlike other common-origin ethnic or caste groups in Nepal, the Newars are regarded as an example of a nation community with a relict identity, derived from an ethnically diverse, previously existing polity. The Newar community within it consists of various strands of ethnic, racial, caste and religious heterogeneity, as they are the descendants of the diverse group of people that have lived in Nepal Mandala since prehistoric times. Indo-Aryan tribes like Maithils of Madhesh Province, the Licchavis, Kosala, and Mallas from respective Indian Mahajanapada that arrived at different periods eventually merged with the local native population by marriage as well as adopting their language and customs. These tribes however retained their Vedic culture and brought with them their Sanskritic languages, social structure, Hindu religion and culture, which were assimilated with local cultures and gave rise to the current Newar civilisation. Newar rule in Nepal Mandala ended with its conquest by the Gorkha Kingdom in 1768.

Origin, Etymology

The terms "Nepāl", "Newār", "Newāl" and "Nepār" are phonetically different forms of the same word, and instances of the various forms appear in texts in different times in history. Nepal is the literary form and Newar is the colloquial form. A Sanskrit inscription dated to 512 in Tistung, a valley to the west of Kathmandu, contains the phrase "greetings to the Nepals" indicating that the term "Nepal" was used to refer to both the country and the people.
The term "Newar" or "Newa:" referring to "inhabitant of Nepal" appeared for the first time in an inscription dated 1654 in Kathmandu. Italian Jesuit priest Ippolito Desideri who traveled to Nepal in 1721 has written that the natives of Nepal are called Newars. It has been suggested that "Nepal" may be a sanskritization of "Newar", or "Newar" may be a later form of "Nepal". According to another explanation, the words "Newar" and "Newari" are colloquial forms arising from the mutation of P to W, and L to R. There are regarded as the Adivasi of Kathmandu Valley.
As a result of the phonological process of dropping the last consonant and lengthening the vowel, "Newā" for Newār or Newāl, and "Nepā" for Nepāl are used in ordinary speech.

History

For over two millennia, the Newa civilization in Central Nepal preserved a microcosm of classical North Indian culture in which Brahmanic and Buddhist elements enjoyed equal status. Snellgrove and Richardson speak of 'the direct heritage of pre-Islamic India'. The Malla dynasty was noted for their patronisation of the Maithili language which was afforded equal status to that of Sanskrit in the Malla court. Maithil Brahmin priests were invited to Kathmandu and many Maithil families settled in Kathmandu during Malla rule. The influx of people from both the north and south increased not only Nepal's genetic and racial diversity but also greatly moulded the dominant culture and tradition of the Newars.
The divisions of the Newars had different historical developments. The common identity of the Newar was formed in the Kathmandu Valley. Until the conquest of the valley by the Gorkha Kingdom in 1769, all the people who had inhabited the valley at any point in time were either Newar or progenitors of Newar. So, the history of Newar correlates to the history of the Kathmandu Valley prior to the establishment of the modern state of Nepal.
The earliest known history of Newar and the Kathmandu Valley blends with mythology recorded in historical chronicles. One such text, which recounts the creation of the valley, is the Swayambhu Purana. According to this Buddhist scripture, the Kathmandu Valley was a giant lake until the Bodhisattva Manjusri, with the aid of a holy sword, cut a gap in the surrounding hills and let the water out. This legend is supported by geological evidence of an ancient lakebed, and it provides an explanation for the high fertility of the Kathmandu Valley soil.
According to the "Swayambhu inscription", Manjusri then established a city called Manjupattan, now called Manjipā, and made Dharmākara its king. A shrine dedicated to Manjusri is still present in Majipā.
No historical documents have been found after this era until the advent of the Gopal era. A genealogy of kings is recorded in a chronicle called Gopalarajavamsavali. According to this manuscript, the Gopal kings were followed by the Mahispals and the Kirats before the Licchavis entered from the south. Some claim Buddha visited Nepal during the reign of Kirat King Jitedasti.
The Newars reign over the valley and their sovereignty and influence over neighboring territories ended with the conquest of the Kathmandu Valley in 1769 by the Gorkhali Shah dynasty founded by Prithvi Narayan Shah.
Prior to the Gorkha conquest, which began with the Battle of Kirtipur in 1767, the borders of Nepal Mandala extended to Tibet in the north, the nation of the Kirata in the east, the kingdom of Makwanpur in the south and the Trishuli River in the west which separated it from the kingdom of Gorkha.

