GENERATION OF NEWAR





The Newar caste system varies from the typical South Asian religious model in various aspects.
The Buddhist priestly class has been 'castified,' resulting in a 'double-headed' caste-system: the Hindu Brahmins and the Buddhist Vajracharyas at the top, each claiming equal stature in the hierarchy. Beneath them is the Newar Kshatriya nobility and the Vaishya merchant and traders castes. This is followed by the Shudra grouping which is the most differentiated with specialized castes for métiers needed in the daily lives of the Newars or for their cultural or ritual needs. However, unlike the traditional Indian Caste System, Newar caste system is less rigid and pollution-conscious.
Another prominent feature of the system is the existence of caste blocks in the hierarchy. While the hierarchy of the blocks may not be disputed, the individual positions of the castes within each block is also disputed by the castes themselves. Since separate caste systems were in practice in the different Newar city-states (and their provinces), some researchers look at the Newars as having several caste systems, rather than one unified system.^{[citation needed]}
The Newar caste system may be called Kshetriya-centric because the entire system exists around the personage of the king. The Brahmins are higher in caste status than the king not because they are more powerful, but because of their superior ritual status. The Brahmins are like all other specialized service providers, except that they are considered higher to others in ritual purity. Unlike other contemporary South Asian class systems, the Newar system still features the king prominently in his ritual obligations in the various festivals and functions throughout the annual religious calendar. He still mediates between the gods and his subjects; in this respect, as the representative of divinity, he is considered divinity itself.
The most successful attempt at imposing the caste system was made in the 19th century by Jung Bahadur Rana who was very keen to have his own status raised. He became the first of the Ranas and his task was to establish the legitimacy of Ranas and secure his control over the land. He succeeded in introducing the caste system to a much grater degree and rigidity than the Malla Kings had done just over four hundred years before him. He decided to put the majority of Newar speaking people into a single caste category called 'Matawali' meaning liquor drinkers. Even Newar Brahmins who had been serving as priests for Newars lost ritual status vis-a-vis the 'pure Bahuns', the Parbate Bahuns, of the Khas people community. The old Newar upper caste, the Shrestha, were also reduced to Matawali status. As a consequence, among the Newars, caste has become more complex and stratified than among the non-Newar group. This group may consider all Newar people to be equally Matawali, all essentially of the Vaishya caste, but this is not the perception of the Newar themselves.
Within the Hindu Newars, there are the Newari Brahmins who are on top of the Newar social hierarchy. The Rajopadhyaya serve primarily as family priest for the Hindu Newars. The Bhatta and Jha Brahmins who serve as temple priests are later additions to the Newar nation. Most Newars, as well as they themselves, do not consider them as being Newars. The second group corresponding as the Kshatriya varna is the Shrestha, meaning noble, which includes the old Newari aristocracy and upper class. Within the Shrestha community there are three hierarchically ranked groups which describe themselves as Chha-thare, Panch-thare, and Char-thare, literally 'six'-, 'five'-, and 'four'-grade Shresthas. The Chha-thare are the highest class among them and in fact consider themselves above almost all Newars. They do not call themselves 'Shrestha', but use their family or clan names, for example, Pradhan, Malla, Pradhananga, Munshi, Joshi, Amatya, Maskey, Rajbhandari, etc. They claim descent from Kshatriya kings from the south, most of whom entered Nepal Valley during the Malla era, and indeed many trace their roots to Malla royalty and/or the nobility during the Malla era. Some people believe that 'Chha-thare' or 'Chhathariya' is not the correct word to describe them. The term appears to be a corruption of the word 'Kshatriya/Chhetri' which immediately brings to mind another element of status classification. The Chha-thare Shresthas do follow many traditions very similar to those of the Chhetris. While the Chha-thare Shresthas are the Newari aristocrats, 'Panch-thare' Shrestha are those who have a lowered social status than the Chha-thare, many of them having been drawn from multiple economic and social backgrounds, especially from successful merchant families. 'Char-thare' Shresthas are even lowered in the social status compared to the Chha-thare and Panch-thare and consists of those from lower castes who have successfully entered or established a Shrestha status.
As result of Jayasthiti Malla's attempt as classifying Kathmandu Valley society according to caste principles, Buddhist Newars have their own counterparts. Vajracharya priests are at the top like Hindu Rajopadhyaya Brahmins. They are followed by the Shakya who were traditionally gold and silver smiths. Although Shakyas are not traditional priests, their high social position indicates that they were ordained as Buddhist monks at some time in history. This social group of Vajracharya - Shakya is often referred to as 'Gubhaju - Bare'. Next caste consists of the predominantly Buddhist Urāy group which collectively includes Tuladhar, Kansakar, Tamrakar, Sthapit, Bania, Rajkarnikar, and other castes who are involved in highly trained craftsmanship and trade. Newar caste logic stratifies the Bare and Uray group as the Vaisyas of Newars.
The next occupational caste consists of people who formed the majority of the people of Kathmandu Valley - peasants, farmer, vegetable growers, florists, potters, bricklayers and many other professions, are collectively called the Jyapu. Jyapu literally means 'competent worker' in the Nepal Bhasa language. Some of the prominent castes within this group are Maharjan, Dangol, Singh, Prajapati, etc.^[4] They have provided significant contribution to Nepali society and have been seen as the backbone of Newar community. The Jyapu were turned into a low caste category during the Malla period, acquiring the designation of Shudra or peasants. But the Jyapu remained united and never allowed themselves to pushed into the position of serfdom of slavery as many non-Hindu tribes in the plains were forced to do. They had a long history and strong internal social organization. They have been in control of the important means of production, namely the agricultural land, for generations. Jyapus are among the most progressive farmers in Nepal.
Also, there are other myriads of non-Jyapu occupational castes such as Manandhar, Chitrakar, Ranjitkar, Nakarmi, Mali, Karanjit, Tandukar et