Khas People

Khas People

Originally the Khas (खस) / Khasas or Khasiyas were the mountain dwellers living in the southern shadow of the Himalayan range from Kashmir to Bhutan in the present day countries of Nepal, India (in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and the Darjeeling in West Bengal), and Bhutan i.e in former Greater Nepal). Most modern Khas people will not refer to themselves as Khas, instead referring to themselves by caste (e.g. Bahun, Bhakuni, Chhetri, or Thakuri) after falling under the influence of the caste system. The Khasas were a warlike tribe who built three capitals over time: Taklakot in Tibet, and Sinja and Dullu in Nepal. From the 11th century, their powerful kingdom, known as the Malla Empire (not related to the Malla Kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley), grew, covering much of west Nepal, Ladakh, Kashmir and western Tibet. As the empire fell apart during the 14th century, many of the ruling families migrated throughout Nepal. As a result, many common Nepali surnames (e.g. Thapa, Basnet, Bisht/Bista, Adhikari and Bhandari), as well as the national language, have their roots in the ancient and once proud Khas kingdom. The Khas language is a predecessor to modern Nepali, though it is sometimes difficult for modern Nepali speakers to understand.

The ancient Khas people inhabited a wide area nearby and alongside the Himalayas all the way from Kashgar, Western Kashmir, Kumaon, Gadhwal, Nepal and Bhutan. In Nepal, the Khas were rice-growing settlers in the Karnali-Bheri basin of far western Nepal since early historic times. When Khas peoples migrated eastward, they bypassed the inhospitable Kham highlands to settle in the lower valleys of the Gandaki basin suited to rice cultivation. One notable extended family settled in Gorkha, a petty principality about halfway between Pokhara and Kathmandu. In the late 1700s, the Gorkha King Prithvi Narayan Shah raised armies of Khas, Magar, Gurung and possibly other hill tribesmen and set out to conquer and consolidate dozens of petty principalities in the Himalayan foothills, including the three Malla kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley.

Since Gorkha had replaced the original Khas homeland as the center of political and military initiative, Khas-kura was renamed Gorkhali, i.e. language of the Gorkhas. More recently, it has been renamed called Nepali, the national language of Nepal. In Nepal, the Khas constitute, according to the 2001 Census of Nepal, about 43-45 percent of the national population.

First mentioned in the Manusmriti as Khasha (along with the Licchavi), and later in some Puranas (Bhagavata, Vishnu, Skanda), the Khasa are described together with Kiratas, Chinas, Hunas, Abhiras, Yavanas and Pulindas. There is a mention of the Khas people in the epic Mahabharat stating that they fought alongside the Kirantas in support of the Kauravas. It is thus stated - "प्राच्यै : प्रतिक्ष्यै रथज दक्षिणत्यै रुदिच्य काम्बोज शकै खशैश्य". In the 12th century history of Kashmir (Rajatarangini), the Khasha are frequently mentioned, constantly threatening the country in times of weakness; they are inhabitants of the hill region south of the Kashmir Valley (Khashali, around the Banihal pass).

Dharani Dhar Dahal had briefly described the history of the Khasa in his book "Jati Bhasa ra Lipi". According to Professor Dor Bahadur Bishta and Professor Suryamani Adhikari, the Matwali Chettris in the Karnali region of far western Nepal are the proto-type Khas people. They share same surnames (e.g. Bohora, Thapa, Bishta etc.), language and physical features but drink alcohol, eat chicken and do not wear the sacred thread.

Main sub castes of the Khas

• Bahun (Brahmin)
• Chhetri (Kshatriya)
• Thakuri (Kshatriya)
• Sanyasi
• Kaami
• Damai
• Sharki
• Gandharvha
• Baadi

Main Title (Surname) of Khas

• Paudyal
• Basnet
• Karki
• Katwal
• Prasai(n)
• Kharel
• Kandel
• Mahat
• Gautam
• Khatri
• Rana
• Thapa
• Bisht
• Khadka
• Bhandari
• Bhattarai
• Chand
• Malla
• Bohora
• Shahi
• Silwal
• Parajuli
• Bhakuni
• Budathoki
• Joshi
• Pandey
• Adhikari
• Ghimire
• Gururani

etc.

In Nepal, there are more than 300 surnames of the Khas people. In the past Khas are believed to have intermarried with Magar and Gurung, so that these and the Khas (Kshetri) have the same surnames. According to Professor Suryamani Adhikari (Tribhuvan University) Khas surnames indicate either post/position/profession held (e.g. Thapa = warrior; Karki = revenue officer etc.) or the place of origin in the Karnali region in far western Nepal (e.g. Sinja = Sijapati; etc.). Thapas or Bhudas were warriors in the historic Khas kingdom of the Karnali region, posts which could be held both by Khas and Magar.