An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of GorkhaHamilton, Francis
History
An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha
Hamilton, Francis
Nepal -- Description and travel; Nepal -- History
Near the Magars was settled a numerous tribe named Gurung, whose wealth
chiefly consisted in sheep, but whose manners are, in most respects,
nearly the same with those of the Magars, except that, in the course of
their pastoral life, they frequent the Alpine regions in summer, and
return to the valleys in winter. The men also employ themselves in
weaving blankets; but they are a tribe addicted to arms. A chief who
pretended to be of the Hindu colony, and who was Raja of Kaski, having
either settled where these Gurungs were the most predominant tribe, in
the districts of Gangrong Postong and Argong, or being, in fact, of the
Gurung tribe,—these people were strongly attached to his descendants, by
whom they were not disturbed in their religious opinions or customs, and
they continued to follow the doctrines of Sakya, as explained to them by
Lamas of their own tribe, who were supposed qualified to give them
instruction, and to direct their ceremonies. These persons are said
never to have given themselves the trouble of studying the language of
Thibet, and, therefore, were probably not very conversant in the
doctrines of Sakya, which they professed to teach. The Gurungs remain in
these parts in great numbers, and still adhere to the Lamas; nor do I
hear that any of them have been admitted to the dignity of Khasiya,
although perhaps the Ghartis, above mentioned as belonging to that class
of Hindus, may be of this race, as one part of the Ghartis, that still
remains impure, is said to live among the Gurungs, and to have similar
manners. There are, at any rate, several tribes of Gurungs, such as
Nisi, Bhuji, Ghali, and Thagsi. The latter live nearest the snow; but
all the Gurungs require a cold climate, and live much intermixed with the
Bhotiyas on both sides of the snow-covered peaks of Emodus, and in the
narrow valleys interposed, which, in the language of the country, are
called Langna. The Gurungs cultivate with the hoe, and are diligent
traders and miners. They convey their goods on sheep, of which they have
numerous flocks.
The Jariyas formed a very numerous tribe, occupying much of the lower
hilly region between the Kali and Nepal Proper, south from the Gurungs,
and intermixed with the Magars. There can be little doubt that the
Malebum family was of the Jariya tribe; but one of the chiefs having an
only daughter, gave her in marriage to a Brahman, and from this source
spring the families of Malebum, and its numerous collateral branches,
with a large proportion of the Rajputs of this part of the country;
although, where not of a chief’s family, the offspring of a Brahman by a
Sudra is reckoned a Khasiya. I have not heard that any of the Jariyas
continue to be viewed as impure; and I think it probable, that they have
all obtained the rank of Khas, although it is generally admitted, that
they had a dialect peculiar to themselves; but of this I could procure no
specimen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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