Jharra Chhetri
Jharra Chhetri(/ˈʒərrɑː/) are the subgroup of the Chhetri/Kshatriya caste who are socio-religiously considered the purest among all Chhetri subcastes. Jharra Chhetri wear the six threaded Janai (sacred thread). They are historically Indo Aryan people. Matwali Chhetri or Khatri Chhetri outnumber Jharras but notable people from Chhetri community are Jharras like Basnet/Basnyat, Thapa, Karki, Kunwar, Khadka, Katuwal,Rawat,Bisht.
| Jharrā | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Subcaste of Chhetri |
| Religions | Hinduism |
| Languages | Nepali, Sanskrit |
| Country | Nepal, India |
| Family names | Basnet/Basnyat, Bista/Bisht, Bohra, Budhathoki, Chauhan, Karki, Katuwal, Khadka, Kunwar, Mahara, Rawal, Rawat,Thapa |
| Feudal title | Kaji Sa'ab , Dewan sahib, Mukhtiyar, Chautariya (चौतरिया) etc. All the titles being different administrative posts. |
| Victory weapon | Khukuri |
| Notable members | Bagale Thapa(बगाले थापा),Basnyat family, Kunwar family, Thapa dynasty, Family of Amar Singh Thapa |
| Subdivisions | Bahuthariya Ekthariya |
| Related groups | Thakuri , Bahun |
| Historical grouping | Tagadhari castes |
| Reservation (Education) | No (Forward Caste) |
| Reservation (Employment) | No |
| Reservation (Other) | No |
| Kingdom (original) | Khasa Kingdom |
| Kingdom (other) | Gorkha Kingdom, Jumla Kingdom |
Jharra Chhetri are Kshatriya in Hindu Social status. They follow Bratabandha ceremony and proclaim a caste-based supremacy over Thakuri and other Khatri Chhetri and Pawei Khasa Chhetri based on the socio-religious gradation of purity.They are historically Indo Aryan people with concept of racial purity. Jharra Chhetri are the actual faction of Chhetris who held the most of the rulling positions with some exceptions like Pandey family being a khatri clan within Chhetris.Most of them were historically warriors, administrators, or government officials as their surname suggest.
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.
Jharra Chhetris are strict Tagadhari Hindus to the extent that Jharras who consumed alcohol and pork were even degraded to Matwali Chhetri(liquor drinkers) and robbed from Jharra status.