Economic History

Trade, industry and agriculture have been the mainstay of the economy of the Newars. They are made up of social groups associated with hereditary professions that provide ritual and economic services. Merchants, craftsmen, artists, potters, weavers, dyers, farmers and other castes all played their part in creating a flourishing economic system. Elaborate cultural traditions which required the use of varied objects and services also fueled the economy. Towns and villages in the Kathmandu Valley specialized in producing particular products, and rich agriculture produced a surplus for export.
For centuries, Newar merchants have handled trade between Tibet and India as well as exporting locally manufactured products to Tibet. Rice was another major export. Porters and pack mules transported merchandise over mountain tracks that formed the old trade routes. Since the 18th century, Newars have spread out across Nepal and established trading towns dotting the mid hills. They are known as jewelry makers and shopkeepers. Today, they are engaged in modern industry, business and service sectors.

Castes and Communities

Newars forms an ethnolinguistic community distinct from all the other ethnic groups of Nepal. Newars are divided into various endogamous clans or groups on the basis of their ancient hereditary occupations, deriving its roots in the classic late-Vedic Varna model. Although first introduced in the time of the Licchavis, the present Newar caste system assumed its present shape during the medieval Malla period.

Artisan castes: "Ritually pure" occupational castes : Balami, Bha/Karanjit, Chipā/Ranjitkar, Duhim/Putwar/Dali, Gathu/Mālākār/Mali, Khusa/Tandukar, Pahari, Kau/Nakarmī, Nau/Napit, Puñ/Chitrakar, Sayami/Mānandhar, etc.
Jyapu: Traditionally farmers; majority of Newar population inside Kathmandu Valley. Includes Maharjan and . Also includes Suwāl, Basukala, etc., Kumhā/Prajapati, Awalé, Sāpu, etc.
Shakya: Descendants of Lord Buddha's Shakya clan, Buddhist temple priests and also traditionally goldsmiths. They are also one of the few castes that can audition for being Kumari, a form of Taleju Goddess.
Brahmin: The two main groups are: Kanyakubja Brahmin or Rajopadhyaya who are purohits for Hindu Newars and temple priests of important national shrines like Changu Narayan Temple, Taleju Bhawani, Kumbheshwar Temple, among others, and Maithil Brahmin who are mostly temple priests of smaller Hindu shrines and are lower in numbers than Rajopadhyayas.
Chyamé/Chamaha: Traditionally fishermen, sweepers, and toilet cleaners. A Scheduled Caste.
Dhobi: Traditionally washermen. A Scheduled Caste.
Dyahla/Podé: Traditionally temple cleaners, fishermen, sweepers. A Scheduled Caste.
Gubhāju/Bajracharya: Buddhist purohits and temple priests of Kathmandu's various Buddhist shrines. They can be auditioned as Kumari, a form of Taleju Goddess
Jogi/Kapali : A caste associated as being descendants of the Kanphata Yogi sect. Also traditionally tailors, musicians. Previously, a Scheduled Caste.
Chathariya Srēṣṭha: Kshatriya aristocratic bloc which includes Malla descendants, their numerous Hindu courtier clans Pradhan and Pradhananga, Amātya, Maskey, Hada, Mathema, etc. and Kshatriya-status specialists like Joshi, Vaidya, Rajbhandārī, Rajvanshi Karmāchārya, Kayastha, among others.
Kulu/Dom: Traditionally leather workers. A Scheduled Caste.
Nayé/Khadgi/Shahi: Traditionally traders of vegetables, meat and musicians. Previously, a Scheduled Caste, and the discrimination is slowly ending.
Panchthariya Srēṣṭha: Chief Hindu trader and administrative class including Shrestha.
Rajkarnikar or Halwai: Traditional confectioners and sweetmakers.
Shilpakar: Wood carvers.
Tamrakar: Trader and merchant group from Lalitpur; traditionally involved as coppersmiths.
Urāya/Udās: Chief Buddhist trader, merchant and artisan group including Tuladhar and Bania, Kansakar, Sthapit, Kasthakar, and many more.